What is baby bottle tooth decay syndrome?

By: Shohreh Sharif, D.D.S, P.C.

If you are a first-time mother or father, it’s very likely you’re finding yourself on a huge learning curve. Even with all the preparation you’ve done, there is always more to learn. It isn’t easy to be aware of all you need to know and some things may not be immediately obvious.  

An area that doesn’t always come to mind right away is the oral health of infants. After all, they have baby teeth that will be replaced, don’t they?

No, that’s not the case. Baby teeth are crucial to the adult teeth that will replace them and oral health is about more than teeth.

One serious oral difficulty that can develop is baby bottle tooth decay syndrome, also known as baby bottle tooth decay, early childhood caries and nursing caries. It happens when babies’ teeth come into contact with juices, milks or other sugared drinks. Bacteria on the teeth and in the mouth feed on the sugar in many of these drinks and this causes those bacteria to release the acids that lead to tooth decay.

This is why it is important to be sure you don’t leave your child sleeping with a feeding bottle in his or her mouth. It can lead to this problem.

The result is that your child could experience pain or even have difficulty chewing and eating. Baby teeth also set the stage for the adult teeth that will come in later in their life (about 6 years of age). They help guide the adult teeth into place. If damaged, the adult teeth may come in crookedly or have other problems which could lead to some extensive dental work later in life.

Damaged teeth can also lead to abscesses which can be both painful and lead to infection that can spread.

The problem of baby bottle tooth decay syndrome is a serious one but easily avoided. Don’t leave your child sleeping with a bottle in their mouth. Start with oral hygiene early by wiping the gums to keep them clean. When the teeth do appear, you should turn to a toothbrush – one suitable for a baby. This means small bristles at the head.

Does my child need braces?

By: Shohreh Sharif, D.D.S, P.C.
The need for orthodontic treatment for your child depends on their dental growth and the amount of crowding in their developing teeth and jaw. Some children need braces at an early age and some don't. Your Child's pediatric dentist can inform you of that once a complete orthodontic exam is performed.

Children experience several growth spurts through out their growing years. Boys and girls differ in the timing and type of dental growth they experience. Many times the Child's jaw doesn't grow enough to correct their dental crowding. At such times a young child with crowded bite and overlapped teeth can benefit from braces.

A pediatric dentist can monitor a child's oral development early and detect potential problems while they are relatively minor. Therefore early check ups are very important and treatment will be customized to each patient's unique needs.

Problems that aren't caught early can lead to extensive braces and in some cases, even corrective surgery. Quite often the need for surgery or extractions of permanent teeth can be avoided by guiding the Childs growth and development in to state of normalcy if orthodontic treatment is started early. In some case simple extractions of baby teeth that are preventing permanent teeth come in straight is all that's needed. In Other instances expanders and retainers can help a child avoid future extensive braces.

A dental professional like a pediatric dentist can provide regular oral exams and check ups that helps your child grow with a healthy smile. A lot of orthodontic problems if treated early enough will have a significant impact on the growth of the face and the jaws.

Three dental tips for you and your child

By: Shohreh Sharif, D.D.S, P.C.

The best dental care is about prevention of oral disease. Stopping problems before they start means better overall health and helps avoid major dental work later in life.

Prevention is also about avoiding dental diseases that can put our health at risk and result in damaged teeth and gums. Awareness of the importance of dental hygiene is the first step. It is particularly important with young children because they are at risk for Early Childhood Caries due to baby teeth susceptibility for cavities.

Young children of  preschool age due to their diet and feeding habits and lack of proper brushing and flossing could be at higher risk for getting cavities.

Here are three tips that can help maintain your child's dental health.

1) Start regular dental check-ups early
When do you start your child on dental visits? It's best to find a dental home for your child and get their first oral exam by their first birthday.
Once you start, dental visits should be on a regular basis to help maintain your child's dental health and catch problems at an early stage. It also helps to get your child in to routine of  regular dental visits, which will help maintain their dental health throughout their life.

2) Children should not sleep with feeding bottles in their mouths
It may be tempting to give the bottle to your baby at bedtime  because it has a soothing effect and helps them go to sleep. But it can have some very serious consequences known as " baby bottle decay syndrome".

Bacteria on the teeth and in the mouth feed on the sugar in many juices and milk. This causes the bacteria to release the acids that attack the enamel on the baby teeth that lead to tooth decay. You can read more about nursing bottle decay syndrome here. ( insert link to article here)

3) Brush their teeth 2 times and floss once a day
Babies and children should brush their teeth twice a day with the right amount of tooth paste. You should use a Smear amount of fluoride containing toothpaste for a child younger than  two years of age. Children older than 2 should have a pea-sized amount of tooth paste for their brushing needs. Make sure you wipe excess toothpaste off your Child's teeth before they swallow any. Once your Child's baby molars erupt, it's  time to start flossing their teeth once a day at night time.

By following the three simple tips above, you can assure your Child's dental health throughout their growing years.

The importance of caring for baby teeth

Parents sometimes wonder when they should start paying attention to and caring for their children’s teeth. The answer is simple: As soon as the first baby tooth appears in the mouth. Oral health plays a very important role in the child’s overall health from infancy to adolescence and all through the adult years. Yet sometimes people feel less concern about baby teeth. They’re going to fall out anyway, aren’t they?

Yes, but that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. They are critical in the development of a child’s mouth both in helping establish the framework for the permanent teeth when they arrive and for developing the oral habits each of us needs to maintain healthy teeth and jaws over a lifetime.

Baby teeth:

1) make spaces for the permanent teeth to grow into; if lost, permanent teeth could shift thus creating later orthodontic problems

2) help a baby learn to speak clearly

3) are required for biting and chewing

4) can affect a child's confidence; too many decayed or missing teeth may make a child self-conscious

Even before a baby’s teeth start coming in, you can wipe his or her gums gently at least once a day with a wet cloth. This helps remove any residue in the mouth from feedings as well as accustom the baby to the ritual of cleaning.

Once the teeth come in, use a soft infant-size brush to clean the teeth at least once a day. Before bedtime is best and preferably following any feeding to help keep the gums and teeth free of plaque after eating.

Toothpaste can help clean the child’s teeth and the fluoride in tooth paste helps strenghten the enamel on the teeth. The important aspect is the physical brushing and removal of food and plaque of the teeth. However, if you choose to use a toothpaste be sure it is designed for infants.  The guidelines of the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry suggest babies under 2 receive very little fluoride (smear amount).

Much of our adult dentition and  oral health is dependent on how early we establish good oral hygiene routines with our baby teeth. When we start by caring for our child’s oral health immediately, we help him or her develop the teeth, jaws and critical oral habits necessary for a life time of healthy smiles.

When Should you start brushing your child's teeth?

Shohreh Sharif D.D.S.

An early start to cleaning teeth can reap rewards for your child as he or she gets older.
Parents should start cleaning their Child's mouth before the eruption of their first teeth.

The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric dentistry recommend oral hygiene to start at infancy. The baby's gums need to be cleaned after each feeding so the milk and food is wiped off their gums.

Beginning early with wiping of the gums means you're prepared when the teeth do come through - and so is your child. One of the most important aspects of oral health is developing good habits at an early age. An early start means your baby gets used to the routine of cleaning their teeth early on. As he or she gets older, brushing the teeth quickly becomes an important habit because you have started early.

 Once The first tooth erupts parents can use a very soft bristle toothbrush or a gauze pad to clean the baby's gums and teeth. you should use a smear amount of fluoride toothpaste for children under the age of two and a pea size amount for children older than two. The fluoride in toothpaste is very effective in fighting cavities if used with parental supervision in young children. You should teach your child to spit the toothpaste and not to swallow any.
Establishing healthy oral hygiene routines takes practice and requires child and parent cooperation.

Children and Toothpaste

Shohreh Sharif D.D.S.

Recently the recommendations regarding the use of fluoride toothpaste for children younger than two years of age have been changed. It used to be that any child younger than two should use non-fluoride training toothpaste. Now according to the guidelines set fort by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, parents should start using fluoride toothpaste by the eruption of first tooth.

The key is in very small amount of toothpaste that should be used. It is recommended that children younger than two use a smear amount of fluoride toothpaste and any child older than two use a pea size amount of toothpaste.

However as soon as teeth are brushed the excess toothpaste should be wiped off before the child swallows it. At the same time parents should teach their children to spit the excess toothpaste as it is not good for them.
Fluoride is an important part of maintaining strong, healthy teeth but at a young age too much can be harmful. When choosing the right toothpaste for your child keep in mind the flavor and the fluoride factor.
Some toddlers don't like to brush their teeth because they aren't always willing to do the things they should to stay healthy. However you can make brushing a fun experience by choosing the toothbrush and the toothpaste flavor they like. There are many fluoride toothpastes made for children that have fun flavors and all the healthy ingredients.
Children should brush their teeth at least two times a day in the  morning and at night and floss once. They will need your help with brushing and flossing until they reach an age that they can do a good job on their own.
Your child's pediatric dentist can help you develop the best oral hygiene routine for your child. Every child should have a dental home by age one year to assure a lifetime of healthy teeth.

What is the right age to take your child to the pediatric dentist?

By Shohreh Sharif, DDS www.shohrehsharif.com
Viva Tyson Jan/Feb 2011


Pediatric dentists address the oral health needs of children ranging in age from infancy to young adulthood. Pediatric dentists study and train an additional two-to-three years beyond the standard four-years of dental school. Increasingly, this specialty has shifted away from taking a conservative and/or merely restorative approach to pediatric dental health. Modern pediatric dentistry aims to provide preventative and comprehensive pediatric care. Similar to the well-child medical visit, pediatric dental visits should start by the eruption of the first tooth and should be no later than your child's fist birthday. The pediatric dentist will address all aspects of oral health

care, including: diagnosis of oral disease, prevention of cavities, restorations, and correction of malocclusions, such as overbites, underbites and crowding of teeth. This will help improve your child's overall health, as well as prevent more serious complications as their teeth develop.

Infant oral visits

Like well child medical visits, one of the cornerstones of the infant dental visit is to prepare parents and caregivers for future age-specific needs and dental milestones. Pediatric dentists consult parents with anticipatory oral health care guidance. Some of the topics that are addressed at your child's first visit will be medical history, oral hygiene,

infant feeding, dietary habits, fluoride adequacy and cavities risk assessment to prevent early childhood cavities. Counseling of parents about dental developmental changes expected to occur between their children's dental visits is also an important part of preventive care.

Growth and development

A child's developing dentition is an important factor to be considered by parents. Growth and development is unique and specific to each child. To ensure healthy dental growth and development, a child's dentition needs to be monitored and evaluated by the pediatric dentist regularly.

One of the goals of the pediatric dentist is to properly assess and manage the developing dental occlusion of the patient. Guidance on the eruption pattern of a child's teeth is an integral part of pediatric dentistry. Such guidance will contribute to the development of a permanent dentition that is harmonious, functional and aesthetically acceptable.

Pediatric dentists have the responsibility to recognize, differentiate and either appropriately manage or refer abnormalities in developing teeth as dictated by the complexity of the problem and the individual needs of the patient. Early diagnosis and successful treatment of developing malocclusions (like overbites, underbites, and tooth crowding) by implementing preventive procedures (such as space maintenance and controlling bad oral habits) can have both short-term and long-term benefits, while achieving the goal of bite harmony, function and dental facial esthetics.