Caring for your child's teeth
Prevention of dental injuries:
Mouth guards can reduce the risk of damaging your
teeth as they help to protect your teeth from injuries.5,6 A
mouth guard is a soft rubber cover that usually covers your
upper teeth and gums. If you are involved in a sport that
increases your risk of a dental injury you should wear a mouth
guard during participation.
Your dentist can make you a mouth guard. He or she will take a
mould of your teeth using a putty-like material. The mould is
sent to a laboratory where your mouth guard is made. Usually,
mouth guards can be made from your choice of clear, colored or
patterned rubber. A well-fitting mouth guard should stay in
place while you're wearing it, so that you can talk and breathe
normally.
Baby teeth
Children's teeth start to develop before they are born. There
are two sets of teeth: milk or baby teeth and
permanent teeth. Children usually have 20 baby (or deciduous)
teeth. They start to grow through the gums (erupt) at about six
months old. Most children have all 20 teeth by the age of two or
three.
Baby teeth have an important part to play in the development of
the permanent teeth, so it is very important to look after them.
Permanent teeth
Permanent teeth usually start to erupt at the age of six.
Adults have up to 32 permanent teeth. Most of these will erupt
by the age of 13. However, wisdom teeth - those at the very back
of the mouth - often don't erupt until the late teens or early
twenties.
Permanent teeth press on the roots of the baby teeth. The roots
dissolve until the baby teeth fall out. This is called
exfoliation and happens between 7 and 13 years old.
If permanent teeth are damaged or need to be removed, there will
not be another set of natural teeth to replace them.
How can I protect my child's teeth?
There are a number of things that you can do to reduce your
child's risk of tooth decay and dental erosion. Some useful tips
include:
These tips are discussed in more detail below.
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Going to the dentist
It is a good idea to take your child when you go for your own
routine dental check-ups, even when they are too young to have
teeth. This helps them to become familiar with the people and
the surroundings at the dental surgery. Your dentist will look
in your child's mouth in a fairly informal way. This allows your
dentist to count how many teeth have erupted and spot any early
signs of decay. Quick, painless check-ups like this help to
encourage good co-operation when your child is older.
Your dentist will recommend check-ups at intervals that are
suitable for your child's needs. Children usually need more
frequent dental visits than adults. This is because baby teeth
are smaller and have thinner enamel, so decay can spread very
quickly. Frequent check-ups help your dentist to treat decay
early, before it causes toothache.
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Diet
Most parents know that reducing sugar in the diet is the best
way to prevent tooth decay. What many don't realize, though, is
that it is how often their child eats sugar - rather than how
much - that is important. Eating sugary food and drinks
frequently is the main cause of tooth decay.
Similarly, it is the frequency of acidic food and drinks -
rather than the amount - that affects tooth erosion. Consuming
acidic drinks frequently is the main cause of tooth erosion.
To protect your child's teeth against decay and erosion, try to
keep squashes, fizzy drinks, natural fruit juices, sweets and
cakes to a minimum. It is especially important to avoid sugary
food and drinks as snacks between meals or before bedtime.
Fruit, vegetables, cheese and baby are all healthier snacks
because they contain natural sugars. These are much less likely
to cause decay. You can help to protect against erosion by
finishing a meal with an alkaline food such as baby or cheese.
This will neutralize the acid in your child's mouth. Plain water
doesn't cause tooth decay or erosion. Some children find it hard
to drink water if they usually have sweeter drinks, but they
will get used to it in time.
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Tooth brushing
You should start cleaning your child's teeth as soon as they
come through the gums. Toothbrushes specifically for babies are
available. It is important to try and make tooth brushing a
regular activity, after breakfast and before bedtime, so that it
becomes part of your child's daily routine.
As your child gets older you can teach them how to brush their
own teeth, using a gentle, circular motion and fluoride
toothpaste. Make sure that they understand that they have to
clean every tooth. Give them plenty of encouragement and praise.
You should supervise your child while they brush their teeth.
Once they are about seven years old - or can write legibly -
they can start to brush their teeth on their own, but check how
well they are doing every few days.
Disclosing tablets are small pills that, if chewed for 30
seconds, turn plaque a bright color - usually pink. This can
help you to show your child any areas that they have missed.
Tooth brushing
You should start cleaning your child's teeth as soon as they
come through the gums. Toothbrushes specifically for babies are
available. It is important to try and make tooth brushing a
regular activity, after breakfast and before bedtime, so that it
becomes part of your child's daily routine.
As your child gets older you can teach them how to brush their
own teeth, using a gentle, circular motion and fluoride
toothpaste. Make sure that they understand that they have to
clean every tooth. Give them plenty of encouragement and praise.
You should supervise your child while they brush their teeth.
Once they are about seven years old - or can write legibly -
they can start to brush their teeth on their own, but check how
well they are doing every few days.
Disclosing tablets are small pills that, if chewed for 30
seconds, turn plaque a bright color - usually pink. This can
help you to show your child any areas that they have missed.
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