Dental Hygiene For Children

As a parent, you child’s well-being is the most important thing and you do everything possible to protect them and their health. Part of this should be teaching them how to take care of their teeth and gums. As children, they depend on you and look to you as an example – so it is your responsibility to set them on the right path and teach them the importance of looking after their teeth from as early as their very first tooth.ToddlersWhilst you can’t see them, your baby is born with all their teeth – they’re all beneath the gums surface. On average, your baby may start to have one or two teeth come through at around 6 months old. In the meantime, there are things you can do to look after your little ones gums in preparation for their teeth:

• With a soft washcloth, wipe down your child’s gums after feeding. This will help remove any bacteria that could cause tooth decay when their teeth start to erupt
• Once teeth start to erupt, make sure you gently brush them twice a day with a small amount of toothpaste
• To prevent baby bottle tooth decay, remove the bottle from the room once your baby is done feeding
• Book your child a dentist appointment once their first tooth erupts

Your child will have all their baby teeth (primary teeth) by age 3, so it is important to start an oral hygiene routine as soon as their teeth are erupting. Tooth decay in children is on the rise due to large amounts of sugar in food and drinks, be mindful of what you give your children.ChildrenChildren start to lose their baby teeth when they are around 6 years of age and then their adult (permanent) teeth will start coming through. Most children will have all their adult teeth by the time they reach the age of 13.Your 3+ year old should:

• Brush their teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
• Spit out the toothpaste after brushing
• Start flossing once their teeth touch
• Visit the dentist at least every 6 months
• Avoid food and drinks that are high in sugar