Baby bottle caries

Nursing bottle caries is a form of rampant decay of the primary dentition distinguished by the especifity of tooth surfaces involved and the rapid progression of carious lesions on surfaces that otherwise are considered to be at low risk for decay. Inapropiate feeding habits have been identified as major factors associated with the development of baby bottle tooth decay. It appears to be strongly associated with an exceptionally heavy infection by Streptococcus mutans on tooth surfaces. Despite considerable advances in the prevention of dental caries, nursing bottle caries continues to have high prevalence, especially in certain cultures. The purpose of this article is to review the etiology, the clinical features, the diagnosis and the different measures in the treatment and prevention of nursing bottle caries.