When will my child be able to brush their teeth?

As your child gets older, try to encourage them to learn to brush their milk teeth independently. You will find that they become increasingly interested in the toothbrush as they reach the age of about 10-12 months. Let them hold it and brush your teeth in front of them so that they learn to copy you.

When your child is still young you will need to help them brush their teeth. Help them to hold the brush and then guide them around the teeth, making sure that you brush all the teeth. Talk to them about why it is important to brush their teeth during brushing and encourage them and reward them after they have brushed their teeth; for example, tell them that their teeth are really white and sparkly.

When your child is able to hold their own toothbrush, supervise them while they brush and encourage them to get into a routine of brushing their teeth twice a day. The earlier they get used to brushing their teeth twice a day, the better their oral health will be.

Which oral hygiene products should I use?

Use children’s toothpaste as this contains a suitable amount of fluoride. Most varieties of adult toothpaste are suitable for children over the age of 3 but often children’s versions are brightly coloured and have tasty flavours, which are more likely to get children involved in oral hygiene. You can also buy special children’s toothbrushes, which come in a range of colours and are often decorated with fun designs and pictures of popular television and film characters. You can also buy electric toothbrushes for children, which may be easier for them to use when they are younger and tend to remove more plaque than manual toothbrushes.

Taking your child to the dentist

You also need to take your child to the dentist for regular check-ups; most dentists advise parents to start taking children to the dentist from the age of twelve months. Taking young children to the dentist enables them to build a strong, positive relationship with their dentist and reduces the risk of them suffering from dental anxiety in the future. Regular check-ups also allow the dentist to keep an eye on the child’s oral health and identify any problems early on.

Healthy eating

Diet also plays a huge part in promoting good oral health so try to ensure your child has a healthy diet and try to limit the amount of sugary and acidic foods and drinks they consume. Try to ensure they get plenty of calcium, as this is essential for the development of strong, healthy teeth, nails and bones. Good sources of calcium include butter, milk and yoghurt.