Some parents wonder if it’s necessary to brush their baby’s teeth. Can babies even get cavities? The answer is yes, they can. Here’s why and how to prevent it.

Why Babies Can Get Cavities

Cavities are caused by bacteria in the mouth that feed on sugars and carbohydrates left behind after meals. If a baby has a lot of these bacteria, they can develop cavities.

Tips to Prevent Cavities in Babies

-Delay Bacteria Introduction: Babies are born without bacteria in their mouths. Try to delay the transfer of bacteria by avoiding activities that share saliva, such as sharing spoons, tasting their food, kissing on the lips or cleaning pacifiers with your mouth.

Avoid Nighttime Feeding With a Bottle: Don’t let your baby sleep with a bottle or stay latched onto the breast all night. Both formula and breast milk contain natural sugars, which can lead to cavities if teeth are exposed to them for long periods.

-Start Brushing Early: Begin brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as their first tooth appears. Aim to brush once a day, ideally after their evening bottle or breastfeeding session. Use a tiny smear of toothpaste to give your baby the protective benefits of fluoride.

By following these simple tips, you can help ensure your baby has a cavity-free future!

#BabyCare

#DentalHealth

#HealthyTeeth

Feel free to share this post to help other parents keep their babies’ teeth healthy! More questions? Call to schedule an appointment today at Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio. Call 210-680-7841 today!

The post Can Babies Get Cavities? first appeared on Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio.

Giving your child diluted juice all day is a recipe for cavities. Even though your child might not be getting that many grams of sugar, as a dentist we’re more concerned about the frequency that your child’s teeth are exposed to sugar. So drinking a cup of full-strength juice at mealtime isn’t that bad for their teeth, but sipping on juice-flavored water all morning or afternoon is.

Every time the mouth is exposed to carbohydrates, like with juice, the oral bacteria make acid. That acid hangs around for about 20 minutes before the acid is neutralized by your child’s saliva. Unfortunately, those acids on the teeth are what cause tooth decay and cavities. So sipping on diluted juice all day is just exposing the teeth to acid all day and inviting tooth decay.

The best thing for your child to drink in between meals is plain water. Offering water in fun cups and water bottles, or adding ice, can make it more appealing. Also, model healthy habits so your kids see you drinking water between meals. If they still refuse plain water, you can add sugar-free water enhancers, like squeezable Mio or Crystal Light. The goal of squeezable flavor is to slowly wean them off the water enhancers so they are just drinking plain water between meals.

Call Today!

The key to protecting your child’s teeth and ensuring their overall dental health is to make plain water the go-to drink between meals. Remember, fostering healthy drinking habits is not just about quenching thirst—it’s about setting the foundation for a lifetime of good dental health. To help your child stay cavity-free, please ditch the diluted juice between meals and stick to water for optimal hydration. Our Pediatric Dentistry team of San Antonio, Texas is here to help your child’s growing smile. If you have questions or need to schedule a visit with one of our dedicated dentists, Dr. Derrick Cantu and Dr. Christi Wengler, please call 210-680-7841 today!

The post Drinking Diluted Juice All Day? first appeared on Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio.