One of the biggest changes in oral health in the U.K over the past 50 years for children is that, overall, less of them have cavities than ever before. With a little help from you, children can learn to look after their own teeth at a young age and avoid dental problems in later life.

Children should have regular dental check ups from the age of 3, when, normally, all 20 baby teeth should have come through. Sometimes children will need to visit a dentist at an earlier age but your pediatrician should be able to advise you if this is the case.

Baby teeth, or primary teeth, are important as they help children chew food, speak clearly and also retain space for their permanent teeth.
Children who learn to take care of their teeth at a young age are more likely to have good dental habits as adults.

• Early Years
During teething, a baby’s gums may become swollen and a one piece teething ring or pacifier may help ease the discomfort. Dentists discourage parents dipping these rings in sweet liquids, which can stay on the teeth and provide a source of bacteria than can cause tooth decay.
Daily cleaning should start as soon as the baby’s first tooth appears using a piece of gauze or a dampened cloth to wipe the tooth/teeth clean. Switch to a toothbrush with a small (pea sized) amount of fluoride toothpaste, as the child gets older.
Some children may develop decay in spite of the best preventative efforts so check the teeth for early signs of decay regularly, which may appear as white, yellow or brown spots on the teeth.

• What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a natural chemical that strengthens enamel which is the hard outer coating on teeth. It helps prevent decay and also helps repair early damage to teeth.
Fluoride is available in most water supplies and is also available as a supplement. The fluoride content of local water supplies can vary greatly and water that has low levels of fluoride can be a problem for infants who get very little fluoride from breast milk or formula. Your water supplier should be able to confirm exactly what the water – fluoride level is in your area and your pediatrician/GP should be able to advise you on whether or not your child needs additional fluoride.

• What about Thumb Sucking?
Thumb sucking is normal in infants and young children and should cause no permanent problems if not continued past the age of 5. Likewise, it is generally harmless for infants to use pacifiers although children who suck their thumbs past the age of 5 may need a referral to a pediatric dentist to determine if problems are developing.

• Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes are becoming more and more popular with both adults and children alike and there are a number of benefits to using an electric, over a normal hand held toothbrush. For a start, many younger children will simply not have the manual dexterity to clean their teeth efficiently until they are old enough to hand write, so an electric toothbrush empowers them with the correct brushing technique as soon as they are old enough to hold one. Another, often overlooked, benefit of the electric toothbrush is that using one helps children become acquainted with the sounds and vibrations of the equipment used by dentists making that regular visit a much less daunting prospect.

What is the correct way to brush teeth?

Most dentists recommend you take at least two minutes to clean your teeth thoroughly twice a day and floss once a day. If you have an electric toothbrush all you need to do is slowly guide the brush over your teeth inside and out and the brush will do the rest. Manually the following process is recommended;

• Use round circular movements

• Start with the lower jaw and work your way around the other teeth, including the back of the molars, then repeat for the inner area of the teeth

• Brush the biting surfaces of teeth with a straight across movement

• Be careful not to brush too hard, as you can damage teeth enamel and cause gums to recede.