What is “bottle caries” and how to prevent it

A kind of caries caused by infant sucking bottle continuously during sleep, medically known as bottle caries (also called nursing caries), long-term artificial feeding with bottle, bottle stopper attached to the lip side and adjacent surface of the maxillary milk front teeth, and cause large area caries, with the continuation of time, it can also spread to the milk cusp and milk molar. The tooth cannot grow well again after suffering from caries. Because of the low calcification degree of milk teeth, the disease progresses rapidly after the caries, and the destruction area is extensive, and the treatment effect is poor. Therefore, active prevention is very important. Mainly, a chalky colored demineralized belt is formed in the cervical part of the lip surface of the maxillary milk incisor, with the development of caries, the color of this demineralized belt becomes darker and larger, surrounding the tooth, making the hard tissue of the tooth peel off and finally become cone-shaped, even forming the residual root. In this way, not only the cutting function of the milk tooth is greatly reduced, but also with the aggravation of the lesion, it will cause the pulp and apical lesion of the tooth, then the child will feel the severe pain or the swelling of the gum and pus, and the serious one will affect the development of the permanent tooth. Once the milk teeth are extracted prematurely due to the serious caries which cannot be treated, it will disturb the physiological rule of the replacement of milk and permanent teeth, cause the disorder of the eruption of permanent teeth, and bring bad influence to the dental development of children. Bottle caries is important to prevent, should follow the following measures: 1.First of all, make the child quit the habit of sucking milk with bottle to induce sleep, if the child must use the bottle when sleeping, only use white water! 2, let the child develop the habit of drinking plain water to dilute the milk left in the mouth and between the teeth and play the role of cleaning the mouth. 3.Use dental floss to clean the adjacent surfaces of the milk teeth at least once a day. 4. Parents should start brushing their children’s teeth after their first milk teeth come in. It is best to do it after meals and before going to bed, at least twice a day. 5.Under three years of age, brush teeth with water, and over three years of age, use children’s fluoride toothpaste (do not use adult fluoride toothpaste). 6.Control the time your child uses the bottle each time, generally limited to 10-15 minutes, and never let your child sleep with the bottle in his mouth. 7.Take your child to the hospital for a dental checkup every 3 months from the time the first milk tooth comes in. 8.According to the doctor’s suggestion, use fluoride preparation regularly in the hospital to improve the anti-cavity power of the baby teeth. From 6 months old onwards, add rice soup, vegetable puree, egg yolk and other auxiliary foods, reduce sugary foods, replenish the nutrition of the body, and enhance the physical fitness of the child.