Frustrated with how fast bottle decay happens to kids' teeth

"Wish pediatricians or parenting books made a bigger deal about it early on—would've saved us some stress and dental visits."

Couldn't agree more. It's surprising how many parents aren't aware of this until they're already dealing with cavities. Glad things improved quickly for you though—kids' teeth bounce back faster than you'd think once habits change.

Did your dentist recommend anything specific to prevent bottle decay? I remember being shocked when my grandson got cavities at just two years old...we thought we were careful enough, but apparently not. Now my daughter's expecting again, and I'd like to help her avoid the same stress. Is it mostly about cutting out bedtime bottles, or are there other habits we should watch out for?

Honestly, bedtime bottles aren't the only issue—my dentist pointed out it's also about frequency and what's actually in the bottle. Even watered-down juice or milk throughout the day can cause trouble because sugars linger on their teeth. My niece had this happen too, and we switched to plain water between meals pretty early on. Saved us a lot of stress (and dentist bills) later...might be worth considering for your daughter this time around.

"Even watered-down juice or milk throughout the day can cause trouble because sugars linger on their teeth."

Yeah, this surprised me too when our dentist mentioned it. I always assumed diluted juice was pretty harmless, but apparently even small amounts of sugar add up over time. We switched to mostly water during the day, and honestly, it felt weird at first—like we were depriving him somehow—but he adjusted faster than expected. Did your niece resist the change much? Curious how other kids handle that transition...

We went through something similar, and honestly, I felt pretty guilty at first too. Our dentist explained that even diluted juice or milk can cause issues because kids sip slowly, so the sugars just sit there on their teeth. I had no idea either. Did your dentist mention frequency being a factor? Ours said it's not just how sugary the drink is, but also how often they're sipping throughout the day.

Anyway, we switched to water gradually—started by offering juice only at meals and water in between. My daughter definitely resisted at first...lots of whining and asking for "real juice," lol. But after about a week or two, she seemed to forget about it. Now she actually asks for water most of the time, which surprised me.

Did anyone else's dentist recommend brushing or rinsing after drinks? Ours suggested it, but honestly, chasing a toddler around with a toothbrush multiple times a day feels impossible...