Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Research Paper

Additionally, the lack of dental education of parents is a deciding factor in the condition of their children’s teeth. The increase

Furthermore, presenting the caries experiences for Australian children from 1985 to 1993 can be highly informative as we can see the decline in caries experiences and the improvement of children

Prevention of oral disease is critical in Early Head Start (EHS) programs. “Early childhood caries has emerged as a concern over the past few years because of its widespread and increasing prevalence, its inequitable distribution among preschool-aged children and its negative consequences for children, their families, and public health programs” (Mofidi, Zeldin, & Rozier, 2009, p. 245). Assessable to young children in most parts of the United Stated, dental care provides treatment, particularly to children in low-income families. Rates of failure to treat oral health has increase tremendously. Approaches explored by EHS programs to treat as well as prevent will decrease high-risk for early childhood caries.

Some parents think that encouraging good dental hygiene in a young child is simply a tactic to make sure they care for their adult teeth properly when they emerge. While it is true that children who learn healthy oral hygiene practice from their parents are more likely to continue caring for their teeth well as adults, keeping baby teeth healthy is actually just as important as maintaining the health of adult teeth. Read on to learn how tooth decay in primary teeth can affect adult teeth later in life and how you can help your child keep their baby teeth decay-free before they are able to do it themselves.

You may need to alter your child's diet and improve oral hygiene to keep the cavity from getting worse and to allow the tooth to heal. If the cavity is large, it may be best to fill it to keep it from getting larger and causing pain. Also, a decayed baby tooth may cause problems with the permanent tooth that is developing right underneath it.

Overall, the argument the author makes regarding the ineffectiveness of dental care in preventing tooth decay is flawed because of differences between the two groups he had chosen to compare and arrive at his conclusion. It can be even argued that considering the diet habits and environmental factors in the United States without dental care the level of tooth decay could be much worse than that of children in

Sipping sugary drinks throughout the day will do more harm to your child’s teeth, than drinking

Pathological factors were frequency of ingested fermentable carbs and cariogenic foods, and protective factors such as educated caregivers, proper eating habits, and host salivary components. The prevention, intervention, and reversal of dental caries could have been enhanced by either reduced pathological factors or enhanced protective factors (Featherstone, 2004). Caretakers that had received preventative information in the form of dental anticipatory guidance equipped them on the methods and practices for infant oral hygiene, benefits and application methods of fluoride, diet and nutritional counseling, advice for infant oral habits (i.e. thumb sucking, pacifier use), and prevention of dental injuries. The dental community has long advocated the need for early prevention measures to reduce or possibly even eliminate future dental caries and other oral complications (Savage,

Although baby teeth will eventually fall out, taking care of them is important for your child’s overall oral health. From the ages of six to 14, children are far more likely to get cavities than at any other point in their lives. Sealants, which are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the teeth, keep out food particles and bad bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss.

Tooth decay, or caries, is a preventable disease. It happens when a baby’s teeth are constantly in contact with sugars from sugary foods or drinks. The bacteria in their mouth will feed on the sugar and grow, causing tooth decay. Remember to feed your kids when they are hungry, and let them drink when they are thirsty, but the only drink they should carry around all day long, or take to bed, is water.

S. mutans causes decay by converting dietary carbohydrates into acid; this acid, then breaks down the enamel and dentin of the teeth (Anil 2017).  According to a 2008 study in Pediatric Dentistry, a baby’s mother is their primary source of S. mutans. (Mapes 2010).  Another study involving the oral S. mutans in the mouths of preschool children revealed that the main source of the bacteria was their mother's’ saliva (Anil 2017). This can be determined by analyzing the genetic composition of the bacteria (Javed 2012). Baby teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they erupt into the oral cavity (Mapes 2010). However, even before the baby has teeth, bacteria can still make use of other areas of the mouth to form colonies - for example, the grooves of the tongue (Javed 2012).  When the baby’s teeth come in, they may be entering an environment perfect for causing decay.

Additionally, in the article Aquafresh Tips for Mom and Dad (2015) states, “Since the enamel on your child’s tiny teeth is 50% thinner than the enamel on your teeth, once decay begins, it does more damage, more quickly. If left unchecked, it can then turn into a cavity.” Cavities are easily build up if your child isn’t being checked specially if they eat a lot of candy, cookies, and sodas like Jasmine

Foods high in acidity, such as soda and processed snacks, can also contribute to the breakdown of enamel on teeth. Since enamel is the barrier that protects teeth, it's important to keep it safe. Good oral hygiene and regular check-ups can prevent future cavities, and crowns keep your enamel strong.

The tongue surface has also been misconstrued when cleaning the mouth. It is understood to use the toothbrush in cleaning the dorsal surface of the tongue. However, that technique only spreads the bacteria around the mouth. A tongue scraper can be purchased instead and will help with bacteria from spreading and malodor. Black 's Classification of dental caries can range from pits, fissures, mesial surfaces, distal surfaces, incisal angle, gingival third, and on cusp tips (Darby, Walsh, 2010, 265). The occlusal and pits on the posterior teeth are the common places to see dental caries. These caries are all seen in the dental facility and can be corrected by a filling if caught in time before traveling to the nerve of the tooth. A root canal would be performed in case the bacteria progresses to the root. In some cases, an abscess is possible if not caught in time. All ages can be at risk for dental caries and gum disease. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a major concern for children all over the world (See Appendix B for an image of early childhood caries). “This type of ECC appears rapidly, commonly affecting maxillary anterior teeth, particularly the facial surfaces not generally considered to be at high risk for decay” (Darby, Walsh, 2010, 262). Commonly this type of caries can be associated with baby bottle syndrome. Risk factors can include lack of fluoride in the water system, low-income family, sleeping with a bottle, not properly cleaning the teeth, and

According to Health People 2020, tooth decay affects more than one in four U.S. children ages two to five. Of these children, it is estimated that less than half have ever seen a dentist.* It is thus evident that early prevention is key to shifting this statistic. Parental education must be the focus. Starting with the child’s primary care provider, parents must be educated on the importance of introducing good oral hygiene habits early in their child’s life. Parents need to be shown how to use a soft infant tooth brush, textured finger glove, or a damp wash cloth to clean their infant’s gums and teeth. This gets the child use to the process of early dental care and