Once your child has teeth, he is susceptible to tooth decay. Breast milk, infant formula, cow's milk and fruit juices contain sugar. Babies can have cavities because they go to bed with a bottle of milk, infant formula or juice and asleep in their mother's mouth still full of milk.

Early childhood caries, also known as baby bottle caries, baby bottle tooth decay, and bottle rot, is a syndrome characterized by severe decay in the teeth of infants or young children. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a very common bacteria infection. Its prevalence is epidemic; in the US its rate is highest in minority and rural populations, at times infecting over 70% of the children. A large body of scientific evidence indicates that ECC is an infectious and transmissible disease, with Streptococcus mutans the primary microbiological agent in the disease. The disease process begins with the transmission of the bacteria to the child, usually from the primary caretaker, the mother. Mothers with untreated dental disease present a very high risk to their children.

Such cavities can occur until the age of four. Once your child has teeth, check them every month. Beware of spots or lines of a dull white that can form on teeth along the gums. Beware also of teeth darkening.

If any of these signs appear, go see your dentist immediately. Bunt young child must be treated quickly. Otherwise your child may have misunderstood and develop an infection.

If you give a bottle of milk, infant formula or juice at bedtime, stop on the fields will not be easy. Here's how:

Fill the bottle of water only
If your child refuses, give him a lollipop own, a teddy or blanket.
If your child cries, do not let down.
Comfort and ressayez it.
If nothing works, try to dilute the milk bottle-feeding your child with water over a period of one or two weeks, until no more than water.