Does your child fall asleep with a bottle of milk? While very common, this isn’t ideal for your children’s teeth. Milk is a great source of calcium and calcium is good for building strong bones and teeth. However the lactose in milk is a naturally occurring sugar. This sugar, despite being natural, can decay your children’s teeth.
The constant washing over your children’s teeth caused by sleeping with a bottle, means that your children’s teeth are basically soaking in these sugars overnight. Baby teeth have much softer enamel than adult teeth and are therefore much more prone to decay.
The natural sugars cause an acidic reaction with the saliva, often causing decay. Parents often think that decay in baby teeth doesn’t matter, because baby teeth fall out anyway. However this is not accurate. Decay in children’s teeth definitely does matter, as adult teeth that grow in a mouth where decay is active, can become decayed as they develop. So having decay in baby teeth can directly cause decay in adult teeth.
If your child is in the habit of sleeping with a bottle, try gradually replacing the milk with water. It’s best to wean your child out of this habit, and promote having the bottle, then brushing teeth, then going to bed with no bottles, dummies or other oral sleeping aids.
If you think your children’s teeth may be at risk of decay, it’s crucial to see a dentist or dental therapist as soon as possible. Phone us today to see our special team of children’s dental professionals.
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