Oral Health

It is important to start teaching children how to take care of their teeth early in life.  

Good oral health can help prevent tooth decay or cavities, the single most common disease among children. Without care, tooth decay can cause mouth pain, infection and speech problems. For many kids, these problems can mean losing hours and days from school.

Ways to help your child's oral health

Take care of your baby’s teeth

Most babies get their first teeth at around six months old. But teeth can start to appear as early as three months old. It is important to take care of your baby’s teeth as soon as they appear.

How to care for your baby’s teeth

• Put your baby to bed with clean teeth — not a bottle.
• Before your baby has any teeth (usually between birth and nine months), wipe their gums with a soft, clean cloth. Do this in the morning after the first feeding and before bed.
• When your baby’s teeth first come in, continue wiping their teeth with a cloth. By the time they reach 12 months, start to brush them twice a day for two minutes each time. Use a child-size, soft-bristled toothbrush and plain water.
• For children younger than two, talk first with your child’s primary care provider (PCP) or dentist about the use of fluoride toothpaste.
• Choose baby foods with no added sugars.
• Learn how to spot signs of tooth problems early. Take your child to the dentist when their first tooth appears or by your child’s first birthday, whichever comes first. After this first visit, take your child to the dentist every six months or as recommended by your dentist.
• Talk to your child’s dentist or PCP about putting fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears. Fluoride varnish is an easy way to stop tooth decay in children. It takes less than three minutes to put on a child’s teeth and is safe for babies and toddlers.
• Talk to your baby’s PCP about when to start solid foods and drinks other than breastmilk and/or formula.
• Limit juice and other sugary foods and drinks (after your baby starts having solid foods and drinks other than breastmilk and/or formula).

Take care of your children’s teeth

• Ask your child’s dentist about applying dental sealants. Dental sealants protect the chewing surfaces and prevent cavities. Applying dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth prevents 80% of cavities.
• Help your child brush their teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush. When helping your child brush their teeth, stand behind them and have them look up at you. This will allow you to help them brush more easily. Do this until they have good brushing skills (usually around six years old).
• Make sure they spit the toothpaste out and don’t swallow it.
• Teach your child to start flossing once they have two teeth that touch (usually between two and three years old). You may need to help them floss until they are around ten years old.
• Have your child drink tap water that contains fluoride.
• Limit added sugars in your child’s diet. Include more fruits and vegetables, and fewer fruit juices and cookies.
• Take your child to the dentist every six months or as recommended by your dentist.

Learn about children’s health