What age should we start brushing at?

We recommend starting to get your child used to having their mouth cleaned as early as possible. Start before the teeth erupt by gently wiping their gums with a damp gauze. This helps get your child used to the idea of having their mouth cleaned.

5 Top Tips For Brushing Children’s Teeth

Stand in the right place – ideally behind your child so that the toothbrush is in the same orientation for their mouth as you are used to
Be gentle – small mouths are delicate so be much more gentle that you would be with your own mouth.
Make it fun – if you can make your child laugh or giggle while you brush it won’t take such a fight to get the brushing done
Give them some control – try a mini egg timer type device or stopwatch where they can watch the time that you brush for and tell you when its time to stop ( ideally 2 minutes )
Don’t rinse- if you rinse after brushing you wash away all of the fluoride containing toothpaste. Get your child to spit out if they are old enough and they will benefit from prolonged protection

Avoid These 5 Mistakes With Your Childs Teeth

Almost any juice has the potential to cause decay- whether it is diluting, fruit or fizzy juice- unless it says SUGAR FREE then it has the potential to cause decay in your child’s mouth
It is the frequency of sugar in the diet that leads to tooth decay not the amount of sugar we eat. For this reason if your child does want a treat encourage them to eat it right after a meal.
Anything marked low sugar or no added sugar – STILL CONTAINS SUGAR and will cause decay. the only label you can trust is sugar free.
Brushing after sweets, confectionary or cakes will not protect the teeth from damage. After any sugary treat your childs mouth will experience around 40 minutes of decay. it takes the saliva around 6-8 hours to repair this samage
Studies show that bacteria from the mouths of parents and carers are present in a child’s mouth just week after birth. So make sure you take care of your own dental health as a priority too.