Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay can be much more serious than many new parents realize. Just because a child will shed their baby teeth for an adult set does not mean that problems during from infancy cannot affect the development process. In fact, eliminating baby bottle tooth decay is usually step one in ensuring your child’s teeth will come in properly with the permanent alignment. Your Highland Park IL dentist at Northbrook Dental supports the position that avoiding baby bottle dental issues is actually where good personal oral hygiene begins, and all parents should understand the medical impact.

Early Prevention

The condition usually appears first as white spots on the baby teeth after they have been exposed for a short while. The issue usually will not develop before this stage. Many dentists recommend massaging the gums if necessary as a short-term pain relief treatment when the spots appear in very early development, but the best method is paying close attention to their diet and not giving them a bottle for extended periods at night. The bottle is important for developing facial muscles when they are young, but extended periods with milk or a sugary drink can promote decay.

Severe Decay

Parents often do not realize their child has baby bottle tooth decay until it has manifested significantly. The white spots that are observable in early detection can easily be missed, and first time parents are commonly not aware a baby bottle could create this problem. Other symptoms of baby bottle decay are:

• Dark spots on teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Infection pockets
• Fever or swelling

Long-Term Effects

Baby bottle decay that goes undetected or untreated can easily result in dental health problems in the future. The condition can spread to the jaw bone and other facial areas, not to mention potential early cavity development and bone density reduction. other dental health situations such as misaligned teeth are also a very common result when the baby bottle decay is not treated in early stages by an experienced dentist in Highland Park IL.

Contact a Dentist in Deerfield IL

Illinois parents who have a potential baby bottle tooth decay problem with their child should contact our offices today and let us put our expertise and knowledge to work for your family.