Most cavities in infants and toddlers are transmitted from their parents’ mouths.

The most common dental disease in infants and toddlers is tooth decay. It is also called dental caries. This is a disease in which tooth decay occurs when bacteria attached to the surface of teeth eat sugar in the mouth and produce acid that erodes the teeth. Babies are born sterile, so why do they develop cavities? Most of the bacteria that cause cavities are transmitted from parents. This can be done by kissing or using a spoon or straw together. You should not feed your baby with an adult's spoon, and you should not give your baby food that an adult chewed. Therefore, parents should also take care of cavities before giving birth. Efforts are needed to reduce the caries bacteria present in parents' mouths.

How to care for teeth in infants and toddlers Baby teeth (baby teeth) begin to emerge starting from the lower front teeth at approximately 6 months of age. By the

age of 3, all 20 baby teeth come out. Because they are weaker than permanent teeth, you should undergo regular oral checkups every 3 to 6 months even if you do not have cavities. There are individual differences in the order and timing of teeth eruption. Some babies have teeth when they are born, but there are also babies who do not have teeth even after their first birthday, so there is no need to worry too much. However, if your first tooth has not erupted after one year, we recommend that you visit a dentist. Before teeth erupt, use clean gauze or oral hygiene tissue to clean the tongue and gum area after feeding. Start brushing your child's teeth when the first baby tooth emerges and use a soft baby toothbrush. For infants and toddlers who are just starting to walk, be careful as they may fall while holding a toothbr

ush in their mouth and get punctured in the oral cavity. You can choose a toothbrush that has a safety device to prevent it from going deep into your mouth.

The same goes for breastfeeding. If breast milk is in contact with teeth for a long time, the teeth become eroded by bacteria in the oral cavity. Therefore, you should develop the habit of giving your baby water before going to bed after feeding to ensure that no milk remains, and wiping his or her mouth before putting him to sleep. Also, after 6 months, stop breastfeeding at night and establish a sleep pattern of eating enough before going to bed and sleeping well. ■ I have permanent teeth coming out, so do I need to manage caries?

Many people ask why they need to care for and treat baby teeth since they are going to fall out anyway. This means that you just need to take good care of the permanent teeth that come out later. If baby teeth are left untreated, they can prevent permanent teeth from growing normally. Milk teeth contain the buds of permanent teeth underneath them, and if the baby teeth are not properly treated, there is a high possibility that inflammation will develop underneath them. If cavities are left untreated, inflammation will remain. The inflammation then affects the permanent teeth that will come out later. There is also a possibility of enamel hypoplasia, which causes weak permanent teeth to emerge.

■ How to treat caries

Childhood caries often occurs in the upper front teeth during breastfeeding at 1 to 2 years of age. Initially, it starts out as a white spot, but gradually widens and turns yellow or brown. As cavities progress, teeth break down and nerves become exposed, causing pain. A pus pocket may form at the tip of the root, causing inflammation. Baby teeth develop caries much faster than adult teeth. Therefore, if you see white spots, it is best to visit a dentist for a checkup and receive consultation about oral hygiene management. If the caries are not extensive, there is a chance to avoid drilling by aresting cavities with silver diamine fluoride.