"Baby bottle caries" (or "nursing bottle caries") refers to a pattern of tooth decay that occurs in the teeth of infants and preschoolers who are allowed to nurse from a bottle containing a sugary beverage, either frequently or for prolonged periods of time (such as while napping or sleeping at night) or both.

The decay pattern is typically one where the child's front upper teeth are affected the most. Many time these teeth will have very extensive decay. The child's bottom front teeth will typically be spared from decay due to the fact that these teeth are somewhat protected from exposure to the sugary drink by the nursing positioning of the tongue. Teeth in other locations in the child's mouth are placed at greater risk for the formation of cavities also and may be found to have extensive decay.

There is nothing special or unique about baby bottle caries syndrome. It is simply a case of a sugar supply being present as a food source for oral bacteria (over a prolonged time period) and therefore tipping the balance between demineralization and remineralization greatly in favor of tooth decay formation.

Here are some things you can do to minimize your child's risk for developing the rampant decay associated with baby bottle caries:

• Anticipate that anything you place in a child's bottle except water is a source of sugars, unless you specifically know otherwise. Breast milk, milk, formula, and fruit juices are all sources of dietary sugars.
• Never allow your child to nurse for prolonged periods or fall asleep with a bottle containing a beverage that contains sugars.
• Never give your child a pacifier that has been dipped in honey or any sugary liquid.
• Breast feeding an infant frequently throughout the night can lead to baby bottle caries syndrome.