Good oral hygiene habits are learnt at home. When the whole family looks after their teeth, children find it natural to do the same. Here is our advice for each stage.
Babies and first teeth
From the first tooth, teeth should be cleaned twice a day with a soft children’s toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. Avoid letting your baby fall asleep with a bottle of milk or juice, as this encourages tooth decay. We recommend the first dental visit when the first tooth appears, or by the first birthday at the latest.
Children aged 3 to 6
From the age of three, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Children can start brushing on their own, but an adult should go over their teeth afterwards: until about seven or eight they do not have the dexterity to clean every surface properly.
Older children and teenagers
- Brush for two minutes in the morning and, above all, before bed.
- Floss where teeth touch; with braces, use interdental brushes.
- Fissure sealants on the adult back teeth protect the grooves where decay most often starts.
- A mouthguard for contact sports.
Adults: the example children follow
Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth daily and do not rinse with water straight after brushing, so the fluoride keeps working. A yearly check-up and clean picks up decay and gum problems early.
Diet matters too
How often you have sugar matters more than how much: snacking on sweets or sipping fizzy drinks throughout the day keeps your mouth at risk of decay. Keep sweet things to mealtimes and make water the everyday drink.
If your children have not been to the dentist yet or are due a check-up, our children’s dentist in Sotogrande page explains what happens at the first visit.
This article is for information only and does not replace a personal assessment at the clinic.
