Cleaning your child’s baby teeth
Your baby's first set of teeth will fall out eventually, starting around the age of 6. By age 12, most, if not all, of your child’s baby teeth will be replaced with permanent teeth. However, it is important to keep your child’s baby teeth clean. Baby teeth are needed for proper eating, speaking, and growth. If your child’s baby teeth are decayed, infected, or damaged, they may need to be treated by a dentist.
If your child has a cavity and it is not treated, pain and infection can occur. This infection can spread to your child’s face or other areas of his body, leaving him very sick. A serious infection can also damage permanent teeth, which are developing in the bone just below the baby teeth.
When to start cleaning your child’s teeth
Start early. This will ensure your child gets used to having a clean mouth. At age 3 months, you can begin wiping his gums gently with a clean, damp face cloth after every feeding. You can start using a toothbrush to clean your child’s teeth as soon as his first tooth appears.
Early childhood caries (nursing bottle syndrome)
Early childhood caries (ECC), or tooth decay, is sometimes referred to as nursing bottle syndrome. ECC is a serious form of tooth decay in babies and young children. ECC is caused by bottle or breast feeding on demand, in the absence of oral hygiene, particularly at bedtime.
Prevention of ECC
- Do not put your baby or child to bed with milk, formula, juice, or sweetened water.
- Before bed, give your baby or child a bottle of plain water instead of something sweet.
- Clean your baby's teeth after you breast or bottle-feed him. If your baby tends to fall asleep after the last breast or bottle feeding, gently clean his teeth and gums just before the last feeding.
- Do not let your child walk around with a training cup or bottle full of sweetened water, juice, or milk.
- Do not dip a pacifier in honey or any other sweetener. Give your child a plain pacifier instead.
Snacking
Many children get most of their nutrition from snacking. This is because their stomachs are not big enough to eat a large meal. Make sure you feed your child healthy snacks throughout the day. Sweets should only be given as a treat. After each snack, gently clean your child's teeth. This is especially important if he has eaten sticky treats, such as raisins or chewy candies. If your child's teeth cannot be cleaned properly after a snack, give him a glass of water. This will help wash away the sugars and help prevent cavities from forming.
Tooth care after taking medicine
Some liquid medicines have high sugar content. Clean your child's teeth after a dose of medicine the same way you would after a snack.
Brushing your child's teeth
Brush your child's teeth at least twice a day. The best times to brush his teeth are first thing in the morning and right before bed. Brushing before bed is very important. This removes the germs that would sit on the teeth overnight, causing cavities to form. Also, make sure you brush your child's teeth after every meal or snack. If this is not possible, give him a glass of water to wash away the sugars.
Brushing without your help
Teeth have fronts, backs, and tops where cavities can form. It is important these areas remain clean. If your child is very young, you will have to help him clean these areas. In most cases, young children find it fun to brush their own teeth. Make sure you encourage this practice, but follow his brushing with a thorough one done by you.
If your child can tie his own shoes and colour within the lines, he probably has enough coordination to brush his teeth on his own.
How to brush your child's teeth
Use a small toothbrush with soft rounded bristles. This will be gentle on his gums. At a 45-degree angle, start brushing where the gums meet the teeth. Brush in a circular motion. Do not scrub. If you brush too hard, you may hurt his gums. An electronic toothbrush is a good option too. In most cases, young children like to use electronic toothbrushes when cleaning their teeth. Ask your dentist about an electronic toothbrush for your child.
Using toothpaste
Do not use fluoride toothpaste to clean your child's teeth until he is at least 2 years old. Instead, use infant toothpaste with less than 0.2% fluoride. When your child is over the age of 2, give him very small amounts of fluoride toothpaste. This amount should be a thin smear of paste on the tips of the toothbrush bristles.
Fluoride
When used in small amounts, fluoride helps build strong teeth and prevent cavities from forming. This is important for the development of healthy, strong teeth in young children. Fluoride is added to most brands of toothpaste and to the drinking water of many communities. However, too much fluoride can stain your child's teeth. This is why it is important to limit the amount of toothpaste you give your child.
If your community does not add fluoride to the drinking water or if you get your water from a well system, make sure you tell your child's dentist. His dentist may recommend fluoride supplements to help prevent cavities from forming.
Flossing
Get your child to start flossing early. In most cases, when your child's back teeth touch each other, this is a good time to start. This usually occurs around the age of 3. Flossing is important because a toothbrush cannot clean between these teeth. Your child will need help with flossing. By the age of 10 or 11, he will be able to floss on his own. During a visit with your child's dentist, ask the dental hygienist or the dentist to show your child how to floss properly.
Seeing the dentist for the first time
Your child's first visit to the dentist should happen when he is 6 months old or when he gets his first tooth, whichever comes first. Starting early will get your child used to visiting the dentist. If your family dentist does not treat children, find a paediatric dentist in your area. After your child's first visit, the dentist will tell you when your child needs to return.
The dentist isn't scary
If you don't like going to the dentist, there is a strong possibility your child will copy your behaviour and attitude. Try not to show your child that you don't like going to the dentist. Have a positive attitude when it comes to taking your child to the dentist. Keep your child informed about what goes on at the dentist. Before each visit, try reading him a fun book or two about going to the dentist.
First aid for tooth injuries
Injuries to children’s teeth are common. Injuries can range from minor chipping to a knocked-out tooth. Both baby teeth and permanent teeth can be injured.
When giving first aid treatment to a toddler or young child with a tooth injury, the goal is to prevent additional harm to the permanent teeth that are developing below the baby teeth.
For information about the causes, types, and treatment of tooth injuries, see the brochure on “Tooth Injury: First Aid.”
Key points
- Start cleaning your child's teeth early. Wipe with a damp cloth after every feeding starting around 3 months of age. When the first tooth appears, you can start using a toothbrush.
- Help prevent early childhood caries; avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle of milk or sweetened liquid.
- Brush your child's teeth at least twice day and preferably after every meal. The nighttime brushing is very important.
- Before 2 years of age, use an infant toothpaste that does not contain fluoride.
- Flossing is important. You can start flossing your child's teeth around age 3 years.
- Take your child to his first dentist appointment around age 6 months. Try to have a positive attitude when taking your child to the dentist.