5 Tips to Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy

Trying to convince a sassy child that brushing their teeth before bedtime for some of us isn’t a walk in the park. Despite having their teeth cleaned from day dot, this part of the routine is not as easy as it used to be. 

Helping your child to understand how to keep their teeth healthy is all part of the solution. From brushing to flossing, engaging and learning, your little ones oral hygiene starts with you at home. 

Not sure where to begin? Here are our 5 tips to help keep your kid’s teeth healthy:

1. Nail down a routine

Whatever stage your child is at, whether they are a month old or ten years old, nailing down a tooth brushing routine will help give both of you consistency. More so if your child is establishing their first set of teeth or baby teeth – as these are what lay the foundation for their adult teeth later on. 

Milk teeth work as placeholders, so avoiding tooth decay at this early stage will help set your child up for life. Start off with a soft, damp cloth or specially formulated dental wipe to remove all the sugary milk leftovers and food debris, then work up to a baby toothbrush as soon as their first tooth appears. 

With dentists, the world over recommending that everyone brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day, the time for setting up a routine is now. This could look like this:

• Morning: breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth and so on
• Before bedtime: dinner, wind down time (last minutes of screentime, colouring, storytelling), bath and tooth brushing together, pyjamas, story, bed

As your child gets older, you can adjust their routine according to their age. Bear in mind that most children will need your supervision until they are at least 8 years old before they can confidently brush alone. 

2. Lead by example

It’s no secret that children look to their parents to help them understand and find their place in the world, and learning how to brush their teeth well is no exception. Here are a few simple ways to get involved:

• Sit your child on your lap – the close proximity will help them to feel more at ease as you brush their teeth
• Guide your child’s hand so they can feel the correct movement
• Brush your teeth together, so they can see how you do it
• Let your child watch themselves in the mirror
• Make it fun! Bright flashing lights, buzzing timers and character toothbrushes are all there to encourage your kid to enjoy brushing
• Let them brush your teeth!
• Make up a memorable toothbrushing song with prompts to get your little one engaged

3. Visit the dentist

Not only is visiting the dentist essential for developing mouths but getting the experts to weigh in on how well your child’s teeth are doing will help you to keep their teeth in check. Dentists can offer you top-notch advice and tips for everything from brushing to flossing, diet and lifestyle. 

As soon as your child’s first tooth appears, it’s worth booking in their first trip to their dentist. That way, your little one will know what to expect from the start and can get familiar with their dentist. 

What’s more, there is a wealth of fun and inspiring books such as Peppa Pig: Dentist Trip, Curious George Visits the Dentist and Biff, Chip and Kipper: Going to the Dentist to help put young minds at ease ahead of their trip. 

The more regularly your child visits the dentist – once or twice a year – the quicker potential oral health problems can be detected, and tooth decay can be avoided. 

4. Avoid too much sugar

We all know a sweet tooth; you might even be one yourself! Despite how lavish and often delicious high-sugar foods and drinks are, they aren’t all that helpful when it comes to good oral hygiene. 

Sugar clings to your gums, tooth bed and, when left unattended, can cause decay-growing bacteria to run rife through your child’s mouth. Avoiding sugary foods, juices and candy such as sticky, gummy candy and fruit “roll-ups” can prevent enamel erosion and cavities. 

By making a few healthy swaps, you can keep decay at bay:

• Fizzy pop for low sugar fruit juices, squash, milk or water
• Sweets/candy for apple and peanut butter or fruit toast
• Chips/crisps for popcorn or crackers

The more balanced your child’s overall diet is, the more healthy their whole body will be. From including at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day to boost their immune system to having a healthy balance of protein and carbs, their long-term health and wellbeing largely depend on what goes into their body. 

5. Don’t avoid fluoride

Although fluoride has been part of a topical discussion over the years, regular use of fluoride is proven to strengthen and toughen enamel which makes it harder for acid to penetrate. You’ll even find that it is present in most tapped water supplies, so it is likely already part of your daily water intake. 

Bear in mind that the amount of fluoride present in toothpaste is age-dependent. You will find minimal amounts in baby toothpaste, for example, compared to adult paste. At such a young age, fluoride-free or water alone is enough to clean young gums and teeth, as it is more about brushing at this stage.

Although most toothpaste contains fluoride, it is not enough on its own to protect your child’s teeth. So make sure you develop a good technique and introduce flossing as soon as two teeth touch. 

For anything you are unsure about, speak to your local dentist for extra advice and guidance.

Giving your child the best possible start in life is all what makes parenting such a privilege and a challenge. Encouraging good oral hygiene from an early age will give your little ones all the tools they need as they grow into adulthood. You’ve got this!