It’s important to get a young child into a routine of good dental care as soon as possible and you can begin gently wiping your baby’s gums with a clean washcloth or damp gauze, even before they have their very first tooth. This helps them become accustomed to having their mouth cleaned.

What to Do When That First Tooth Emerges

When your baby gets their first tooth, begin carefully brushing it, using a soft baby toothbrush and just a tiny smear of toothpaste. Don’t use too much as they don’t have the ability to spit out the excess. As they get more teeth, you will need to begin flossing. Please don’t worry as we can show you how to do this.

As your child grows up, they will want to start brushing on their own. It is good to encourage this but you will need to brush their teeth for them until age seven and most children lack the dexterity to floss until age 10.

Dietary Advice and Tips

Lots of children snack in between meals, but choosing tooth-friendly snacks and avoiding sugary or sticky foods will help prevent cavities. Cheese, sugar-free yoghurt or yoghurt-based dips with crunchy fruits and vegetables make good snacks.

Redcliffe Dental is a family oriented practice and we warmly welcome children. We like to see children from a young age so our caring team can build up a long-term relationship with you and your child. We can show them how to brush and how to floss, making dental education interesting and enjoyable so that your child can grow up enjoying all the benefits of excellent dental health. Our aim is to help them grow up smiling.

Following diagram shows development and milestones to look out for your child.