To help prevent baby bottle tooth decay, parents should avoid giving their child a bottle too frequently during the day. Parents or caregivers are urged to never allow a child to fall asleep with a bottle during naps or at night unless the bottle only contains water. Children should also not be allowed to walk around for extended periods of time with a bottle that contains any liquid other than water.

Children should not receive sugary drinks before naps or bedtime. During sleep, the flow of saliva decreases. This allows sugary liquids to linger on a child’s teeth for a longer period of time.

Parents or caregivers are urged to wipe their baby’s gums with a clean gauze pad after every feeding. This can be performed from birth until the teeth start to erupt. Once the child’s first tooth erupts, brushing with a soft toothbrush should begin on the tooth, and the areas of gum that remain toothless should be massaged. Flossing should begin as soon as two teeth are in contact or all the baby teeth have erupted.

Complete tooth eruption typically occurs sometime after a child turns age 2. A dentist may also recommend varnishing a child’s teeth with fluoride to strengthen teeth and discourage decay. Regular dental care is an important part of maintaining a child’s oral health.

Other tips to discourage baby bottle tooth decay include:

• Try to switch a child from a bottle to a cup before the child reaches age 1.
  
  
• Never dip a pacifier in any sweet liquid.
  
  
• Never use a baby bottle as a pacifier.
  
  
• Do not fill a baby bottle with sugar water or soft drinks.
  
  
• Avoid placing food or objects in a parent or caregiver's mouth and then giving the object to a child. This can transmit mouth bacteria that contribute to tooth decay from adults to children.
  
  
• Find out whether the local water supply contains fluoride. If it does not, consult a dentist about fluoride supplements for children who are at least 6 months old.
  
  
• Avoid breastfeeding on demand at night during sleep. Scientists do not fully understand the cavity-causing potential of breast milk, and breast milk is widely acknowledged to be healthy for infants. However, breastfeeding whenever the child wants during the night can promote a constant supply of milk-based sugars on the teeth.
  
  
• Schedule regular dental visits after the child’s first birthday.