Are Bottles Bad For Babies’ Teeth? A Pediatric Dentist Explains
Image: Shutterstock
From the moment a baby is born, a new mother’s primary concern is if she is feeding him/her well. This is mainly because a baby’s main source of nutrition is either breast milk or formula. Even though the baby may gradually start consuming solid foods after six months or so, yet milk remains core to the baby’s diet.
In her effort to ensure that the baby gets fed properly in terms of both time and quantity, a feeding bottle becomes a mother’s constant companion. While it is quite obvious for a baby on a formula diet to use a bottle, sometimes even breastfeeding moms express and store their milk for later use. But, despite the helping hand that a feeding bottle provides, its effects on oral health are constantly under the scanner. As if getting judged for not breastfeeding the baby isn’t enough, a new mom commonly gets to hear a lot of negative comments when she is bottle-feeding. This simply adds more to her agony. So, instead of believing everything hearsay, it’s always better to hear it from the horse’s mouth. And, put to rest all those bottle-feeding concerns, once and for all!
A board-certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Erin Isaac, has answers to all these concerns (1). According to her, the risk caused by bottle-feeding to a baby’s oral health can be based on two factors: the baby’s age and the duration of bottle’s usage at night. Dr. Isaac recommends completely weaning a baby off the bottle somewhere between 1-1/2 to 2 years. She further advises for the babies to be transitioned from bottles to sippy cups during this time. And the idea of having your baby go to bed with a bottle in the mouth receives a resounding NO!
Dr. Isaac says that kids should never be put to bed with a bottle in their mouth that contains anything else but water. Since most parents are more concerned primarily about their baby’s nutrition, they come up with various hacks to feed them. So, if the baby hasn’t had a proper feed at dinner time, they try to compensate for it by giving him/her a bottle of milk/juice at bedtime. However, this can be a bad idea. The prolonged duration that the baby sucks at the bottle can lead to dental caries. It is common knowledge that oral germ buildup is more during the nights, even among adults. So, the more germs feed on the milk or juice, the faster they multiply.
There is a reason why parents do not take dental caries in babies seriously. It’s because of the assumption that the dental caries of a baby’s milk teeth will eventually resolve once the infected tooth falls off. Sorry to say, but this is false. Dr. Isaac clarifies that cavities in babies need to be treated exactly the way the adult ones are. The reason being that if the infection is deeper, it can also infect the new tooth. Not to mention, getting those hyperactive toddlers to sit through the invasive procedures can prove to be quite cumbersome. This is why they are usually performed under general anesthesia.
Another risk of prolonged bottle usage (beyond 2 years) is that it can cause orthodontic problems. The tongue is a strong muscle. When it constantly pushes at the bottle nipple, it could cause the baby’s soft palate bones to mold into the bottle nipple’s shape. This leads to overcrowding of the teeth as the baby grows. This change can also affect the upper jaw and palate.
With so many risks, should a new mother be held guilty for not breastfeeding? Of course, not! The fact that a mother had to choose formula over breast milk suggests that she had strong reasons to do so. She is mature enough to make an informed choice. Also, as already mentioned, even breastfeeding mothers use bottles to store and feed their milk afterward. So, the issue is universal.
With more and more new mothers heading back to work post-delivery, a feeding bottle is more of a necessity than a luxury. And not to forget, there are many orthodontically-safe bottle variants available now. So, it is perfectly fine if used in a manner advised by Dr. Isaac. Simply remember not to let your baby take the bottle to the bed; switch to sippy cups after the age of 1-1/2 to 2 years, and you are sorted! Phew!
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.
