Prevent baby bottle tooth decay

M ilk, formula, juice, and other sweet drinks like soda all have sugar in them and your baby, if he has any of these, can develop tooth decay which is painful for your baby and can wrack up a lot of dentist bills. Of course you want your baby to have drinks once in a while, and it's easy to prevent baby cavities.

Choose breastfeeding over bottle feeding. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sucking on a bottle filled with liquids that have sugar in them is a major reason why babies get cavities. While you should even provide care for your baby's teeth if he breastfeeds, he's more likely to have teeth problems if he's always using a bottle. Never allow your baby to go to bed with a bottle at night or at nap time unless that bottle is only filled with water. Don't dip pacifiers in sweet stuff like sugar or honey. It's not nutritionally beneficial and can cause cavities. Not to mention, babies can get seriously ill if you give them honey. Around your baby's first birthday, you should teach him to drink from a cup instead of a bottle. You can actually go straight from breastfeeding to cups as well, skipping the bottle entirely. Practice healthy baby teeth care from the start. Schedule a dentist appointment for your baby by his first birthday. This seems early but follows the newest NIH recommendations.