Congrats! Your baby or toddler transitioning away from breastfeeding or bottles is a big milestone. As you prepare for their next stage, it is important to know that not all bottles and cups are created equal. Our doctors suggest looking for sippy cups that are going to be beneficial for your child’s oral development.
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When it comes to choosing a bottle, every baby has different preferences. Transitioning to a bottle is easier for some babies than others as well. There are so many different options out there that we suggest trying different ones to see which one your baby prefers. Remember to always wash and sterilize the bottle nipples and bottles to avoid infections. When choosing the flow for nipples, base your decision from the suggested age on the product. When giving your baby a bottle for the first time, we suggest putting some breast milk in just the nipple portion of the bottle and giving it to your baby to make sure they are able to latch well to that specific nipple. If your baby has colic or gas issues, try bottles that help with those too!
There are also all kinds of different cups for kids. A good option for transitioning from breastfeeding to a bottle is a cup with handles and a removable nipple. This way your baby can hold the bottle and learn to drink by themselves. Nuk Simply Natural Learner Cup is a good option and there are many others that have a similar design.
Believe it or not, most sippy cups promote improper tongue placement and swallowing patterns. These cups could lead to orthodontic problems later in life, so we recommend using an open cup option when transitioning away from a bottle. This is most important once your baby begins to get more teeth. However, we understand that an open cup with a baby will end in a mess in most situations. Our recommendation is a leak free, easy-to-clean, open cup design like the Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup or the WOW Gear Baby Cups.
Although these are our recommendations, we understand that all babies are different and have unique needs. In conclusion, the most important thing is that the bottle and cup is safe and clean for your child. If you are ever concerned or have questions feel free to let us know! You can always bring your bottle or cup with you to your pediatric dental appointment for us to check it out.
Children are more likely to develop cavities than adults, so pediatric dentistry is essential for a child's oral health. There are many reasons tooth decay is a greater risk for kids, including:
Using a bottle for too long can also cause cavities. Therefore, many dentists recommend switching to a sippy cup to help prevent tooth decay.
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Soft bottle nipples can be a comforting option for fussy children, especially during teething. However, milk contains plenty of sugar, which means chewing on a milk-coated bottle nipple can be problematic. The longer teeth are exposed to sugars, the more acid erosion occurs. This breaks down tooth enamel and leads to cavities. Whether a child chews on a bottle nipple or carries a bottle around to sip on, prolonged bottle use puts children at risk for more cavities.
Sippy cups are often recommended in the world of pediatric dentistry to help prevent tooth decay and unnecessary alignment issues. However, using the wrong product or method can actually do more harm than good.
While it may seem early, most children are ready to start using a sippy cup around six months of age. Babies will not be proficient right away, so nursing or bottle use is still recommended for milk consumption. However, offering water with a sippy cup at meals helps children learn how to use it properly over time. Once children are able to drink well from a sippy cup, start offering it with milk so that bottle use can stop completely by age one. By this time, many baby teeth should have now appeared and need to be protected against decay.
It may be tempting to choose a soft spout cup to make the bottle transition easier. However, these products come with the same temptations and dental health risks as bottle nipples. Most pediatric dentistry experts recommend a hard spout to discourage chewing or lingering with a sippy cup. Once children are comfortable using a hard spout, consider other options that mimic drinking from a real cup, as these can help foster better jaw and palate development.
While a hard-spout sippy cup is certainly better than a bottle for preventing decay, a sippy cup full of juice or other sugary beverages is likely to cause more cavities. By age 1, offer milk only at mealtimes and stick with water throughout the rest of the day. This helps ensure less acid erosion and stronger tooth enamel. Save sweet drinks for special occasions and do not allow children to sip them throughout the day; this can lead to even more decay.
Preventing cavities in young children requires more than just brushing and flossing. Transitioning to the right sippy cup at the proper age can also help prevent tooth decay for a strong and healthy smile. Create a timeline with a dentist so you can set your child up for better oral health.
Request an appointment here: https://alexoldtowndental.com or call Alexandria Old Town Dental at (703) 763-1078 for an appointment in our Alexandria office.
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