7 Baby Tooth Care Tips

Limit the Sweet Drinks

Toddlers and preschoolers who constantly carry a cup filled with juice or other sugary drinks are just as vulnerable to cavities as babies put to bed with a bottle of sweet stuff. "No matter what the delivery system, every time a child takes a drink, the bacteria get more sugar and make more acid," Dr. Krol says. On-the-go bottles and sippy cups should hold nothing but water.

You don't have to convince a juice guzzler to go cold turkey. "Don't take away what your child loves -- just serve it with meals instead," Dr. Largent says.