Kids Dental Online - Plano & Carrollton

Pediatric Kids Dentist Plano Carrollton

Plano Office
3001 N Dallas Parkway, Suite B
Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 972-378-5437
       
Carrollton Office
1912 E Hebron Parkway, Suite 104
Carrollton, TX 75007
Phone: 972-394-2140
  • Home
  • Our Team
    • What is a Pediatric Dentist?
    • Meet Our Team of Pediatric Dentists
    • Jeffrey D. Holt, DDS, MS
    • Moisa Sapozhnikov, DDS
    • Mindy Li, DDS
    • Nathan Cotten, DDS, MS – Orthodontist
    • Dental Hygienists
  • Dental Topics
    • Toothaches in Children
    • Pulp Therapy in Children
    • Bruxism is Teeth Grinding or Jaw Clenching in Children
    • Tongue Thrusting in Children
    • Baby Dental Topics
      • Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
      • Dental Hygiene For Babies And Toddlers
      • Stages of Teething and Helpful Hints
      • Thumb Sucking and Pacifiers “Non-nutritive Sucking Habits”
    • Can Oral Piercings Affect Your Teeth?
    • Oral Hygiene
      • Dental Cavities and How to Prevent Them
      • Bad Breath in Children
      • Dental Fluoride Treatments in Children
      • Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities in Children
      • Dental Treatment for Tooth Decay
      • Oral Health and Gum Disease
      • Enamel Hypoplasia/Enamel Defect
      • Eating Healthy to Promote Strong Teeth in Children
      • Foods That Stain Teeth
      • Soda Drinking and Its Effect on Teeth
      • Sports Drinks Can Be Harmful to Teeth
      • Vaping Can Affect Oral Health
        • How Can Vaping Affect My Teen’s Oral Health?
      • Permanent Tooth Eruption In Children
    • White Dental Crowns for Kids
    • Is Teeth Whitening Safe For Children?
    • Wisdom Teeth
      • Over-Retained Primary Teeth (Baby Teeth)
        • Treating Over-Retained Primary Teeth (Baby Teeth)
    • Hyperdontia Supernumerary Teeth
    • Hypodontia (Missing Teeth)
    • Canker Sores (Aphthous Ulcers)
      • Treating Canker Sores (Aphthous Ulcers)
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      • Eating Disorders Can Affect Kid’s Teeth
      • Preventing and Treating Oral Damage from Eating Disorders
      • Xylitol Dental Benefits
      • Choosing the Best Toothpaste for Children
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      • Dental Sedation
      • Healthy Eating
      • Motivating Your Child to Brush Their Teeth
      • Mouth Guards Prevent Dental Injury in Sports
      • Pediatric Dental X-rays (Radiography) and Safety
    • Dental Emergencies
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      • Why Young Kids Need Braces
      • Types of Braces
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        • Caring for Braces
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Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is Early Childhood Caries (ECC)The health of a child’s baby teeth is extremely important to their overall health and the health of their future permanent teeth as well. Kids need strong baby teeth to speak correctly, chew their food, and eventually for their permanent teeth to grow in properly. It is vitally important to begin good oral care during infancy. It is a parent’s responsibility to take control of their child’s oral health from the beginning and implement healthy oral hygiene habits to prevent and reduce the risk of dental caries, including baby bottle tooth decay! Learn more about dental healthcare in our pediatric dental topics section.

What Is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Infant caries is the medical term for tooth decay (cavities). When tooth decay occurs in infants and toddlers it is often referenced as bottle mouth, baby bottle tooth decay, and early childhood caries. Most often baby bottle tooth decay occurs in the front upper and lower teeth but can also become a problem in any of the other teeth as well. Caries (cavities) are the result of excessive amounts of sugar on the teeth.

What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Several different things can cause early childhood caries (cavities), but most frequently, perpetual exposure to drinks that have sugar causes tooth decay in infants and toddlers. When a baby is put to sleep with a bottle or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a cranky baby, tooth decay can develop. When sugar rests on and coats the teeth, decay transpires more quickly. Infants usually consume too much sugar when they are excessively provided with certain kinds of formula or milk, sweetened snacks, or other sweetened liquids like juice to pacify them or help them fall asleep.

Tooth decay is an oral disease that can even begin when a mother (or primary caregiver) passes cavity-causing bacteria to an infant. The bacteria are transmitted through saliva, so this can occur if a mother shares a spoon with a baby, for example. Also, an infant may be at an increased risk for tooth decay if he/she is not receiving a sufficient amount of fluoride.

infant tooth decay cavities
Infant Tooth Decay

Signs And Symptoms Of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Caries caused by baby bottle tooth decay can form in any of the baby teeth, but they most commonly occur on the upper front teeth. They appear as uncharacteristic white, dark, or brown spots on the teeth. They may also cause teeth to become more sensitive than usual.

Detriments Of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Infant caries can become a very critical issue, and if a tooth is lost too early due to decay or left untreated, infection and pain can ensue. Also, if baby teeth do not develop correctly, due to decay especially, an infant may establish deficient eating habits, experience speech problems, and permanent teeth may “come in” crowded and misaligned. Overall, dental pain, misaligned adult teeth, chewing pain or problems, and serious infections are all potential complications of baby bottle tooth decay. If decay is severe enough, the dentist may have to even remove baby teeth prematurely, which is not ideal.

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

There are many ways to practice good oral hygiene for infants in order to reduce the risk and prevent baby bottle tooth decay:

  • Never put a child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. The sugar in the liquid will stay on the baby’s teeth for hours, and eventually start causing decay. If a baby must use a bottle to fall asleep, fill it with water. Many pediatricians do not advise providing a bottle in the crib at all, while others require a child have the ability to sit up without help to use one.
  • Do not allow a child to carry around a bottle of juice or milk. This forms the bad habit of the baby constantly sucking on a bottle and coating their teeth with sugar.
  • Try to never fill bottles with soft drinks, juices, or sugar water.
  • When the child is about 6 months old, teach him/her to start drinking from a cup, so that by 12 to 14 months the baby will have an easier time transitioning and completely weaning off the bottle.
  • Do not encourage prolonged pacifier use and never dip a pacifier in syrup or honey. NEVER give honey to a baby under 1 year old for any reason! This can be very harmful.
  • Restrict the amount of juice a child consumes and promote healthy eating habits by limiting sweets.
  • Make sure to wipe an infant’s gums after every feeding with a clean damp washcloth or gauze pad. See “Oral Hygiene For Infants And Toddlers” for details on how to keep a baby’s mouth clean, in order to prevent and reduce the risk for tooth decay.

Read more on Infant Dental Topics

  • Why Baby Teeth Are Important
  • Five Stages of Teething and Helpful Hints 
  • Dental Hygiene for Babies and Toddlers
  • Baby Bottle (Nursing) Tooth Decay
  • Thumb Sucking and Pacifiers “Non-nutritive Sucking Habits”

At Kids Dental, we offer comprehensive, family-centered pediatric dental care in a child-friendly nurturing environment. If you are looking for a place to call your dental home, please schedule a consultation with one of our pediatric dentists by completing an Online Appointment Request or calling either office.

Kids Dental Locations Appointment Request

Plano Office Phone: 972-378-5437

Carrollton Office Phone: 972-394-2140

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Toothaches in children are a common occurrence from early childhood to adolescence. They can result from normal oral development or be a sign of a dental problem. Pediatric dentist Dr. Jeff Holt and his team at Kids Dental in Plano, Carrollton, and … Toothaches in Children - Kids Dental - Plano & Carrollton

Kids Dental in Plano and Carrollton, Dr. Jeffrey D. Holt, DDS, Pediatric Dentists and Orthodontist

About Our Team

About Our Team Dr. Jeff Holt and our team of pediatric dentists, orthodontists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants welcome you to Kids Dental located in Plano and Carrollton. All of our clinical staff members are registered by the Texas State Board of … Our Team

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Orthodontics Properly aligned teeth and jaws can prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other health problems. An attractive smile is a nice side effect of orthodontic care, but there are plenty of other reasons to see an orthodontist too. Please call … Orthodontics

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Archives

Kids Dental

Plano and Carrollton, Texas

Pediatric Dentists

  • Dr. Jeffrey Holt
  • Dr. Moisa Sapozhnikov
  • Dr. Mindy Li

Orthodontist

Dr. Nathan Cotten

Plano Office

Kids Dental Plano
3001 N Dallas Parkway, Suite B
Plano, Texas 75093

Phone: 972-378-5437

Carrollton Office

Kids Dental Carrollton
1912 E Hebron Parkway, Suite 104

Carrollton, Texas 75007

Phone: 972-394-2140

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