How to keep your baby’s teeth healthy

Expert advice to keep your little one’s smile healthy, happy, and decay-free.

Kids Planet Editorial Team

2 March 2020

A Parent’s Guide to Looking After Baby Teeth

Did you know that tooth decay rates in some areas of the North West of England are more than twice the national average? In fact, around 1 in 4 children will start school with tooth decay.

Because the enamel on primary (baby) teeth is thinner than on adult teeth, they are much more susceptible to decay. To help you navigate this, we asked Helen Clint, an NHS dentist and Educational Supervisor in Liverpool, why baby teeth are so important and what her top tips are for looking after them.

Why Baby Teeth Matter

Baby teeth start to come through at around 6 months old and start to be lost at around 5-6 years old (though some back teeth stay until 12 years and beyond!). Even though they fall out eventually, they serve crucial functions for a child’s development and school readiness.

😊 Smile

The appearance of teeth greatly impacts a child’s confidence, social skills, and emotional development.

🗣️ Speech

Teeth are vital components for tongue placement and making correct phonetic sounds.

🍎 Eating

Healthy teeth are necessary to help little ones comfortably eat a balanced and varied diet.

🧠 Learning

Toothache causes disturbed sleep and missed school days, impacting the child’s ability to thrive (and parents’ ability to work!).

Important: If baby teeth are lost prematurely due to decay, the spaces for adult teeth to come through correctly can be significantly reduced.

8 Expert Tips to Protect Baby Teeth

Use the Right Amount of Toothpaste: Start brushing when the first tooth appears. Use a fluoride toothpaste (at least 1000ppmF). Use a flat smear for 0-3 year olds, and a pea-sized amount for 3-6 year olds.

Spit, Don’t Rinse: Brush twice daily (nighttime is the absolute most important time) for 2 minutes. Encourage your child to spit the toothpaste out, but do not rinse with water, as this washes away the protective fluoride!

Supervise Until Age 7: Stick to an everyday routine so it becomes completely normal for them. However, you should continue to supervise their brushing until they are 7 years old to ensure they are doing it effectively.

Transition from Bottles: Only ever give milk or plain water in a bottle. Introduce free-flow cups from around 6 months old. From age 1, drinking from a bottle should be actively discouraged.

Control Sugar Frequency: It’s not just about the *amount* of sugar, but the *frequency*. If you are giving treats, stick to mealtimes only (maximum once per day) to limit the number of times teeth are subjected to acid attacks.

Beware of “Hidden” Sugars: Natural or artificial sweeteners (including honey and fruit juices) should not be added to weaning foods. Check labels carefully! Foods marketed as “healthy” or “natural” (like fruit bars and concentrates) are often packed with sugar.

Expert Tip: “Fruit Pouches” should be squeezed onto a spoon to be eaten, rather than sucked directly from the nozzle, which bathes the teeth in concentrated fruit sugars.

Ditch the Dummy: Start thinking about taking away your child’s dummy as they approach their first birthday. Gently withdrawing it will prevent long-term problems, including the physical misalignment of their teeth.

Visit the Dentist by Age 1: The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry encourages all parents to ensure young children see a dentist as soon as their first teeth come through, and definitively before their first birthday. (Remember: NHS dental treatment is free for mothers with children under 1 too!)

🦷 Finding an NHS Dentist

If you live in England, you can find details of how to find an NHS dentist at www.nhs.uk in the NHS Services section by clicking on ‘find a dentist’.

If you can’t find a dentist accepting NHS patients, you should call NHS England’s Customer Contract Centre on 0300 311 2233. For other regions, please contact your local health board who will be able to direct you to the appropriate department.

Supporting Your Child’s Health

At Kids Planet, we support healthy routines, from nutritious, low-sugar meals to encouraging independence in hygiene. Discover a nursery that cares for the whole child.

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