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Guide

Cavities in baby teeth: how to spot them and what they mean

Decay in baby teeth is common, and it looks different from decay in adults. It often starts in places parents do not see while brushing.

A toddler drinking water from a cup at the kitchen table, with a bowl of fruit beside it

What to look for

  • Dull white bands along the gum line — the earliest visible stage.
  • Brownish discolouration, especially in the grooves of the molars.
  • A child who chews on one side or avoids cold food.
  • A hole you can see, or feel with the tongue.

One caveat: white marks are not always decay. Sharply outlined white-to-yellow areas on newly erupted molars may be chalky teeth instead.

The most common causes

Frequency, not quantity

What matters is not the total amount of sugar but how many times a day it enters the mouth. Each contact starts an acid phase.

Constant sipping

A bottle or sippy cup with something sweetened, sipped over hours, is one of the most effective ways to damage baby teeth — diluted juice and sweetened tea included.

Drinking at night

Saliva flow drops overnight. Whatever stays in the mouth acts for longer.

No follow-up brushing

Small children cannot brush thoroughly. That is a question of motor skills, not of willingness.

“Does it really need treating?”

As a rule, yes. A decayed baby tooth will eventually hurt, can become infected and can damage the permanent tooth developing beneath it. It also holds the space for its successor.

How it is treated depends on how far it has gone — from monitoring, through a filling, to a crown.

Related treatments

  • A large demonstration model of a molar beside wax crayons on a wooden table

    Fillings

    Once decay has broken through the enamel, the damage is removed and the tooth is sealed again.

    Learn more

  • A mother and her son brushing their teeth side by side at the sink, laughing at each other in the mirror

    Prevention & cavity care

    Regular check-ups, cleaning and age-appropriate coaching, so that cavities have as little chance as possible to start.

    Learn more

Spotted something?

Better to have it checked once too early than once too late.

Request an appointment

Last updated on 26 August 2026