Giving Milk to Go to Sleep

This isn't bad to do as long as you wipe down his teeth or brush them AFTER his milk. I am dental hygienist and often see kids with decay because the sugars from the milk or juice that parents give them remains on their teeth for too long.

Milk before he goes to bed is fine, I bottle to bed of any kind is not....except a water bottle, that is fine....when he is 8 months or so.

I'm sure it'll help him sleep, but that milk is pretty bad on his teeth. The lactose sits there all night, feeding that bacteria that leads to cavities. And don't assume because it's his baby teeth, it won't matter--it does. It can affect his grown-up teeth, too, before they even come out. Try to give him his bottle a few minutes earlier, then give his teeth and gums another brush or wipe down before bed. (It'll teach him better falling-asleep habits, too, if he has to fall asleep without the bottle.) --Mommy in Public Health

Hi DKT, How old is your child? I'm a local dentist in san jose and the answer to your question is to try to weave the child from the milk if you can. Falling asleep with the bottle and sugar (from the milk) in his mouth can cause the child to get cavities in the future. Also, when he sleeps the lips, tongue and oral tissue remain still leaving the food stagnant and at constant contact with the teeth.
If you could get him to drink water instead, I know it's hard, but in the long run it's best for him. If not then try to brush or wipe down his teeth after drinking the milk. AG

I'm wondering the same thing. My daughter just turned 1, and she nurses before going to sleep. Our good-night ritual has been a story and nursing to a lullaby, and then going down to sleep (going down awake). I hate to have to ruin the calm by brushing her teeth ... Because she nurses, she doesn't go to bed with a bottle (ever), nor does she fall asleep at the breast. I always put her down awake. , too, clean them after meals throughout the day.

Is breastmilk as bad for teeth as a bottle? Just curious.

thank you

The concern is really just the milk coating the teeth causing caries. I think it is fine for him to get some milk before going to bed as long as he is isn't sleeping with the bottle.

J. Timm, MD
Pediatrician.

Mine has yogurt every night! :)

As I read somewhere, the sleep routine you establish when they are toddlers is what they will be doing when they are 12 <grin>.

My almost 3 year old has his milk typically split between first thing in the morning before/with breakfast and before bed.He is long off a bottle, and we're now transitioning off the sippy cup (oh, the mess).

Like the first response from the pediatrician, as long as they aren't taking a bottle to bed, it's probably not a problem. But once the kidlets sleep through the night consistently it's more of a routine than a full tummy thing.

I have a four year old. Back when my girl was two, I remember researching some information regarding milk and bedtime. 1) I, as you, had heard it is great for sleep for little ones with a satisfied tummy to get sleep. But not too full. 2) Milk has a natural sleep aid, the amino acid, trytophan--like turkey. 3) the one draw back is if your child has any troubles waking in the night to go potty, or wors wetting the bed, then the practice of giving mil before bed should be avoided. Other than the former, I have heard positive things about milk befroe bed for a good night's rest!
Hope this helps. TJO

Try switching to a straw cup so the milk goes to the back of the mouth and hopefully down the throat instead of being swished around. Then right when you think he's about to drift off switch to a bottle/sippy or another straw cup with water for the final rinse. Over time water down the milk so eventually all you are giving is water. Change the bedtime routine to include sitting on your lap and reading books towards the end of the nightcap so eventually you can eliminate the before-bed drinking altogether or at least limit it to a couple of sips.

A lot of people will tell you it's terrible to give your baby a bottle right before bed, but I think it's just because of the cavity issues. You don't want them to sleep with a bottle in their bed because of choking or pools of milk just sitting in their mouths or whatever. My oldest son slept with a bottle next to his bed and he would wake up and get a drink through out the night. I was very diligent about brushing his teeth and he never got any cavities (until we decided he was old enough to brush his own teeth, at 6, and now he has some). My 19 month old still nurses and still wakes up several times in the night to nurse and I'm a little concerned about his teeth. But as far as your question about your 12 month old and milk right before bed, I personally think it's fine. Just be sure to brush his teeth in the morning.
Sorry for all the other rambling.

It would be ok as long as you brush his teeth after he drinks the milk. The sugars in the milk sitting in his mouth all night are not good for his teeth.

I think it's Ok to give them milk before bed. Mybe don't let him have it in his crib so it puddles in his mouth, but put him down after he finishes his bottle or sippy cup. I offer my son (16months) a bottle right before bed time. As long as your brushing or wiping down the teeth in the morning I think it is fine

I gave my son milk right before he went to sleep. However, I had already Brushed his teeth for the night. He never went to sleep with his cup cup as he called it but he drank it then cuddled up to me and fell asleep. I didn't want to wake him so I would just slip him into bed. He is four now and has had to have work done on both sides of his mouth. I think it is ok to give your child milk but make sure you clean his teeth after or you will regret it. My other children who did not have milk right before bed didn't have any problems with their teeth.

Hi DKT,
I know what you mean. I had a similar situation with my two kids. What I did to wean them off the milk at night was started giving them water. Its tough but they do eat a healthy meal now at dinner time. Plus I do think it depends on the age. For my son he was about 2 1/2 years old. By that time he was eating alot more at dinner. You could always move his dinner time a little later? We give our kids, now 4 and 5, a snack about 4:30 then eat dinner around 6pm. Hope that helps :)

Is he still using a bottle? I used to give my daughter milk right before bed until she was weaned from the bottle. I would brush her teeth before the milk. She usually fell asleep at the bottle. She was weaned from the bottle at about 13 months, I think. Then we stopped that practice. You shouldn't worry about him having a full tummy. I'm sure what he gets from dinner will keep his belly satisfied until breakfast. Or, if you are worried, I know lots of parents who do bedtime snacks, like apple slices or a piece of cheese or something to top him off.

I also give my 2 1/2 year old milk before he goes to sleep. It is a comfort for him and helps him relax for bedtime. My only issue with it is that he is potty trained except for at night and I don't know how I am going to wean him from the milk b/c his diaper is always wet in the morning. I know he is going to have to stop with the milk in order to stop wearing diapers at night.

I used to work as a Dental Assistant and I can tell you that it isn't good for his teeth to let the milk "sit" on his teeth while he is sleeping. If you can get him drink a little water after, just to rinse the milk off, that would be best for his teeth. Hope this helps...

As the mother of a daughter with more cavaties than I care to count, milk is very hard on teeth. She was my only milk drinker and she has had to have so much dental work as the result, including a baby root canal that went bad after a year and they had to remove that molar and put in a spacer for a permanent tooth that won't grow in for another four years. Be sure to always brush his teeth after milk, or at the very least rinse with water. I too had thought if she didn't sleep with a bottle, it would be ok. I was so wrong.
As your baby grows you'll want to watch out for starchy snacks like crackers. Kids tend to snack more often than before on alot of simple carbs. the sugars sit in the teeth promoting decay. Best wishes.

We still give our soon to be 12 month old son a small bottle before bed(he too has dinner around 5-5:30pm). However, I do brush his teeth and gums immediately after every meal and especially after his bedtime bottle. We want to prevent tooth decay : ) We are going to phase out the bedtime bottle over the next month being he now drinks all his other liquids via a cup, no more bottles. As children age, they shouldn't need the extra calories right before bed. You could always give him water vice milk, that is always a healthy alternate and well, fills up the tummy nicely.

Best wishes!

I have heard that it is not good for them to have milk in their mouth when they go to sleep because it is bad for their teeth. What I have done and what other moms told me was after they baby gose to sleep get a water bottle and get them to take a few sucks on that to wash most of the milk down so it is not sitting on their teeth.

It's not bad if you brush afterward but milk is REALLY bad for kids teeth if it sits on their teeth overnight. It actually will rot their teeth! I suggest brushing after the milk and you should be set! Good luck