What is Dental Decay?
Dental decay is caused by bacteria that live in plaque. This sticky film of bacteria clings to teeth and produces acids that, over time, dissolve at the outer surface (enamel) of the teeth and create cavities
From the moment the first tooth emerges, your child runs the risk of dental decay. Dental decay progresses rapidly in children’s teeth to involve the sensitive dentine and if untreated, may soon involve the pulp, causing severe pain and infection. Treatment of severely decayed teeth often involves extraction under general anaesthesia.

Does Drinking from a Bottle Cause Dental Decay?

A very severe form of dental decay (sometimes called “baby bottle tooth decay”) may occur in the very young child who nurses from a bottle when asleep. The teeth are bathed for hours in liquid from the bottle. Added, or natural, sugars in milk, formula or juice are used by the bacteria in a baby’s mouth to form tooth-damaging acid, resulting in extensive and rapid tooth decay.

A similar pattern of decay may occur when a child is put to sleep with a pacifier/dummy that is dipped in honey or a sugary solution.

This severe form of early childhood decay can be prevented by insisting that children finish their bedtime and naptime bottle of formula or milk before going to bed. If your child insists on sleeping with a bottle, give them their milk before bed and a bottle of water to bring with them. Juices or sugary drinks should never be given in a child’s bottle. It is preferable to offer them from a beaker or cup, which you should introduce from the age of six months.

How to Prevent Dental Decay in Children

Limit Snacks and Treats

Frequent ingestion of sugary foods (such as chocolate bars, biscuits, and sweets) and sugary soft drinks and juices isa common cause of dental decay in children and should be reserved for special treats. Instead, choose low sugar snacks including fresh fruit, bread, savoury sandwiches, cheese, and yoghurts. Milk or water should be given as drinks between meals, with juices restricted to mealtimes.

Cleaning your Child’s Teeth

Bacterial plaque should be removed from the teeth by brushing. For children under two use only a soft toothbrush and water; do not use toothpaste as too much paste would be swallowed and this could affect the developing permanent teeth.

From age two to seven you can introduce a very small amount (‘pea sized’) of fluoride toothpaste. At this stage brushing still needs to be supervised to ensure that the toothpaste is not swallowed. The teeth should be brushed twice daily, in the morning and particularly at night, just before bedtime.

Children over seven years of age can use fluoride toothpaste. The teeth should be brushed twice daily. Tooth brushing still needs to be monitored by an adult to make sure that the child is brushing properly. Gingivitis (or “gum disease”) frequently develops if bacterial plaque is not thoroughly removed from the teeth and gums.

Fissure Sealants

The majority of decay in children now occurs in the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, especially in the chewing surfaces of the permanent first molars, which erupt at around age six. These teeth contain pits and fissures (depressions and grooves) that cannot be reached by toothbrush bristles in order to remove food and plaque. A fissure sealant is a plastic material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of these back teeth that seals the tooth, protecting it from cavity-causing plaque bacteria.

Sealants can be easily and quickly applied by your dentist or dental hygienist. These plastic coverings survive well under the forces of normal chewing and usually last several years before a re-application is required.

Regular Check-ups

Children should be taken along with their parents for regular check-ups, to get used to visiting the dental team and also to pick up any problems early. At that stage, preventive care may still be an option. If treatment is needed, it is more likely to be successful if dental disease is detected early.