Even though your little ones baby teeth are temporary, they are important to help them chew food, speak, have a healthy smile and most importantly they act as space maintainers for developing adult teeth in their jaws.
Baby teeth are also susceptible for decay; proper oral care maintenance is must for them too just like for adult teeth.
Tooth decay in children usually occurs on the upper front teeth, but other teeth can also be affected. Decay occurs when any food or drink with sugar clings on to your baby’s teeth for longer time, giving a chance for bacteria to attack their teeth by releasing acids.
Kids who have their pacifiers dipped in sugars or those having any sugary drink during their nap time are at high risk of developing decay as saliva flow is reduced during sleep.
To prevent your child from having tooth decay clean your baby’s gums after feeding, start to brush their teeth when the first tooth erupts, don’t fill their feeding bottles with sugary drinks, finish their nap time feeding bottles before they sleep, never use a pacifier dipped in anything sweet, reduce sugar intake in their diet specially between meals.
If your child is suffering from tooth decay it’s best to visit your dental office for proper treatment, delaying treatment increases the severity of disease and the tooth might be up for extraction.