Learn how to help prevent cavities in children with this easy guide. We’ll show you the best ways to keep your child’s teeth healthy by brushing them regularly, healthy eating, fluoridation, and basic dental care.

Keeping your child’s teeth cavity free is one of the most important things you can do to protect them. Tooth decay (cavities) are the most common chronic illness among st children in the world. Little ones love eating sugary snacks, fruit juice and sticky foods. However little toddlers and kids lack the motor skills to brush their teeth properly. This means the bad bacteria in their mouths have plenty of sugar to feed off, creating harsh acids which erode their baby’s delicate teeth.

By creating effective and easy prevention procedures early, you will keep their baby teeth healthy and avoid expensive emergency dentist visits.

1. Begin Oral Care Before Any Teeth Have Come Through

Many parents believe oral care shouldn’t begin until their child has got some teeth, but baby teeth need to be kept healthy with a clean mouth.

Wipe baby’s gums clean daily

Using a soft, wet muslin cloth or sterile gauze wrapped around your finger gently wipe your baby’s gums after every feed.

– Remove any remaining breast milk/formula.

This removes any residual milk that may have been left in their mouth and prevents bacteria from growing.

Create a routine

Cleaning your baby’s mouth twice a day will create a routine and makes it easier for them to get used to brushing with a real brush.

2. Brush Teeth Properly From An Early Age

As soon as your baby has their first tooth you should begin brushing. To ensure you remove as much plaque from their teeth as possible, use proper brushing techniques.

Use a soft bristled toothbrush

Always choose an age appropriate toothbrush with extra soft bristles, small head, and thick easy to grip handle.

Brush teeth twice daily

Brush for 2 minutes every morning and before bed. It is most important to brush before bed as your saliva levels decrease whilst sleeping.

Brush in small circles

Angle your soft bristled brush so it is facing towards the gums and brush in small circular motions.

Brush teeth until they are 8

Little children don’t have the motor skills to properly brush the back of their teeth. So parents should brush their teeth or help them until they are 8 years of age.

3. Use Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride helps strengthen your teeth. It can reverse early stages of micro decay. However you should carefully monitor how much toothpaste your young child uses.

Under 3 years old

Use a very small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, no larger than a grain of rice as soon as their first tooth has come through.

Aged 3-6 years old

Use a small pea size amount of toothpaste. Teach your child to spit out the excess foam.

Keep toothpaste away from children

Keep all your flavored fluoridated toothpastes in high cupboards to stop little children eating them like sweets.

4. Clean Between Teeth Daily

The bristles of your child’s toothbrush won’t reach between their teeth. This means if you simply brush your child’s teeth 40% of their teeth will remain dirty.

Start flossing

Begin to floss between your child’s teeth as soon as any two teeth touch.

Use colorful floss picks

Using colorful plastic floss picks makes it much easier for parents to floss between their child’s teeth.

Curve the floss

Gently guide the floss between the teeth. Curve it around the side of each tooth to create a soft ‘C’ shape. Slide it slightly below the gums.

5. Limit Sugar Consumption

The food and drinks your child eats will affect how likely they are to get cavities. The bacteria in their mouth will feed off the sugar in their food and produce acidic substances which destroy their teeth.

Don’t give sugary drinks

Don’t give your child fizzy drinks, sports drinks, sweetened teas or shop bought fruit juices. Give them plain tap water.

Don’t let them sip all day

Allowing your child to have a cup with juice or milk throughout the day will cause constant acid attacks on their teeth.

Avoid sticky snacks

Avoid giving your child sticky snacks such as candies, fruit sweets, fruit leather and dried fruits as they will stick to the deep grooves of their molars.

Give healthy snacks

Give your child healthy snacks such as raw vegetables, natural cheeses, plain yogurt, apple slices and boiled eggs. Cheese helps to rebuild enamel as it contains natural calcium and phosphate.

6. Don’t Prop Them Up With A Bottle At Bedtime

Baby bottle tooth decay is one of the most damaging types of cavities in young children. They can cause whole rows of front teeth to rot.

Don’t put babies to bed with a bottle

Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or sweetened drinks.

This causes a build up of liquid around their top front teeth. As they are asleep they won’t produce much saliva causing the bacteria to thrive.

Only give plain water

If your child insists on having a comfort bottle at bedtime, only give them plain water.

7. Use Fluoride Treatments

Professional fluoride varnishes provide a clear thick coating to protect your child’s teeth from acidic attacks. This is much more effective than regular brushing.

Quick and pain free

Your child’s dentist will quickly brush their teeth with a small soft brush with pleasant tasting fluoride varnishes.

It hardens instantly

It will instantly harden when it comes into contact with natural saliva. This means very little liquid is swallowed by little toddlers.

Most pediatric dentists recommend applying fluoride varnishes twice a year.

8. Apply Sealants To Molars

Molars have deep narrow grooves which can easily become clogged with tiny food particles and plaque. Often the bristles on your child’s brush are too thick to fit into the tiny grooves.

What are dental sealants?

Dental sealants are a thin clear or white plastic coating applied by dentists onto the chewing surface of permanent back molars.

They smooth over the deep grooves so no food or bacteria can get through.

Sealants are applied as soon as your child’s permanent first molars come through, usually around 6 years of age. Second molars are sealed around 12 years of age.

They can help to protect your child’s chewing teeth from cavities for several years. Small touch ups will be required.

9. Don’t Spread The Cavity Bacteria

Cavities are an infectious bacteria. Parents can unknowingly pass the bacteria onto their infants.

Don’t share utensils

Don’t use your mouth to clean your baby’s dummy, taste their food with their spoon or share water bottles.

Parents with active cavities will have more harmful bacteria.

Always rinse dummies with clean running water.

10. Visit The Dentist

Creating a good relationship with your child’s dentist will ensure they are examined regularly. This will help to avoid any fear of going to the dentist.

First year

Book your child’s first appointment as soon as their first tooth has come through or before their first birthday.

Every 6 months

Visit your local dentist every 6 months. This will allow them to perform diagnostic tests, gentle cleans and preventative treatments.

Early detection

Regular appointments will help the dentist to detect early signs of white spot cavities and treat them before they become painful large holes.

Daily Prevention Checklist

  • Clean baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth.

  • Brush your child’s teeth twice daily for 2 minutes using soft bristles.

  • Use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste, no bigger than a grain of rice for children under 3.

  • Use a small pea sized amount for children aged 3-6.

  • Help or supervise your child with brushing until they are 8 years of age.

  • Floss between your child’s teeth daily. As soon as any teeth touch.

  • Give your child plain water as their main drink.

  • Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk/formula/juice.

  • Ask your dentist about sealants as soon as your child’s permanent molars come through around the age of 6.

  • Visit your dentist every 6 months from the age of 1 for check ups and fluoride treatments.

FAQ

Do baby teeth really matter?

Yes! Baby teeth are extremely important. They allow your child to bite and chew healthy solid foods, speak clearly and keep space in their jaw bone for the future adult teeth. Early loss of baby teeth due to severe decay can cause surrounding teeth to shift causing severe overcrowding and misalignment with the new adult teeth.

My child hates brushing their teeth what should I do?

Make brushing a fun game. Use colored toothbrushes with lights, play their favorite song for 2 minutes, use children’s flavored toothpastes or interactive brushing apps. Let them brush their favorite stuffed animals teeth first.

How will I know if they have a cavity?

Early tooth decay can often look like pale white lines or spots along the gum line or in the deep grooves of their back molars. As the decay progresses they will turn light brown then dark black. Eventually they will form holes. If your child is complaining of pain when eating cold, hot or sweet foods book an appointment with your dentist.

Is tap water better for my child’s teeth?

Yes! Tap water with fluoride is much better for your child’s teeth than most bottled waters. Tap water from the town has safe amounts of fluoride which will help strengthen their teeth from the inside. Most bottled waters don’t contain any beneficial fluoride.

Preventing cavities in your children requires consistent good habits. Using proper brushing techniques, healthy eating, using fluoride safely and getting professional help from your dentist. By brushing thoroughly from an early age, limiting sugary snacks, sealing their back molars and visiting your dentist every 6 months you will help to keep them cavity free and avoid any unnecessary pain and complicated dental work. Begin using these simple prevention methods today to give them a priceless gift of strong, bright and healthy teeth for life.