Start caring for your child's oral health when they're a baby and into their toddler years. Children will need assistance from their carers until they're about 8 years old, but even then it's a good idea to supervise brushing and flossing.
Start cleaning your baby’s teeth from the time they first appear (around 6-12 months of age)
Use a soft, damp cloth to begin with then move to a small, soft children’s toothbrush, to clean all surfaces of the teeth
Clean your baby’s teeth and gums twice a day, after breakfast and before bed
Don’t use toothpaste before your baby is 18 months of age unless directed by your dental practitioner
Take your baby to see the dentist when their first tooth appears, or by their first birthday.
Early decay is caused by frequent exposure to sugary drinks and foods including plain milk, formula and fruit juices
Don’t let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of milk, formula or juice in their mouth
Replace bottles with a cup from 12 months of age
Tap water should be the only drink in bottles and sippy cups except at meal/feed times.
Brush your child’s teeth twice a day, after breakfast and before bed
From 18 months, use a pea-sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste on a soft children’s toothbrush
Avoid giving children frequent snacks, especially sugary foods and drinks, between meals
Limit snacks to two healthy choices per day of foods such as fruit, vegetable sticks and hard cheese
Make tap water your child’s usual drink. In most of NSW it contains fluoride, which protects against tooth decay
Take your child with you to the dentist for a check-up at least once a year
Baby teeth are important – care for them as you’d care for your child’s permanent teeth
Help your child brush their teeth until they are eight years old.
Brush for two minutes twice a day, after breakfast and before bed
Use a pea-sized amount of low fluoride children’s toothpaste on a toothbrush with soft bristles
Brush every tooth all the way to the gums
Brush every surface of every tooth
Use a gentle, circular motion to brush the outside surfaces (the ones that show when you smile) and the inside surfaces (the ones facing towards the back of the mouth)
Gently scrub the chewing surfaces of the top and bottom teeth
Take care that your child spits out the toothpaste and does not swallow it
Don’t rinse the mouth after brushing
Don’t let your child eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.
Let your child watch you brushing your own teeth as often as possible – children love to copy grownups!
Try giving your child their own toothbrush to hold while you are cleaning their teeth
Choose a song to play while you are brushing their teeth
Let them watch a brushing app while you brush– there are lots to choose from!
The first baby tooth comes through at around 6 months of age but teeth can be early or late. All baby teeth are usually present by around 3 years of age and the first adult teeth normally start appearing around age 6.
It is recommended that your child has their first dental check-up by their first birthday. At the least, very young children should have an assessment by a child health professional every 6-12 months at their child health checks. This simple check helps to identify signs and high risks of tooth decay. Regular visits with a dentist during childhood are important. For many children a check-up at least every 12 months is sufficient but those at high risk of tooth decay may need more frequent visits until their risk of decay has stabilised.
Baby teeth are important for speaking and chewing, and hold space in the jaws for the adult teeth. Tooth decay and trauma can cause pain, infection, difficulties with eating and speech and lead to crowding of the adult teeth. Extensive tooth decay or dental infections in young children may require hospitalisation and treatment under general anaesthetic. Tooth decay is very common, with 40% of primary school children in NSW having experienced tooth decay in their baby teeth by 5 years of age. Poor oral health in childhood can increase the chance of dental problems in adolescence and adulthood. Regular check-ups help to prevent problems and can even reverse very early-stage tooth decay.
Oral hygiene, such as toothbrushing techniques and the use of fluoride toothpaste
Risk and signs of tooth decay and health of gums
Growth and development of teeth and jaws and problems with the bite
Diet and feeding patterns
Habits such as dummy sucking or thumb sucking.
Most dentistry is performed by private dentists and private health insurance covers at least part of the cost of dental treatment.
Any child who is eligible for Medicare is eligible for free public dental treatment. Find your nearest public dental clinic at www.health.nsw.gov.au or call (02) 9391 9000.
Children aged between 2 and 17 can be entitled to $1000 worth of Medicare funded dental treatment over a two-year period. Find out more about the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) here.
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