Oral Health
Keeping our teeth clean is essential for good dental health. A regular routine will help keep teeth decay-free.
You should start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first tooth comes through. This is usually at about 6 months old, but can be earlier or later than this.
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Start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as they appear
Help to brush their teeth or supervise tooth brushing
Brush teeth twice a day. Try and brush for 2 minutes each time
Brush teeth at night before bed and one other time during the day
Children this age only need a smear of toothpaste on their brush.
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Brush teeth twice a day. Try and brush for 2 minutes each time
Brush teeth at night before bed and one other time during the day
Tooth brushing should be supported by a parent or carer
Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
Spit out toothpaste after brushing
Children older than 7 may be able to brush their own teeth, but they might still need help to brush well and for 2 minutes.
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Check your child's toothpaste has no less than 1,000 ppm of fluoride or your families toothpaste has between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride.
You can check this on the back of the toothpaste tube.
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Gently guide your child's hand so they can feel how to brush teeth properly
Brush in a small circle movement on top, behind and in front of teeth. Don't forget to brush the gums too
You could use a mirror to help your child see the teeth they are brushing
Try and make tooth brushing fun. You could use;
- A timer
- An app, such as Brush DJ
- Sing Songs while you brush
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Children can visit NHS dentists for free
Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practise for the future.
When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.
Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.
Click here to Find your nearest dentist.
