Looking after your child's teeth
There are three important steps to take to help your child grow up with healthy teeth:
Step One. Visiting the Dentist
Bring your baby with you when you come for a dental check-up. This helps him or her to get used to the surroundings and to get to know the dentist. There is no need for a young child to be examined or sit in the dental chair at first. Your dentist will decide when the time is right for this — the important thing is to build a relaxed relationship.
There is no need to ‘prepare’ a child for a visit to the dentist. It should be a casual event —just like visiting the shops.
Step Two. Tooth Brushing
As soon as your baby has a tooth, brush it gently with a soft baby brush and a smear of toothpaste made for children. Try to do this twice a day. Your dentist will give you advice about different brands available — this is most important if you live in an area with fluoride in the water.
The child will soon want to try brushing, this should be encouraged even though they do little but chew the brush at first. It is necessary for an adult to assist tooth brushing for at least the first six years of life.
You will find it easier to assist if the child sits or stands facing away from you resting his head against you, use one hand for the brush and the other to part the lips.
Step Three. Care with Diet
It is important that children develop good eating habits, this will do much to protect their general health as well as dental health later in life. A poor diet can affect the teeth in two ways, it can increase dental decay and it can lead to erosion (dissolving away) of the tooth surface. Whilst it is a fact that some children are difficult or ‘faddy’ eaters a few general rules will help.
Dental decay forms when acids are produced in plaque on the teeth. In order to reduce decay the teeth should be brushed thoroughly to remove plaque; food and drink that produces acid should be restricted to mealtimes as far as possible. If acidic fruit or fruit drinks have been consumed do not brush the teeth straight away, leave it for an hour or so. It is best to avoid eating and drinking for one hour before going to bed.
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Step One. Visiting the Dentist
Bring your baby with you when you come for a dental check-up. This helps him or her to get used to the surroundings and to get to know the dentist. There is no need for a young child to be examined or sit in the dental chair at first. Your dentist will decide when the time is right for this — the important thing is to build a relaxed relationship.
There is no need to ‘prepare’ a child for a visit to the dentist. It should be a casual event —just like visiting the shops.
Step Two. Tooth Brushing
As soon as your baby has a tooth, brush it gently with a soft baby brush and a smear of toothpaste made for children. Try to do this twice a day. Your dentist will give you advice about different brands available — this is most important if you live in an area with fluoride in the water.
The child will soon want to try brushing, this should be encouraged even though they do little but chew the brush at first. It is necessary for an adult to assist tooth brushing for at least the first six years of life.
You will find it easier to assist if the child sits or stands facing away from you resting his head against you, use one hand for the brush and the other to part the lips.
Step Three. Care with Diet
It is important that children develop good eating habits, this will do much to protect their general health as well as dental health later in life. A poor diet can affect the teeth in two ways, it can increase dental decay and it can lead to erosion (dissolving away) of the tooth surface. Whilst it is a fact that some children are difficult or ‘faddy’ eaters a few general rules will help.
Dental decay forms when acids are produced in plaque on the teeth. In order to reduce decay the teeth should be brushed thoroughly to remove plaque; food and drink that produces acid should be restricted to mealtimes as far as possible. If acidic fruit or fruit drinks have been consumed do not brush the teeth straight away, leave it for an hour or so. It is best to avoid eating and drinking for one hour before going to bed.
back to information for patients >
