Early stages of baby bottle tooth decay? my son, who is almost two, has light brown stains on his front top four teeth. could this be a sign of baby bottle tooth decay or something else? is it something i should worry about?

Stains : Stains on the surfaces of the teeth are not necessarily cavities. Do you put him to sleep with a bottle of juice or milk? Do you brush or wipe his teeth before he goes to sleep? You did not say. He's probably at the age that he should be introduced to his first dental visit. Have his new dentist take a look.

Typically : Typically baby bottle decay is first evident in the lower front teeth as the sugar filled fluids pool in the floor of the mouth. You son should have begun seeing a pediatric dentist as soon as his first teeth entered his mouth, and certainly by age two. I recommend contacting a local pediatric dentist if you have not started visits.

I : I agree with the prior two posts. I will say cavities can also be bright white, brown, and black. It is important to take your son to a dentist for an exam. Sometimes if it is the start of cavities a Fluoride regimen can be started if one is not already in progress. Too much fluoride, supplements (iron), juice, etc. Can also cause spotting on the teeth. Your dentist will be able to tell with a clinical exam. You will want to find your son a dental home where he can go twice a year for an exam and cleaning. This is the age you want to start him. The earlier the better. Good luck!

Possibly: If you put your child to bed with a bottle of anything other then palin water on a regular basis, then yes this is probably baby bottle tooth decay. There are however other reasons for teeth to have brown stains. Sometimes teeth come in with malformed enamel. A pediatric dentist will be able to tell you what is going on. Your child is definaely old enough for a first visit.

Concern, not worry: Any discoloration is of concern. Baby teeth are even whiter than permanent teeth, so brown stains could be an oral hygiene issue, baby bottle decay, fluorosis (there's too much Fluoride in the water in many rocky mountain areas), or any of a number of other reasons. Please take your child to a pediatric dental specialist asap for evaluation...1st dental appointment age ! (not 2 or 3).

Yes, yes,yes!: Yes there is "baby bottle syndrome" and yes if you've allowed your baby to fall asleep with a bottle and/or not started regular dental care the brown spots on the upper front teeth of your child could be decay! and yes...This is something to be concerned about for dental and overall health! see a pedodontist or dentist asap.