My sister's kid is almost two, and he's still going to bed with a bottle every night. I mentioned to her that I've heard this can mess up their teeth pretty bad, like cavities and stuff. But she's kinda shrugging it off, says it's the only way he'll sleep. Um, I'm not a parent myself, so maybe I'm overthinking it? Curious what other people think or if you've dealt with something similar.
Honestly, it's pretty common for parents to rely on bottles at bedtime—sleep deprivation is no joke, haha. But yeah, you're right to be a bit concerned. Leaving milk or juice sitting on teeth overnight is basically like hosting an all-night sugar party for bacteria (not the kind of party you want happening in your mouth...). It can definitely lead to cavities or even discoloration down the line.
Maybe your sister could try gradually transitioning him off the bottle? Like step one: dilute the milk little by little with water each night. Step two: switch completely to water (still comforting, but less cavity-causing). Step three: slowly phase out the bottle altogether and introduce a new bedtime comfort routine—like reading a story or cuddling a favorite stuffed animal.
I get that it's easier said than done, though. My nephew was super attached to his nighttime bottle too, and it took some patience (and creativity) from my brother-in-law to finally break that habit.
My daughter was super attached to her bedtime bottle too, and honestly, it took forever to wean her off. Diluting milk definitely helped us...but have you thought about brushing his teeth after the bottle instead? Might be easier than cutting it out cold turkey.
We went through something similar with my son, and honestly, brushing after the bottle was a lifesaver for us. Have you tried making toothbrushing into a fun routine or game? My little guy hated it at first, but once we started singing silly songs or letting him pick out his own toothbrush, he warmed up to it pretty quickly. Diluting milk sounds like a good idea too, but I found that gradually reducing the amount of milk each night worked better for us than watering it down. Maybe try both and see what clicks with your kiddo? Either way, hang in there—these phases feel endless when you're in them, but they do pass eventually.
Maybe try both and see what clicks with your kiddo?
My dentist actually warned us specifically about bedtime bottles causing tooth decay. Brushing afterward makes sense, but realistically, how do you handle brushing if the kid falls asleep mid-bottle? Curious how others managed this practically.
