Baby bottle tooth decay is alternately known as Early Childhood Tooth Decay or nursing bottle caries. This disease is characterized by severe dental caries during childhood and this might have significant implications in the children’s health both short term and long term. The National Health and Nutrition Examination survey 1999-2004 carried out by NIDCR (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) has arrived at the following findings.

• 42% of children in the age group 2 to 11 have had dental caries in their primary teeth.
• 23% of children in the age group 2 to 11 have untreated dental caries.
• Children in the age group 2 to 11 have an average of 1.6 decayed primary teeth and 3.6 decayed primary surfaces.

The above figures indicate that BBTD (acronym Baby bottle tooth decay) is a significant dental health problem in this age group. Hence it is necessary that people make themselves aware of the details of this problem and try and prevent its occurrence.

Under normal circumstances a baby gets its first teeth when it is about 6 months old and these teeth are susceptible to decay. This condition is known as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or alternately as Early Childhood Tooth Decay.

In order to chew their food, speak and have an attractive smile it is necessary for your baby to have strong and healthy teeth. Baby teeth are also useful for maintaining space in the jaw for adult teeth. Loss of teeth by the baby in the early part of its life will make the teeth adjacent to it to drift into the space that is empty and there is unlikely to be sufficient space when adult teeth start coming in. The adult teeth might become crooked or crowded because of this.

There are cases wherein the babies’ teeth decay badly which have resulted in dental restorations or extractions. Fortunately it is possible to prevent this condition from happening. Normally upper front teeth are destroyed by this condition although other teeth also can be affected.

When the normal mouth bacteria and carbohydrates in the diet interact cavities occur. The bacteria ferment the sugars and convert them to acids. This acid etches the enamel of the teeth when there is a prolonged contact with the tooth. Under normal circumstances the aids in preventing formation of cavities by digesting the sugars as well as by washing the teeth.

At the time of sleeping the production of saliva decreases at a faster rate. Your swallowing gets reduced. Hence the liquids in the mouth before you go to sleep rest in your mouth for longer periods.

Baby bottle tooth decay is the specific form of severe teeth decay found in the babies who fall asleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or any sweetened liquid in the mouth. It is the only severe dental disease common in children under three years of age.

The extent of tooth decay is dependent on the bottle content, frequency of feeding with bottle and also the duration of feeding at each time. Frequent bottle feeding with sweetened liquid is not good for the child’s teeth. You will harm the child’s teeth by allowing the child to have the bottle all the time.

In adults the Caries/ Cavities are mostly in the posterior teeth whereas in babies the baby bottle tooth decay causes cavities on the top four central teeth that are visible. Their counterparts in the lower gum are not affected because they are protected by the tongue while sucking and also washed by saliva.