They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. what about baby bottle tooth decay?

Wean by a year: No bottle propping, no bottle in bed at night. Brush your baby's gums and teeth.

Start early: Early gum massage by parents followed by gentile cleaning of erupting teeth helps baby get use to the idea. If you wait till they have a mouthfull they won't let you. Water in bottles or soft nose cups after 1yr prevents tooth decay.Put the tasty stuff in a hard nose sippy cup. Preserve the baby teeth and you have more room for adult teeth when they come & better overall health.

Baby Bottle Decay: The cardinal sign of baby bottle decay is rampant decay over the incisor area of a child's dentition. The reason why this is allow to happen is because nobody is watching. If parent are brushing and flossing their child's teeth every night and every morning, baby bottle caries would be non-existent. It is not like the dirty diaper that screams to be changed. A parent's daily watchful eye is needed.

Definitely: The rule for prevetion is: never put a child to bed at nap-time or night-time with a bottle containing anything other then plain water. If they are getting enough nutrition during the day while they are awake they don't need anything extra at nap-time and night-time.

Baby bottle: Don't leave your baby with a bottle in their crib, give them water in their bottle once their teeth have erupted

Water only at night: If your water is not fluoridated, advise seeking the help of pediatrician for fluoride supplements in the vitamin drops, ie- polyvi-flor, tri-viflor. In addition, only water in the bottle at night. The decay caused by nursing bottle syndrome can be devistating and is easily preventable.

Simple 3 steps: 1. Never use a feeding bottle as a pacifier. 2. not to put your child to bed with a bottle.3. Don't dip a baby pacifier in honey or sugar. Best of luck.

Baby bottle decay: The most critical preventive is: "never put a baby to bed with a bottle that has anything but water." Also, once teeth have erupted, clean the teeth in the morning and before bedtime. If you are unsure how to clean the baby's teeth, ask your dentist for guidance.