What, exactly, does "decay" look like?

[Belize Caye Family]

My ds is 9mo. Both of his top teeth are slightly serrated and a tiny bit darker on the bottom edge. My sister-in-law says this is perfectly normal, but I'm scared that it might be decay. He has night nursed on and off since birth, depending on his sleeping patterns. If he falls asleep nursing, I stick a finger in there and wipe his teeth. Some nights he only nurses once, and some nights he's on and off for comfort.

When I did a Google image search on infant tooth decay, all the photos show decay close to the gum line. Where does decay happen? Is it always near the gun line, or can it be on the edge?

Thanks for any advice or examples you can give!

[lindberg99]

Do you mean darker as in a little darker shade of white, like off-white? Or darker like brown?

My son didn't get cavities until he got his molars and they had dark brown spots in them.

[Belize Caye Family]

The 2 teeth are pearly white with off-white at the bottom edge.

[2xy]

My DS's teeth were like that. His "bite" was very much off, and his teeth didn't meet together properly, so the bottom teeth were wearing away the enamel of his top teeth. Especially because, when there are no molars yet, there's nothing to hold the jaws apart.....so the front teeth are in contact with each other constantly. It never turned into decay....it just got uglier until his teeth fell out.

He wound up going through some orthodontic treatments when he was 11 or so, to correct his bite.

[Belize Caye Family]

Originally Posted by 2xy

My DS's teeth were like that. His "bite" was very much off, and his teeth didn't meet together properly, so the bottom teeth were wearing away the enamel of his top teeth

YES! This is exactly what I have been observing. Also, lately, he intentionally clicks his teeth together, maybe that's a factor too.

Thanks!