Taking care of your child's teeth
Taking care of your child's teeth
Your child's first teeth may only last for a few years, but the good dental habits you teach now will last a whole lifetime. Here are some easy, positive ways you can care for your child's teeth, starting today.
Give them lots of calcium
Calcium is the building block for developing and protecting strong teeth. It's in milk, cheese and yogurt or, for a dairy-free alternative, try sardines. But do check the labels on yogurt and fromage frais pots for sugar or sucrose, as these won't do your child's teeth any favours. If you're pregnant, it's important for you to eat more calcium, as your baby's milk and adult teeth are formed in the womb.
Use a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride in toothpaste is the main reason why tooth decay has been slashed by 50 per cent in the last 30 years. It works by strengthening the tooth enamel that helps protect it from decay. Be sure to use a pea-sized amount of children's toothpaste, as adult brands contain too much fluoride for little ones.
Brush their teeth after all meals
'You need to start brushing teeth as soon as the first one appears,' says dentist Graham Wilding. If you can brush your child's teeth after every meal, you'll be giving them a fantastic head start, but doing so after breakfast and dinner is a must for getting rid of plaque, which causes decay. 'Let your child see you brushing your teeth, as kids love to copy their parents,' adds Wilding.
Your child's first teeth may only last for a few years, but the good dental habits you teach now will last a whole lifetime. Here are some easy, positive ways you can care for your child's teeth, starting today.
Give them lots of calcium
Calcium is the building block for developing and protecting strong teeth. It's in milk, cheese and yogurt or, for a dairy-free alternative, try sardines. But do check the labels on yogurt and fromage frais pots for sugar or sucrose, as these won't do your child's teeth any favours. If you're pregnant, it's important for you to eat more calcium, as your baby's milk and adult teeth are formed in the womb.
Use a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride in toothpaste is the main reason why tooth decay has been slashed by 50 per cent in the last 30 years. It works by strengthening the tooth enamel that helps protect it from decay. Be sure to use a pea-sized amount of children's toothpaste, as adult brands contain too much fluoride for little ones.
Brush their teeth after all meals
'You need to start brushing teeth as soon as the first one appears,' says dentist Graham Wilding. If you can brush your child's teeth after every meal, you'll be giving them a fantastic head start, but doing so after breakfast and dinner is a must for getting rid of plaque, which causes decay. 'Let your child see you brushing your teeth, as kids love to copy their parents,' adds Wilding.
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