Your child’s first baby teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they appear. One of the risks for early childhood caries (baby bottle tooth decay) is frequent and prolonged exposure of a baby’s teeth to liquids that have sugar, such as milk, formula and juice. So do not ever think that a six months old baby is too young to attend a dental clinic or that a one year old can only be crying for “teething pains” and not for actual toothache which adults get. 
Tooth decay can develop when liquid is kept in the baby’s mouth for long periods of time, like when a baby is put to bed with a bottle. Babies should finish their bottles and have their teeth cleaned before naptime. Because decay can damage a baby’s or young child’s teeth, you should teach your child to drink from a cup by his first birthday. Yes, having your child drink from a cup instead of a bottle can help save him/her from tooth destruction.
As your child moves from a baby bottle to a training cup, there are some things to think about, such as:
– The kind of training cup you choose
– What goes into the cup
– How frequently your child sips from it
– Making sure you child does not carry the cup around
There are many kinds of training cups. Unfortunately, many of these cups are “no spill” cups. These cups are nothing more than baby bottles in disguise. “No spill” cups have a valve beneath the spout to stop spills. However, cups with valves work the same way as a baby bottle – the child gets a drink by sucking on the valve. This does not teach your child to sip and drink from the cup.  So when we are shopping for a training cup, avoid those that have “no spill” valves.
A useful training cup will have a snap-on or screw-on lid without a spout. With very young children, cups with two handles may be best. These kinds of cups may have a round, weighted base that pulls the cup upright when it tips. This helps to prevent spills. You can also choose to use a small plastic cup that a child can hold easily. To keep spills small, put only a small amount of liquid in the cup as your baby learns to use it.
Whether you choose a training cup or a small plastic cup, be patient as your baby tries holding it different ways, or even throws it. Do not be surprised if you baby first treats the training cup as a toy.
Your child depends on you for good health. Do not let your child constantly sip on drinks with sugar in them because this promotes tooth decay. These drinks include milk and juice drinks. Offer these drinks only at mealtimes, when the mouth makes more saliva. This helps reduce the risk of tooth decay. Keep in mind that young children eat more often than adults do. If your child is thirsty between meals, give him water in a cup. Do not give juices or soda in a bottle or a cup to calm a fussy baby. Never  let your child carry the training cup around or keep it within reach while riding in a car or stroller. Frequent sips of sugary liquids promote tooth decay.
Another problem is that toddlers often are unsteady on their feet. Falling while drinking from a cup can injure the mouth. Do not let your child walk or run around with a training cup. Remember that a training cup should be used temporarily. When your child has learned how to sip, the training cup is no longer needed and should be set aside.
Other tips for your child’s oral health
– Your child’s first dental visit should be within six months of when you see his or her first tooth and no later than the child’s first birthday. If your toddler has not had a dental check-up, schedule a “well baby checkup” for his or her teeth. It is good if from a very early age they get use to a stranger in a white coat probing into their mouth. In that way it also helps prevent the fear of the dentist in later years.
– It is important to clean your baby’s teeth regularly. You can use a gauze pad or cloth to clean your baby’s gums after feedings. When your child’s teeth begin to erupt, I recommend that you brush them gently with a child’s size toothbrush and water. Do this twice a day.
– Brush the teeth of children over age two with a pea-sized drop of fluoride toothpaste. Be sure they spit out the toothpaste and rinse with water. Remember if you spend less than one minute brushing you have not brushed enough.  When you have finished brushing thoroughly give them the toothbrush and have them mimic what you have done. This is to get them accustomed to do it for themselves later on.
– If your baby uses a pacifier, do not dip it in sugar or honey as this can lead to tooth decay.
– By following these tips, you give your child a better chance to have a healthy mouth and a healthy body while saving money.