Early childhood decay

Prevention of early childhood caries should start before a child is born. Advice on developing proper dietary habits of infants should start during the third trimester of pregnancy or soon after birth.

The culprit in early childhood caries is frequent exposure to sugary foods or drinks between meals. The habit of giving an infant a bottle with any solution that contains sugar should be discouraged, especially at bedtime. A "sippy" cup with solutions that contain sugar should also be avoided. Current evidence indicates that infants or toddlers may also become infected with cariogenic bacteria by their mothers or primary caregivers when they share utensils or food.

Baby teeth of infants and toddlers should be wiped cleaned after meals with a soft brush or washcloth.

In children less than eight years of age, a small, pea-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste should be used. The amount should be enough to cover the width of a baby toothbrush (fig. 42 and fig. 43). A small amount is recommended because ingestion of fluoride during tooth development (birth through the age of 8 years) can lead to fluorosis, in which permanent white lines or patches appear on permanent teeth (fig. 44).