Process of early childhood tooth decay
The tooth decay process is also called ‘caries’. Early childhood caries is severe tooth decay that affects the baby teeth of young children. In the later stages, teeth have brown or black areas. The upper four front baby teeth are most commonly affected.
Other names used to refer to this condition include ‘nursing bottle caries’, ‘infant feeding caries’ and ‘baby bottle decay’. These names are used because the evidence suggests that early Tooth decay may show as:
• a dull white band on the tooth surface closest to the gum line. This is the first sign and usually remains undetected by parents
• a yellow, brown or black band on the tooth surface closest to the gum line that indicates the progression to decay
• teeth that look like brownish-black stumps indicates that the child has advanced decay.