2

https://parenting.stackexchange.com/a/8475/2221

Dental hygiene:
Drinking from a bottle all day and/or all night can cause tooth decay even in teeth that haven't emerged yet. Both breastmilk and formula have lactose in them which provides food for bacteria in the mouth and allow them to produce cavities.

In my case the baby is 1 month old. I find it difficult to feed her with a spoon single handedly hence restored to bottle feeding.

She feeds for around 10 minutes every two hours per day.
What care should be taken to prevent the tooth decay?

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    My dentist recommended brushing teeth with a soft cloth before bedtime. At 1 month bedtime, per se, hasn't emerged yet because your child still eats and sleeps around the clock, but it is something to consider. As your child ages you want to move towards brushing gums/teeth with a cloth and then a baby toothbrush at bedtime and giving no forumula, breastmilk, or solid foods after brushing. Your pediatrician can provide good guideance on when night weaning from a bottle is appropriate.
    – justkt
    Jul 16, 2013 at 15:49

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

The problem of tooth decay is not so much regular feedings with the bottle itself, but the habit of the baby going to sleep while eating or drinking something with sugar in it and having that sugary liquid sit in the mouth for hours at a time.

I would think trying to feed a 1 month old with a spoon would be nearly impossible. Spoon feeding starts with solids like baby cereals around 4-6 months of age. Even then, they get more on the bib than in their stomach, so they still get the bulk of their food from bottle and/or breast.

More tips are here: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/what-is-baby-bottle-tooth-decay

Improve this answer
1
  • As an addendum to this answer, formula, breastmilk, and cow's milk are all sugary liquids though you may not think so. A friend who has chosen to practice all-night nursing while co-sleeping with her toddler was surprised to find that he had developed cavities at 19 months.
    – justkt
    Aug 8, 2013 at 14:17

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.