| Are
There Other Concerns?
Yes. Baby
bottle tooth decay is the leading
cause of decay and tooth loss in very
young children. To avoid this,
do not put your baby to sleep with a
bottle that contains any sticky or
sugary substance. (These include
milk, fruit juice, formula or other
sweetened beverages.) If the
child must be put to sleep with a
bottle, use plain water.
Another common
occurrence with active children is
trauma that may result from accidents,
such as jumping off a diving board,
falling over the handlebars of a
bicycle, hitting the dashboard or
tripping and falling. Bathtubs
and coffee tables are also common
trouble spots for young children's
teeth. Teeth that sustain such
injuries should be treated immediately
by the dentist. In many cases
further injury or tooth loss can be
prevented with prompt care.
Sometimes very
active children will have a healthy
tooth completely knocked out. If
this happens to a permanent tooth,
save the tooth and any fragments or
gum tissue. Soak the tooth in
milk or water until help can be
found. If no milk or water is
available, the life of the knocked-out
tooth may be prolonged by keeping it
moist in saliva by holding it under
the tongue, or between the cheek and
gum. In may cases the tooth can
be reimplanted successfully, if help
is obtained within the first hour.
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