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Bottle caries is a disease of the hard tissues of the tooth that may appear in infants. The name of this type of caries comes from the fact that it develops most often as a result of prolonged bottle feeding of a baby. However, this is not the only cause of bottle caries. What are the symptoms of bottle caries, how to treat it in a young child?
Bottle caries – symptoms
The main symptom caries is the demineralization of the hard tissues of the tooth. It is caused by the action of acid-forming bacteria that multiply. They create plaque as a result of excessive consumption of carbohydrates and failure to care for dental hygiene. Plaque, on the other hand, is a yellowish structure that sticks to the teeth tightly and corrodes the enamel. Bottle caries is manifested by white spots on the primary teeth of the jaw and dark spots appearing just off the gum line of the front teeth (most often ones). A symptom bottle caries there is also a baby crying when eating food or a complete reluctance to eat and bite. Bottle caries it can appear in infants, but most often it affects children over 4 years of age.
Bottle caries – causes
Cause bottle caries it is most common to bottle-feed the baby for too long. Giving your baby food in this way leads to a situation where the food stays on the teeth for longer. It is dangerous because very often food intended for children is artificially sweetened. An additional disadvantage is the sticky consistency of this type of food, which results in sticking to the teeth, which, as you know, are not yet mineralized properly. This leads to the formation of bacterial plaque, and the areas of the teeth where it comes into contact with the nipple are particularly vulnerable. The deposition of bacterial plaque consequently causes losses in the structure of the hard tissues of the tooth, demineralisation of the enamel and the appearance of white or black spots, especially on the front teeth. Bottle caries it develops quite quickly and can spread to other, healthy teeth in a short time.
Bottle caries – treatment
If the child has only small spots or whitish streaks, a fluoridation procedure is enough, during which the dentist will apply a special preparation to the child’s teeth. To consolidate the effect, the dentist may recommend the regular use of fluoride toothpastes and provide tips on how to properly care for the child’s oral hygiene. However, if black spots appear on the baby’s milk teeth, it indicates an advanced stage of development bottle caries. Then you will also need to visit the dentist, with the difference that the specialist will choose a form of treatment other than fluoridation. In this case, a frequently used method is the so-called teeth impregnationwhich involves the use of a specially prepared silver nitrate solution. This is to prevent the teeth from progressing bottle caries. Impregnation treatment causes darkening of the teeth, but is an effective method of treating this type of ailments. In extreme cases, if bottle caries is very advanced, it may result in the necessity to extract (remove) the tooth. The procedure is then performed under local or general anesthesia. Sometimes it is necessary to put on crowns made of stainless steel.
Bottle caries – prognosis
Prognosis in case of bottle caries are strongly dependent on the condition of milk teeth. If they do not show too much carious lesions, advanced dental procedures are not necessary. However, if bottle caries led to complete demineralization of the tooth’s hard tissues, extraction must be performed. It is connected with the too rapid loss of the milk tooth, which may result in an abnormally growing permanent tooth at a later time.
Bottle caries – prevention
Bottle caries can be prevented. First of all, you should not bottle-feed your baby for too long. You should also be careful about using the so-called non-spill cups, the use of which also exposes not fully mineralized milk teeth to damage. It is also not allowed for the child to fall asleep with the bottle, because in such a situation the contact of the teeth with the food is significantly longer. You can also gradually introduce the use of a teaspoon. Under no circumstances should teats and teaspoons be licked off, as they expose babies to bacterial infections. If a toddler does not have teeth, it does not mean that you do not need to take care of proper oral hygiene. Gingiva should be rinsed with a cotton swab moistened with boiled water. This will remove any food debris. The first teeth should be carefully washed with a soft bristled brush. In addition, sweetened lenses, drinks or teas should be excluded from the child’s diet, because they contain a lot of simple sugars that can contribute to the development. bottle caries. It is good to get your child used to drinking still mineral water.
Older children should regularly clean their teeth using a suitable toothpaste, eg ELMEX Junior – toothpaste for children, which you can buy at a favorable price on Medonet Market.