Early Childhood Decay
As every parent knows, your baby’s first smiles will melt your heart. As a dentist and mother, I know how important it is to keep your baby’s smiles healthy and beautiful - this means preventing early childhood decay or cavities. You might be thinking, “Babies can get cavities?” Yes, they can, which is why good oral hygiene starts as soon as that first tooth enters the mouth!
By Dr. Stephanie Vera, DDS
Since baby teeth have thinner enamel than adult teeth, babies and toddlers are especially vulnerable to cavities. In fact, studies suggest that more than 25% of kids between the ages of 2 and 5 years old already have some form of tooth decay – meaning 1 in 4 kids are affected by early childhood decay. One of the common causes of early cavities is known as “Baby bottle tooth decay.” These early cavities happen when kids are allowed to fall asleep unsupervised with a bottle and the milk pools in their mouth while they sleep. This risk is even greater if you have already introduced purees or solid food to your child or if the bottle was filled with juice or other sugary liquids.
What Do Cavities Look Like?
Identifying cavities in baby teeth can be tricky, but early detection is crucial.
Demineralization: Chalky white appearance on the surface of the teeth happens when the minerals of the enamel start weakening. This stage of a cavity can be stopped and re-hardened with proper care and prevention
Early and Moderate Decay: Once demineralization has passed the enamel and involves the dentin, or second layer of the tooth, it may appear yellow-brown to black and actually have a hole. Your child may not experience any sensitivity at first, but as the cavities get bigger than can experience pain and discomfort. These cavities require treatment.
Advanced or Severe Decay: When a tooth has been mostly or severely decayed, the teeth are soft, discolored, and often produce severe pain. Children are at risk of an abscess or other infections related to these cavities.
What happens if you don’t Treat Cavities in Baby Teeth?
Since “baby” teeth fall out, some parents don’t think it’s a big deal to leave cavities untreated. Unfortunately, this can’t be further from the truth. Our children’s teeth are important – they are used for speech development, chewing, helping the jaws grow and maintain space for the developing adult teeth, and can impact a child’s self-esteem. Not only are there functional and emotional consequences to leaving cavities untreated, but early childhood decay spreads faster than cavities in adults and it can lead to health issues in both the short and long term:
PAIN: A cavity is a hole that forms in a tooth when the acid from bacteria dissolves the outermost layer of the tooth and (sometimes) the underlying layers. Once a cavity has made its way through the enamel, it can lead to sensitivity and pain. If the cavity reaches the nerve-filled layer of the tooth, the pain can be excruciating.
INFECTION: Since cavities are caused by bacteria, they are technically an infection of the hard tissue in our mouths. If left untreated, this infection spreads to the nerve-filled layer of the tooth and enters the blood stream where it can start to impact the soft tissue around it or even cause life-threatening infections in other parts of the body.
TOOTH LOSS: Early childhood decay is particularly aggressive and can cause serious problems very quickly. If early intervention and treatment don’t happen, the cavities can spread to other teeth or become so severe that the baby teeth need to be removed.
How to Prevent Early Childhood Cavities
Don’t share bacteria
Did you know you can catch cavities? You read that right – tooth decay is contagious! That means you should avoid sharing spoons, straws, or kissing your child on the mouth, especially if you are one of those unlucky people who gets cavities all the time. Otherwise, you can pass cavity-causing bacteria directly to your child!
Keep Bottles and Sippy cups out of bed
The primary cause of early childhood decay is when sugary liquids sit on a baby or toddler’s teeth while they sleep. This means you should never put them down with a drink – unless it’s plain old water! Some children sleep better with a feeding directly before bed or will fall asleep while suckling. Whatever makes your baby feel comfortable and full, just make sure you take the bottle with you before you tiptoe out of the room!
Avoid sugar foods and Drinks
Breast milk and formula provide essential vitamins and nutrients for your baby’s growth and development, but even their natural sugars can be harmful when they sit on the while they sleep. An even worse culprit, added sugars found in juice, sodas, candy, and chewy or sticky snacks provide a feast for cavity-causing bacteria. A healthy, well-rounded diet and sticking to water between meals will help minimize your child’s risk to early tooth decay.
Start Proper hygiene Early
In order to get your little one used to having their teeth clean, it is recommended to starting wiping their gums with a clean, wet washcloth after feedings to remove bacteria. Proper oral hygiene should start as soon as their first tooth erupts – brushing twice a day with an infant toothbrush and rice-sized amount of toothpaste. Brushing is the only way to remove any food debris and bacteria from the surfaces of the teeth. And as soon as two baby teeth touch, it’s time to talk about flossing.
Find a Dentist
When it comes to our health and that of our children, prevention is key! The ideal time for that first dental visit is between the appearance of their first tooth and their first birthday. An examination by a dentist is the only way to officially diagnose tooth decay and ask any questions you may have for your child’s oral care.
With proper nutrition, oral hygiene routine, and a strong relationship with a dentist you trust, you can help prevent early childhood decay. And when you start early, you’re preparing your child for a lifetime of healthy smiles!
Dr. Stephanie Vera is a general dentist practicing in Murphy, Texas. She is a graduate of Baylor College of Dentistry and believes education and prevention are essential to a happy, healthy smile.
