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Paediatric Dental Care
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A lifetime of confident, pain-free smiles begins before a baby is even born. Tiny Teeth Healthy Habits offers every community the tools and knowledge to make the difference for their children.
Healthy Baby Teeth are Important For:
Nutrition
Speech
Self Esteem
Teeth Placement
Overall Health
Oral health impacts a child's overall physical and mental health in areas such as nutrition, speech, and self-esteem. Everything a child eats or drinks, all the nutrients that make a strong body and mind, passes through his mouth. When bacteria-filled oral disease is present in a child's mouth, it goes without saying that it will affect his overall health. Poor oral health leads to medical, social and educational problems during crucial formative years. Tiny Teeth has heard many stories that highlight the effects of dental problems. Avery, far underweight for her
Don't develop the nighttime bottle habit," Thornton says. "Avoid using a bottle as a pacifier. But if the child has become used to sleeping with a bottle, fill it only with water."age, was unwilling to eat because of painful, severe tooth decay.
How To Protect Your Baby's Oral Health
A thorough check-up of your baby's overall physical health is a central part of pediatric and family medicine.
Make sure that the health of your child's teeth are part of the examination.
Recent Guidelines
A dentist should check your baby's teeth and mouth (oral health) within six months of the first tooth breaking through the gums - or by one year of age at the latest.
At this first visit, the dentist will examine your baby's mouth. He (or she) will also explain how you should take care of your baby's teeth and mouth, and talk to you about your baby's diet.
Your child's dentist can find any early signs of tooth (or dental) decay and other problems at this time and treat them.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is an infectious disease that can happen when bacteria in the mouth interacts with the sugars present in milk and fruit juices. This process produces acids that can be destructive to teeth.
When a baby is awake, the continuous flow of saliva in his mouth dilutes the sugars and washes them off the surfaces of the teeth.
Because there is much less saliva in the baby's mouth when he sleeps, the sugars can concentrate on the surfaces of the teeth. This environment is friendly to bacteria and acid production.
You can prevent tooth decay with proper hygiene: making sure you clean your baby's teeth after a feeding, rather than letting your baby fall asleep right after.
The bacteria that cause dental decay are already present in a baby's mouth before the first tooth breaks through the gums. This is why it's important to clean your baby's mouth after a feeding, even if he doesn't have any visible teeth.
Dental decay can happen to any baby. It doesn't matter how old the baby is, what ethnic group the baby's family is from, what job a baby's parents have or how much money they make.
Under certain conditions, baby teeth can start to decay as soon as they break through the gums, for example: putting a baby to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or any other drinks containing sugar.
Oral Hygiene For Your Baby
One of the best ways to clean your baby's gums is to wipe them with a damp gauze sponge immediately after a feeding.
This removes food material from the gums, and reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
You should keep following this routine when your baby's teeth first start to erupt.
Since your baby will get used to this simple cleaning routine, it will be easier to introduce a toothbrush later on.
When at least four teeth in a row have broken through your baby's gums in the lower or upper jaw, you can start using a toothbrush for his oral hygiene. Use a toothbrush with a thicker handle; they are easier for small hands to hold. Your child will feel less frustration as he grows and wants to learn to brush his own teeth.
You should brush your child's teeth until he has enough strength and co-ordination to brush them himself. Even then, supervise him when he brushes his teeth.
Fluoride
We already know that toothpaste and tap water that contain fluoride reduce the incidence of dental decay. Fluoride is used widely in toothpaste and in municipal drinking water.
Too much fluoride, however, can cause unsightly discolouration on the enamel of your child's teeth. This is called fluorosis.
Mild dental fluorosis looks like white flecks on the surface of the tooth. In more severe cases, brown mottling appears on the teeth.
There are several sources of fluoride: municipal water supplies, toothpaste, vitamin supplements, and fruit drinks and juices (especially if they have been bottled with fluoridated water).
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends that no fluoride supplements be given to children under six years. Supplements should only be given if a child's dentist feels there is a high risk of dental decay.
Fluoride-free toothpaste is recommended for children under six years. This is because most children can't spit properly until then. They may swallow most of the toothpaste, which increases the risk of fluorosis.
If fluoride toothpaste is used to brush your child's teeth, make sure you use only a pea-sized amount at each brushing, and that you supervise your child if he is old enough to brush his teeth himself. Brushing should happen twice per day.
Tips for Your Child's Dental Health
Although dental decay remains a common childhood problem, it is a preventable one. Dental decay is a bacterial infection cased by the bacteria Mutan Streptococcal and Lactobacilli. The sugar and starch in our diet serve as nutrients to the bacteria and allow them to grow and multiply. The bacteria produce acids that attack the teeth and cause cavities.
Most children become inoculated with the cavity-causing bacteria very early on - often soon after the first teeth appear, at about the age of one. The source is often the mother or caretaker who transfers the bacteria in her saliva to the toddler through kissing and sharing utensils. Once the bacteria can obtain a foothold in the toddler's mouth, the decay process will begin if the diet is high in sugar or starch, and oral hygiene is neglected.
It is very important that you do not nurse your infant to sleep or put him to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or sweetened liquid. While your child sleeps, any unswallowed liquid in the mouth will support the growth of bacteria that produce acids and cause cavities. Put your child to bed with nothing more than a pacifier or a bottle of water.
Many of us know that sweet foods cause cavities, but some of us do not realize that savory foods such as pasta, crackers, pretzels, and potato chips cause dental decay, too, because of their high carbohydrate content. These "starchy" foods tend to cling onto the tooth surface and are not easily washed away by saliva. Fruits, although they are very good for your health, can cause cavities because of their high sugar contents. Did you know a large banana has about eight teaspoons of sugar and an apple has five teaspoons?
Most foods have the potential to cause cavities regardless of whether they are nutritious, sweet, or savory so long as they contain carbohydrates. Few foods, such as cheese and nuts, are totally "tooth-safe" but they may not be appropriate snacks for toddlers. Moreover, children should not be deprived of sweets, which are an integral part of a normal childhood. Therefore, regardless of what you feed your toddler, brush his teeth regularly. Select and serve sweets wisely. Sweet foods are safer for teeth when served right after a meal, but sticky sweet foods, such as dried fruits and caramel should be avoided.
More tips for your toddler's dental health:
Maintain good oral hygiene yourselves as parents and there will be less bacteria from you to be transferred to your toddler.
Give your toddler three main meals and a balanced diet daily. A balanced diet is one that includes fruits and vegetables, bread and cereals, milk and dairy products, meat, fish and eggs.
Limit the number of snack times. One snack between meals is acceptable. Give your toddler nutritious snacks, such as fruits and vegetables
Brush your toddler's teeth twice a day and floss once a day. Use a brand of toothpaste that contains fluoride, but apply only a pea-size amount because young children, before the age of six years, tend to swallow most of the toothpaste. If your toddler insists on brushing his teeth, let him do it, but brush for him afterward. Children do not develop the dexterity to brush well by themselves until they are eight years old or more.
Fluoride is an essential mineral that is effective against dental decay at appropriate dosage. If your drinking water does not have fluoride, ask your pediatrician or pediatric dentist about the need to give your toddler fluoride supplements.
Soon after your child's first teeth appear, take him to see a pediatric dentist and have regular check ups. Like your pediatrician, a pediatric dentist specializes in taking care of children of all ages. If you do not know of a pediatric dentist, ask your pediatrician for a referral.
The First Visit
Nowadays children have little to worry about when visiting to the dentist. We like to see children when they are very young and it is helpful to bring them along when mum or dad have their own check-ups. It works well to take a few minutes of that appointment and let a young child have a ride in the chair often sitting on their parent's lap. Just letting them play in the corner and watch mum or dad having a clean allows them to get used to the surgery, the nurses and dentists and that mum or dad survive!!
Some children, even as young as 18 months, will jump up on the chair and open their mouth for a quick look with no problem at all. Others may take three or four visits. This is why we prefer, if possible, to tag them onto their parents appointment. This way no one feels under pressure to "perform". The first visit should be fun and rewarding (literally!). Once we do get to have a look and clean their teeth then they are nearly always good patients in the future.
Children need regular check-ups to not only check on any cavities but also jaw development (See our web page on Orthodontics).
Early Treatment
Early cavities can be treated very easily, often without the need for injections, and restored with tooth coloured materials. It is important to try and keep the baby teeth until they are due to fall out, as they help the path of eruption of the adult teeth and maintain jaw size and spaces. Early loss may cause the other teeth to move into the gaps and block out the un-erupted permanent teeth.
Prevention
Fizzy sugary drinks can be a dental disaster. Many popular drinks are also quite acidic (popular sports drinks) and this causes not only decay but gross erosion. Dummies used long term can cause a distortion in the shape of the jaws but if dipped in sugary mixes these also cause gross decay.
Tooth brushing is a gradually learned skill and most children are unable to do it properly without adult supervision. For very young children toothbrush shaped teething rings get them used to having something in their mouth. Gradually they can hold their own baby toothbrush and even if they just bite it it still helps to get them into the habit of cleaning their teeth after breakfast and before going to bed.
Most children under 10 are unable to use floss properly and generally they do not need to. (See our webpage on Gum Disease).
Accidents
It is rare to get through childhood without some tooth damage. Knocks on baby teeth can cause the tooth to darken, which is literally a bruise within the tooth. Most baby teeth have wide open ended roots and it is not unusual for these teeth to regain their colour 6-8 months later. However, we should check out the damage. In older children, when the front teeth are adult teeth, a knock may cause the tooth to die leading to the need for a root treatment. Again an x-ray will show up any damage needing treatment. Broken teeth can be restored in a number of ways. ( see our web pages on Crowns and Veneers ).
If a tooth is knocked out it should be found and brought straight to the surgery. If this is not possible then it should be washed and either replaced into the socket or kept in water or milk.
Mouthguards are essential wear in any contact sports including basketball. Well fitted mouthguards have saved many a patient from severe tooth damage or loss. Unless the mouthguard fits properly then they will not be worn.
Pregnancy and Teeth
Pregnancy is a special time to take extra care of your teeth and gums. During pregnancy your hormonal balance is altered and your gums become more susceptible to disease.
There is no truth in the old wife's tale that says a tooth is lost for every pregnancy. Good oral hygiene procedures will ensure that you have healthy teeth and gums during pregnancy.
Oral Health Guidelines
Plaque is largely made up of bacteria. By using antibacterial products you can help control plaque formation.
Visit your dentist before you become pregnant and during pregnancy to make sure your teeth and gums stay strong and healthy.
Brush twice a day and floss thoroughly every day.
Use a soft toothbrush and a proven antibacterial fluoride toothpaste.
Change your toothbrush regularly.
Eat a nutritious diet from a wide variety of foods.
Increase your calcium intake.
Avoid frequent snacks that contain sugar.
If you are pregnant or suspect that you are, it is important to tell your dentist when you visit. Practitioners are careful in prescribing medicines to pregnant women and only advise those which are really needed. Certain medicines such as the tetracycline antibiotics can affect your baby's developing teeth.
If possible dental x-rays should be avoided during pregnancy, however, if your dentist considers it essential for you to have an x-ray, special care and protection will be taken.
Before you become pregnant
It is important to establish good oral hygiene practices now so that when you become pregnant you will already have established a daily routine.
Dental plaque (bacteria) needs to be cleaned from the teeth and gumline by brushing and flossing every day. Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Use dental floss daily to clean between your teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach. You can check how well you remove plaque by using special plaque disclosing tablets or solution. These are available from your chemist.
Visit your dentist
It may be more comfortable for you to complete any dental treatment required before pregnancy especially as you may experience nausea and vomiting or become tired as your pregnancy progresses.
Now That You're Pregnant
Morning Sickness
The stomach contents are acidic and may dissolve some of the the tooth enamel. To avoid tooth damage after vomiting or gastric reflux don't brush your teeth if you have just vomited. Instead wipe a smear of fluoride toothpaste over the teeth and rinse with water.
Gagging can often occur whilst brushing your teeth. If this makes you feel sick, try to concentrate on your breathing as you clean the back teeth. Brushing without toothpaste can also help but return to using fluoride toothpaste as soon as possible.
Cravings may be experienced for certain foods. Frequent snacks and drinks, especially sweet ones, can lead to dental caries (decay). Choose a wide variety of snacks which are low in sugar, fat and salt and high in fibre. Drinks such as milk and water are recommended.
Your gums may be easily irritated by dental plaque. When you become pregnant, the hormones in your body change. These hormones can cause your gums to become inflamed, and bleed. Clean your teeth and gums by brushing and flossing each day to reduce the irritation and keep the gums healthy. During your pregnancy, ask your dentist to check the condition of your gums and advise you further on how to care for them.
Brushing is important, cleaning your teeth and brushing your gums twice a day will avoid plaque build up. Remember, each tooth has two five surfaces - a front, a back, two sides and a top. The only one sure way to prevent dental disease is to clean every surface.
Fluoride strengthens the teeth and prevents decay. Fluoride is found in most toothpastes and your dentist may recommend you also have a fluoride mouth rinse or have a professional topical fluoride treatment. For your baby there is no clear evidence that taking fluoride tablets during pregnancy will strengthen the baby's developing teeth or help prevent decay for the baby's teeth. If water supply is not fluoridated then your dentist may advise that the baby have a fluoride supplement.
Calcium is very important. When you are four months pregnant your baby's teeth and bones begin to calcify. The calcium and phosphorous needed comes from what you eat and, if necessary, from your bones. These minerals do not come from your teeth.
When you are 7-9 months pregnant your baby needs more calcium and phosphorous. These minerals are best obtained by eating more dairy foods.
Milk and milk products are an excellent source of calcium. Choose those that are low in fat and sugar. If you don't drink milk or eat milk products such as cheese and yogurt choose other products that are high in calcium. If you are having difficulty see your doctor or dietitian for advice. They may recommend calcium supplements. The recommended daily intake per day for women is 1,100mg during pregnancy, and 1,200mg while breastfeeding.
Looking Ahead
At first your newborn baby does not have decay causing bacteria in their mouth.
As the teeth come through the gum the bacteria that causes decay is passed to the baby by the main carer, usually the mother through kissing, food tasting or by cleaning the dummy in their own mouth.
It is important that carers thoroughly clean their own teeth and have all their own decayed teeth treated so they will have low levels of bacteria. This will reduce or greatly delay the transfer of these bacteria to the baby.
Breastmilk is best
If you are not breastfeeding, use infant formula.
Around six months, your child can start to eat from a spoon.
Start with smooth foods.
Give your child
Breastmilk or formula
Tap water after
6 months
Cow's milk after
1 year
Don't give your child
Soft drink
Fruit juice
Flavoured
milk
Cordial
Coffee/
tea
If your child has a dummy, do not put anything sweet on it.
Clean your child's dummy under running water.
NOT in your mouth. Avoid sharing spoons with your child.
If bottle feeding
Take the bottle away when your child has finished.
Don't let your child keep sucking on the bottle too long. Give up the bottle by 1 year.
At 6 months your child can use a cup.
Put your child to bed WITHOUT a bottle.
Cleaning your child's teeth
You can start cleaning your child's teeth with a clean cloth or a small soft toothbrush.
Clean your child's teeth as soon as they come through.
Toothpaste
0 - 17 months no toothpaste
18 months - 5 years, use low fluoride children's toothpaste.
Lift the lip
Lift your child's top lip once a month to check for early signs of tooth decay. White lines along the gum line can be the beginning of tooth decay.
Please seek dental advice if you notice any changes in your child's teeth.
Teeth are some of your children's most important possessions. How you look after their teeth from the time they are babies will make a difference to how they grow and how healthy they are. This means not only how you clean them but also how you protect them from things that can harm teeth. Tooth decay is preventable.
There is a simpler, illustrated version of this information in the topic Teeth - give your child's teeth a healthy start.
There are several other topics on this site about teeth and teeth care:
Teeth - give your child's teeth a healthy start
Teeth - decay and erosion
Teeth - fluoride
Teeth - when a tooth is knocked out
Teeth - development and teething
Protecting teeth
Do not give your baby or young child a bottle of formula, milk or fruit juice to go to sleep with, or to suck on for a long time during the day. The sugar in milk and fruit juice can lead to decay if it is in the baby's mouth for a lot of time.
Don't leave the bottle in your baby's mouth while baby is asleep.
Babies who breastfeed continuously or frequently at night after they have cut some teeth can also have sugars staying in their mouth for a long time and may develop tooth decay. Detach your baby from the nipple when the feed is finished. When babies are breastfed during the day less milk stays in the mouth compared to bottle fed babies, so the risk of dental decay is less.
Healthy snacks and drinks are important for children. Try to keep away from too much sugar, especially between meals.
Babies get the germs that cause tooth decay from other people, especially those who kiss them a lot. If the adults have clean and healthy teeth, a baby is more likely to have healthy teeth (kissing and touching babies is important and should not be stopped).
It has been shown that young children exposed to passive smoking have more dental decay than other children.
Cleaning teeth
Start cleaning the baby's teeth as soon as they appear in the mouth.
Clean baby's teeth with a clean cloth and children's teeth with a small, soft toothbrush.
Brush the teeth twice a day - after breakfast and last thing before going to sleep at night.
Do not use toothpaste before 18 months of age.
Parents need to supervise the use of toothpaste and tooth brushing by their young children. Children do not have the skills needed to fully clean their own teeth until they are 8 to 9 years old.
When children start using toothpaste, use a low-fluoride toothpaste made for children.
Only a smear of toothpaste (the size of a pea or less) should be put onto the toothbrush. You need to put the toothpaste on yourself until the children can do it properly.
Keep toothpaste tubes out of the reach of children.
Toothpaste
Fluoride is found naturally in food and water and is added to most water supplies and many oral care products such as mouth rinse and toothpastes.
Using fluoride toothpaste twice a day is a very effective way of reducing tooth decay.
Teach children to spit out the toothpaste after using fluoride toothpaste.
Don't swallow. Swallowing the toothpaste may cause them to get too much fluoride.
Don't rinse. Fluoride can go on protecting the teeth for some time after brushing if the toothpaste is not rinsed out of the mouth.
Children under 18 months of age
Fluoride toothpaste is not recommended for children under 18 months of age.
Generally young children receive enough fluoride to benefit their teeth through food and water.
From birth to 18 months of age the permanent front teeth are developing, and if children swallow fluoride toothpaste they may get white flecks (fluorosis) on their permanent adult teeth. To avoid this, fluoride toothpaste should not be used when brushing the teeth and should be kept out of children's reach.
If you live in an area which does not have fluoridated water, ask your dental professional whether it would be a good idea to start fluoride toothpaste at an earlier age.
Children 18 months - 5 years of age
Low fluoride toothpaste is recommended for children aged 18 months to 5 years to prevent dental disease.
Research shows that young children swallow a lot of toothpaste when brushing their teeth. Therefore, it is recommended that they use a low-fluoride toothpaste such as Colgate 'my first toothpaste'**, Macleans 'milkteeth'** or Oral B children's toothpaste**.
Use a smear of low-fluoride toothpaste twice a day, in the morning and last thing before bed at night.
Toothpaste tubes should be kept out of children's reach, and toothpaste put on the brush by an adult to avoid accidental swallowing of large amounts.
Children 6 - 18 years and adults
Fluoride toothpaste is recommended for children aged 6 - 18 years and adults to prevent dental disease. Choose a fluoride toothpaste that suits your taste and budget. General guidelines for using fluoride toothpaste are:
use twice a day, in the morning and before bed at night
spit the toothpaste out but do not rinse your mouth
don't eat or swallow toothpaste
follow advice given by your dental professional.
Ask your dental professional about your child's fluoride toothpaste needs.
Toothbrushes
Use a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles.
Clean the teeth, gums and tongue every morning and night.
Every person should have their own toothbrush and should not use anybody else's toothbrush.
Store toothbrushes in a clean, dry, airy place so that they can dry out between use (you may need two brushes per person, used alternately). Store toothbrushes separately so they do not touch other toothbrushes.
After brushing the teeth, the toothbrush should be rinsed thoroughly under fast running water to remove toothpaste, bits of food, and plaque. Then shake off the water from the toothbrush to help with drying.
Replace toothbrushes regularly and when they become 'shaggy' or clogged with toothpaste.
Also replace toothbrushes after illness such as colds and flu or after mouth infections.
Follow personal hygiene practices, such as washing hands after going to the toilet and washing the toothbrush if it falls on the floor or in the hand basin.
Visit your dentist
Dentists who specialise in children's dentistry recommend that children are first checked by a dentist about six months after the first tooth appears.
This means for many children that they should be seen when they turn one.
Why do we have teeth?
Have you ever really thought about why people need teeth? They might be more important than you think.
Why teeth are important
Teeth bite and chew food so that it is small enough to be swallowed.
Teeth help you to form words so that you can speak properly.
Have you lost any front teeth yet?
Did you find that your words sounded different for a while?
Maybe you found it hard to say 's'.
Maybe you lisped, eg. "I'd like a thauthage, pleath"
instead of "I'd like a sausage please."
Teeth show when you're happy. Everyone smiles when they're happy. If you have nice clean, healthy teeth you have something to be happy about!
How many teeth do we have?
Your first teeth are called deciduous teeth (say dee-sid-you-us). (They can also be called milk teeth, baby teeth or primary teeth.)
They are called deciduous because like the leaves of a deciduous tree you lose them.
You have 20 deciduous teeth and they start growing into your mouth from about 6 months of age.
All 20 teeth have grown into your mouth by about two and a half years of age.
From about 6 years of age until 12 years of age you start to lose them, BUT that doesn't mean you don't have to look after them.
They are there to keep a space for your second lot of teeth (like saving a seat for someone - if they don't save the place the second teeth can't fit very well!).
Your second teeth are called permanent teeth (say perm-an-ent) (also called adult teeth).
You will have 32 permanent teeth.
They are called permanent teeth because if you look after them you can have them for all of your life.
They begin growing through your gums from about 6 years and all 32 have finished growing into your mouth by about 18 - 25 years.
The permanent teeth push out your deciduous teeth as they grow into your mouth.
What does a tooth look like?
Teeth have two parts,
The crown is the part of the tooth we can see in our mouths.
The root of the tooth which is 'planted' into the jawbone to keep the tooth steady while it is doing its job.
Teeth have three layers:
Enamel, (say ee-nam-el) a hard protective outer layer covering the crown of the tooth.
Dentine, (say den-teen) a second protective layer covering the nerve of the tooth.
Pulp, (also called the nerve) the soft middle of the tooth that has a blood supply and nerve endings.
The tooth is like an apple. An apple has an outer skin and inner flesh to protect the seeds. A tooth has an outer enamel and inner dentine to protect the pulp.
Why do teeth have different shapes?
Different teeth do different jobs.
Incisors (say in-si-zors) are for cutting.
Canines (say cay-nines) are for tearing.
Molars and pre-molars (say mow-lers) grind up food until it's small enough to swallow.
Each type of tooth has a special shape so that it can do its job.
Look at the shape of these teeth.
Can you tell what kind of teeth they are?
Looking after your teeth, gums and mouth
It is important to look after your first and your permanent teeth. Keeping your teeth, gums and mouth clean and healthy can prevent disease and infection, and can help to avoid pain and sickness. Also a clean healthy mouth feels nice, looks good and keeps your breath fresh.
Your teeth need to be cleaned really well every day. This is because germs or bacteria (say bak-tee-ria) in your mouth grow on your teeth and around the gums every day. It is called dental plaque (say pl-ark) and it makes acids or poisons that attack the teeth and gums and cause disease. If you keep your teeth clean and healthy every day you will avoid problems like tooth decay, toothache, bleeding gums, yellow teeth and bad breath.
Grab your toothbrush right away!
Tips for a healthy mouth, teeth and gums:
Brush your teeth well twice a day (after breakfast and last thing before going to bed).
Use a small toothbrush with soft bristles. Hard and medium bristled toothbrushes can damage teeth and gums.
Use fluoride (say flu-or-ide) toothpaste. From 6 years of age you can use adult toothpaste, but make sure you spit it out when you have finished cleaning your teeth. Children under 6 need to use a special children's toothpaste.
Gently and thoroughly brush each side of every tooth and the gums. It should take about 3 minutes to do them all.
Dental floss cleans between your teeth but should only be used if you have been shown how to floss at the dentist.
Once a week you could check your toothbrushing skills by rinsing with a liquid called Disclo-gel. This is a pink liquid that stains the plaque pink and makes it easier to see. Disclo-gel can be bought from a chemist. If your teeth are not totally clean, there will be a pink stain on a tooth. Brush that stain off and remember how you did it, so that you can add that to how you clean your teeth.
Keeping your toothbrush safe from germs
After brushing, rinse your toothbrush under running water.
Store your toothbrush in a clean dry place.
Do not share a toothbrush as this can spread germs.
Replace your toothbrush often.
Wash your hands after going to the toilet and before using your toothbrush.
Tooth-friendly foods
Choose a wide variety of healthy foods every day.
Finish a meal with a drink of water - this washes your teeth and mouth.
Choose tap water as a drink. It is tooth-friendly and your body likes it too. Don't have lots of fizzy drinks especially ones that contain sugars and acids. These can cause tooth decay. Bottled water is not so good for teeth. It does not have fluoride in it.
Where possible choose medicines and cough lollies that are sugar free.
Milk and cheese are tooth-friendly foods. They contain minerals, which will help to repair tooth enamel.
If you want to know more about healthy food look up 'Your Food' on this site
A variety of foods is best for your teeth.
Did you know?
If you look after your teeth you can keep them forever.
Teeth are the hardest part of your body.
Sharks have three rows of teeth and they grow new ones if they lose any. People do not grow new teeth if they loose a tooth, so take good care of the ones that you have.
Fluoride was introduced into toothpaste in the 1970s.
Fluoride was introduced into the water supply in Adelaide in 1971. Kids in South Australia now have much healthier teeth than their parents had because the fluoride makes their teeth stronger.
In the year 1770 the first toothbrush was invented and so were the first false teeth (made out of porcelain) by William Addis in England.
In the year 1790 John Greenwood of U.S.A invented the dental drill.
It was very big and heavy and the dentist had to turn a handle [like using a hand drill for drilling holes in wood] to drill out all the bad bits in the tooth. It was a very slow and painful process and people only went to the dentist when they couldn't stand the pain of toothache any longer!
It must have been a bit terrifying to go to the dentist in the olden days.
Nowadays it is very different.
The people at the dental clinic are there to help you.
They teach you how to look after your teeth and avoid decay.
They can repair teeth and it doesn't hurt.
They can help protect your teeth from decay.
This is what some people had to say about going to the dentist nowadays.
My teeth
I went to the dentist one day,
He said that I had some decay.
My tooth was real sore,
I brushed my teeth more
And then the pain went away.
When my teeth started to go green
I realised that they weren't clean!
(by Kramer)
Mikyla writes,
"When I went to the dentist I wasn't scared because I was just having a check-up. When the dentist had looked in my mouth she said that I had a wobbly tooth and that it was okay so I got a sticker and went home.
Ellen wants you to know that going to the dentist may make you feel a bit nervous. When you get there they check your teeth. You may have an injection to stop it hurting. They make the hole in your tooth a bit bigger to get out any bad stuff then they fill it up with a special stuff.
You rinse your mouth out then you can go home.
Your mouth can feel a bit funny but you know that your tooth is okay.
Dr. Vinamra says:
"Learn to brush your teeth properly twice a day and you will be proud of your shiny smile."
Keep your teeth clean and bright
Brush them every day and night
Drink lots of water every day
Throw the fizzy drink away.
Brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush
Very careful, please don't rush.
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