Take away the baby bottle- right now! Thatâs the advice child experts have for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, concerning their 15-month-old daughter Suri. Recent photos of the adorable toddler show her happily clutching her bottle.
By allowing this seemingly minor indulgence, Tom and Katie could cause their precious daughter to suffer both tooth decay and emotional stress, doctors told The ENQUIRER.
Pediatricians generally want toddlers to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
Exposing a babyâs teeth to sweet liquids over long periods of time can result in âbaby bottle tooth decay,â warn experts.
âLiquids containing sugar- including milk, formula and fruit juice- if left in a babyâs mouth, can acidify and become corrosive to the teeth,â pediatrician Dr. John Sterling, who practices in Vancouver, Wash., told The ENQUIRER.
âIf the baby lies in bed or sucks on a bottle for long periods of time, both the upper and lower teeth can be subject to decay,â said Dr.Sterling, who does not treat Suri.
Dental health is important even in toddlers because children need strong teeth to chew their food, speak properly and have a nice smile.
And it can be harmful to childrenâs emotional well-being to keep them on a bottle too long, says West Hollywood-based psychiatrist Nathan Kuemmerle.
âToddlers can become dependent on it and on the âsucking impulse,â which is often difficult for them to control and to wean themselves off of,â Dr.Kuemmerle, who does not treat Suri, told The ENQUIRER.
(Courtesy of The Enquirer)