This is a dental condition which involves the rapid decay of the baby teeth of an infant or child and is caused by frequent exposure of sugary liquids to the teeth for long periods of time. (May also be known as Baby Bottle Syndrome, or Nursing Bottle Mouth.)

This can occur when your baby falls asleep with: a) a bottle in their mouth containing formula, milk or juice; b) pacifiers dipped in honey; c) while breast feeding;

The upper front teeth are usually the most damaged since they are some of first teeth to erupt therefore, they have been exposed to the sugar in the bottle the longest. The lower front teeth tend to be protected by the tongue when the baby/child is sucking on the bottle nipple or the breast.

Some parents may not know there is a problem until serious damage has been done: It is important for parents to perform oral checks on their children in order to detect early signs of the disease. Some early signs may be, brown spots along the gumline or on you’re the child’s teeth, also if the child cries when they are eating cold, hard or sweet foods.

If the tooth decay is detected too late, crowns, pulp therapy or extraction of the teeth may be necessary, and as a result the child may suffer long term disorders which can include crooked or crowded teeth, poor oral health, and sometimes speech impediments.

Some things you can do to protect them are to clean your child’s teeth daily, never allow them to fall asleep with a bottle filled with milk, juice or formula. Make sure they have regular dental check-ups starting with when the first tooth erupts, and make sure they are get the fluoride needed to help prevent this decay.