Oral Health For Children



Good oral health in childhood means healthy teeth and gums throughout life.

There is lots you can do to keep your child’s first teeth healthy, including teaching toothbrushing skills, food and drinks for healthy teeth and regular visits to the dentist.

First teeth need to fall out naturally (the last baby tooth will not normally fall out until the child is about 12 years old). Early loss of baby teeth can lead to crowding when adult teeth come through and can mean lengthy corrective treatment in later years.

Good oral health will contribute positively to overall health and wellbeing allowing you to be able to eat, communicate and socialise.
 
Ask:
What does toothbrushing look like for you/your child?
 
How often do you/your child brush your/their teeth?
 
Do you have any problems with your mouth?
 
Assist:

Which toothbrush and toothpaste?
Children should be supervised whilst brushing until they can brush independently - this is normally around age 7. Encourage younger children to brush their own teeth first before you follow up to make sure all surfaces have been cleaned.

Use a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles.
 
Use toothpaste containing at least 1,000 parts per million (ppm) fluoride.
 
When to brush?
 
Brush teeth and gums at least twice daily, in the morning and last thing at night with a fluoride toothpaste.
 
It is preferable to wait at least 30 minutes following eating or drinking, however we appreciate this is not always possible, it is always better to brush your teeth than not.

Establishing a routine is key.
 
Amount and frequency of sugar
Every time sugar is eaten, it causes an acid attack. There is generally some level of sugar present in every meal (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner). Therefore, if food and drinks containing sugar are only consumed at mealtimes, this will limit the number of acid attacks on the teeth. However, if a person continues to snack on food and drinks containing sugar between meals, they will have more acid attacks and therefore increase their chances of developing tooth decay.
 
Attending the dentist
 
It is important to look after your teeth every day so when you visit the dentist there is little or no treatment required. Visit your dentist regularly.
 

Act
Review the links throughout to familiarise yourself with oral care and referral pathways into care.

Contact the Oral Health Improvement Team / Childsmile for oral health advice, training and support via tay.oralhealth@nhs.scot.

If you have a patient with mouth pain Click here

 
Further Information: (links to websites, local support etc.)