WHAT IS THE CARIES OF THE FEEDER OR BOTTLE?
WHY IS IT CALLED CARIES OF THE FEEDER?
Although it can appear in children who drink breast milk for a long time, the most common origin of this type of infant caries is that the child has a bottle in his mouth constantly, or a pacifier covered with some sugary substance to keep the child distracted.
Many parents let the child fall asleep with the bottle, but the sugar of its content permeates the teeth and creates the bacteria that end up causing tooth decay. In addition, it should be taken into account that the enamel of baby teeth has very low density, which makes it very easy for the lesion to be caused.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CARIES OF THE FEEDER
Bottle decay can precipitate the loss of temporary teeth, which can have important consequences on your ability to chew or pronounce well. In addition, it should be borne in mind that possible infections originated are difficult to treat in a young patient.
Similarly, the early lack of baby teeth can alter the eruption of the final teeth, causing space and aesthetic problems.
HOW IS FEEDER CARIES TREATED?
A specialized pediatric dentist will normally assess the extent of the baby bottle decay your child suffers and decide on the most appropriate treatment. In milder cases, a composite seal may be sufficient, while major lesions may require crowns or tooth covers. In the most severe cases, the treatment of the nerve of the milk tooth, or the extraction of the tooth is carried out.
If the tooth is removed, the child dentist will opt for the application of space maintainers that avoid problems in the eruption of the final teeth.
Feeder caries can be a severe problem and we highly recommend that you visit your pediatric dentist before it gets any worse.
Contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental in Fair Lawn, NJ
If you have any additional questions about cavities please don’t hesitate to contact Bright Star Sapphire Dental! Dr. Boris Kleyman & Dr. Denada Kleyman, our Fair Lawn dentists, would be happy to help.