Is thumb-sucking bad for my child?

It is normal for children to suck their thumbs, their fingers or a dummy. Most children give up this habit on their own by age 4, with no harm done to their teeth. If your child still has a sucking habit after age 4, tell your dentist. Your dentist can watch carefully for any problems as the teeth develop. In most children there is no reason to worry about a sucking habit until around age 6, when the permanent front teeth come through.

When should I start taking my child to the dentist?

Dentists recommend that parents take their children to a dentist around his or her second birthday. This gives the dentist a chance to look for early problems with your child's teeth.  You and your child's dentist should review important information regarding diet, bottles, tooth brushing and fluoride use. Visiting the dentist from a young age will help your child become comfortable with his or her dentist. It also establishes the good habit of regular dental check-ups.

For many people a visit to the dentist is a daunting prospect, and something that we like to do as little as possible. In fact it can be very tempting to avoid going altogether! However, the best way to keep your visits to a minimum is actually to attend regularly, to go every six months for a check up and possibly a clean and to pay attention to your diet. This way you can be given the correct advice for looking after your teeth and gums, preventing problems from occurring or catching them whilst they are still small. Most importantly it will set a great example to your children and stand them in good stead for having healthy teeth for the rest of their lives.

How can I best care for my child's teeth?

Good dental hygiene habits should begin before your child's first tooth comes through.  Wiping your baby's gums with a soft damp cloth after feeding helps to prevent the build-up of bacteria. As soon as your baby’s first tooth appears, start using a soft children's toothbrush twice a day.  Let them play with it and chew it under your supervision, and incorporate it into your morning and bedtime routine, this way they will get used to it very quickly.

Once your child is preschool-age, start using fluoride toothpaste. Don't cover the brush with toothpaste; a pea-sized amount is just right, as shown. Young children tend to swallow most of the toothpaste, and swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can cause permanent stains on their teeth. A good way of getting older children to brush their teeth for long enough is to allow them to play their favourite song whilst brushing their teeth for the duration!

Your Dentist or Hygienist can  show you the right way to brush your child's teeth.

What about using fluoride tablets?

Fluoride helps make teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Many counties are required to add fluoride to tap water. If you live in an area where the tap water doesn't contain fluoride, your doctor/dentist may prescribe daily fluoride tablets when your child is about 6 months old. Fluoride is an important part of your child's dental health, but do not give him or her more than the directions state. If you miss a dose, don't give your child extra fluoride to make up. Just as with swallowed toothpaste, too much oral fluoride can cause stains on your child's teeth.

What are cavities?

Cavities are holes that are formed when bacteria (germs) in your mouth use the sugar in food to make acid. This acid eats away at the teeth. Cavities are the most common disease in children. Good tooth care can keep cavities from happening in your child.

Is my child at risk for cavities?

Your child might be at risk for cavities if he or she eats a lot of sugary foods (such as raisins, cookies and sweets) and drinks a lot of sweet liquids (such as fruit juice fizzy and sweetened drinks). Your

child also might be at risk if he or she has any of the following risk factors:

·         Was born early (prematurely) or weighed very little at birth (low birth weight)

·         Has white spots or brown areas on any teeth

·         Has ongoing special health care needs

• Does not go to the dentist very often

How can I help stop cavities?

Everyone in your family should take good care of their teeth. Family members with lots of cavities can pass the cavity-causing bacteria to babies and children.

Teeth should be brushed twice a day and adults should floss once a day. Everyone should see the dentist twice a year.

Does diet affect my child's teeth?

Diet is also one of the most important factors in keeping your children’s teeth healthy. Being aware of the sugar content in food should start as soon as you begin to wean your baby. Only allow your baby to drink water or milk from a bottle. If you want to give them juice then make sure that it is only ever given in a cup or beaker and only at meal times. Never put a baby to bed with a bottle, unless it contains plain water. Don't let your child walk around during the day with a bottle, and teach your child to use a drinking cup around his or her first birthday.  Look for juices that are sugar free, not just reduced sugar. If you would like them to drink natural fruit juice, such as orange or apple, then remember that it has a high content of natural sugar as well as natural acids and should only be given at meal times. Soya milk also has a high sugar content and can cause tooth decay.

Try to keep any sweet foods to meal times and give fruit or a savoury snack in between meals. Check the labels on the food that you give your children, many foods contain hidden sugar, and try to buy the sugar free alternatives to food such as rusks. Older children often respond well to the responsibility of looking at these labels and deciding how much sugar is contained. Remember, the higher up the list of ingredients, the higher the amount. For older children who have rewards such as sweets, try to keep these treats to once a week. It is actually better to eat them all at once rather than have a continuous assault of sugar on the teeth over a whole day. You could also encourage them to choose chocolate over sticky, chewy sweets as this goes down much quicker! They should then brush their teeth after allowing half an hour for the sugary acid in their mouth to neutralise.