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Pumping & Storing Breastmilk
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Feeding Issues

Question

Our baby won't go to bed without a bottle. Can she get cavities this young?

Answer

Letting your baby fall asleep with a bottle filled with fruit juice, breastmilk, or formula can promote tooth decay. Infants are susceptible to tooth decay even before they cut all their teeth.

To keep your child’s smile bright and healthy, follow these simple guidelines suggested by many dentists:

  • Take the bottle away from your baby before she falls asleep.
  • Weaning your baby from the bottle may be completed by her first birthday.
  • Be sure to never put juice or sweetened drinks into your baby’s bottle.
  • Clean your baby’s teeth and gums with a clean soft washcloth or fluoride-free tooth and gum cleanser after each feeding.
  • Ask your dentist or doctor if a fluoride supplement is needed to protect and strengthen your child’s teeth.

Meet Our Experts

The START HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY™ Resource Center panel of experts offers practical advice, answering many questions typically asked by parents and expecting parents.

Lillian M. Beard
Lillian M. Beard, M.D. Pediatric Health

Lillian M. Beard, M.D., is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a frequent guest expert and spokesperson on national TV programs, discussing issues related to children's health. Dr. Beard practices pediatrics in the Washington, D.C., area.

José M. Saavedra
José M. Saavedra, M.D., FAAP Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

José M. Saavedra, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is a pediatric gastroenterologist with long-term experience and expertise in nutrition. Medical and Scientific Director of Nestlé Nutrition North America, Dr. Saavedra is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, the Sub-board of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the American Board of Nutrition. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Roy M. Pitkin
Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. Prenatal Health

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. is professor of obstetrics and gynecology and is former chairperson of the ob/gyn department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor to national health agencies concerned with women's health issues and has received numerous international honors for this work.

Robert N. Hamburger
Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. Food Intolerances

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. is professor of pediatrics emeritus and former head of the pediatric immunology and allergy division at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla, California. Professor Hamburger is a consultant and continues as an educator and clinician in the UCSD Free Clinics in San Diego and Tijuana, Baja California.

 
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