Baby Bottle Bruise

Bottle cavities are small spots that appear on the baby teeth in the front part of the upper jaw. While these spots are known as dental caries, problems such as tooth fracture can occur if caries occurs and is not treated for a long time. The main cause of bottle caries is the baby falling asleep with a bottle and applying sugary or honey products to the tip of the bottle or pacifier. Since it is difficult to provide oral care in babies and cannot be done completely, bottle caries can occur in a short time.

In bottle caries, it is not the use of the bottle that causes decay, but the substances in the tip or inside the bottle. For this reason, importance should be given to cleaning milk teeth, especially after nighttime food intake.

What are the Symptoms of Baby Bottle Rot?

Signs of baby bottle decay cannot be detected by children at an early age. However, parents can recognize the problem by observing their child's dental health. Due to the lack of initial symptoms, these cavities can often be recognized by the appearance of excruciating pain or fractures. In order to solve these problems in early childhood, it is important to take care of oral and dental health in babies and to use anti-cavity methods. In addition, the symptoms of bottle caries can be listed as follows: 

• Toothache,
• Dental sensitivity,
• White spots on the surface of the teeth or at the gum line,
• Redness or swelling of the gums,
• bleeding gums,
• Fever and bad breath,
• Dark or brown spots on teeth.

Why does bottle rot occur in children?

Bottle decay in children can have many different causes. This problem, which is usually encountered in the upper front teeth, can progress to other teeth if left untreated or if no precautions are taken. Among the common causes is the contact of the baby's teeth with sugary liquids or acidic substances. In the absence of dental care after feeding in infants, caries problems continue to increase. In addition, the risk of bottle caries is high in children who sleep with a bottle, pacifier or mother's breast. 

How to Treat Baby Bottle Rot

Treatment of bottle decay can vary depending on the age of the child and the condition of the decay. Early diagnosis of dental problems makes treatment faster and easier. The first symptoms of baby bottle decay include white spots on the tooth surface. Since these symptoms cannot be detected by the child at an early age, it is important for parents to be careful about this issue and closely follow the child's development process and dental health. 

In the treatment of early diagnosed bottle caries, oral fluoride treatment or local fluoride varnish can be applied to remineralize all teeth. In addition, keeping the child away from sugary foods and drinks at this stage prevents the caries from progressing. Fluoride treatments are not effective in caries detected at later stages. In this case, applications such as filling, amputation or root canal treatment should be performed. 

Bottle Caries and Preventive Measures for Children's Dental Health

In order to prevent bottle caries, parents should first seek expert advice and follow the right steps. It is also recommended to take children to a pediatric dentist before the age of 1 to detect such problems early. In addition, preventive measures that can be taken for dental health in children can be listed as follows:

• No food should be given during sleep,
• Mouth and teeth cleaning should be done after feeding,
• Consumption of sugary foods or drinks should be reduced, especially between meals,
• Use of fissure sealant on expert recommendation,
• No honey or other sweeteners should be applied to the pacifier or bottle,
• Children should be instilled with healthy eating habits,
• Regular check-ups with a dentist are recommended.