BABY BOTTLE SYNDROME

Course overview

BABY BOTTLE SYNDROME, NOW KNOWN AS EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES (ECC), IS DEFINED AS THE PRESENCE OF 1 OR MORE DECAYED TEETH OR MISSING TEETH (RESULTING FROM DENTAL CARIES) OR FILLED TOOTH SURFACES IN ANY PRIMARY TOOTH BETWEEN BIRTH AND 71 MONTHS OF AGE. TOOTH DECAY OR DENTAL CARIES IS THE SINGLE MOST COMMON CHRONIC CHILDHOOD DISEASE WORLDWIDE, 5 TIMES MORE COMMON THAN ASTHMA, 7 TIMES MORE COMMON THAN HAY FEVER, 4 TIMES COMMONER THAN CHILDHOOD OBESITY, AND 20 TIMES COMMONER THAN JUVENILE DIABETES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF BABY BOTTLE SYNDROME AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.