Your Child's First Teeth

You can prevent dental decay in your child's new teeth.

Your own behaviour and example lay the foundation. A good diet, limiting the intake of sugar, thorough daily brushing and regular dental check-ups for yourself also set the pattern for your child.

Food Habits

Good food habits established now, while you have control of your child's diet, are carried on during later school years.

Eating and drinking sweet things causes tooth decay and also lays the basis for later weight and other health problems. The sugar habit is easily formed and very hard to break. Therefor, don't keep sweets (lollies, etc) or biscuits in the house. Children soon learn to manipulate you to get access to them. Use plain milk and water for drinks between meals.

Bottle Decay

Infant's teeth are especially prone to Bottle Decay. This starts as soon as teeth appear and rapidly destroy them. The cause is frequent bottle feeding of sugary solutions, such as sweetened milk, cordial or soft drinks.

Honey or any sugared material on a dummy is equally disastrous.

The use of a sweetened bottle to put the child to sleep is a doubly dangerous habit as saliva flow which has a protective effect, is lessened at night. The pacifying effect of a sweet bottle makes the habit hard to break.

Prevent Bottle Decay by:

• using vitamin drops instead of vitamin syrup
• never adding sugar or honey to a bottle
• tapering off sugar in a formula as soon as possible
• getting your child off the bottle as soon as possible
• cleaning off plaque twice a day
• never put your child to bed with a bottle

Fluoride

Most children in Queensland, including all in Brisbane, do not get enough fluoride in their water to build strong teeth. The right amount is important. Dentists, doctors and pharmacists will advise parents about the correct fluoride dosage.

So that you do not forget your child's extra fluoride, give it at the same time each day.

Brushing

Start cleaning baby's teeth with a wet soft toothbrush or soft flannel as soon as all front teeth are well erupted.

When the back teeth have erupted, use a little fluoride toothpaste. It is normal for some pre-schoolers to resist toothbrushing.

For older children, a ¼ brush length of fluoride toothpaste on a small soft brush is sufficient.

Brush twice a day with a thorough brushing at bedtime.

Most children are unable to brush effectively until eight or nine years of age. Until then it is up to a parent to supervise the child's brushing and complete the task.

First Dental Visit

Your child should meet the family dentist in a relaxed way when you are going for your own dental check-up - around the time when all teeth have erupted is a good starting point. Make this earlier if you have reason to suspect that any problems are developing. Some reasons for going to the dentist earlier include:

• mouth or tooth damage from an accident
• yellow or brown discoloured teeth
• habits which worry you

Further Information

More detailed information on many of the subjects discussed in this pamphlet is available from your dentist.

Source: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/