Children's teeth

Children's dental health in the UK is the best since records began. Children's teeth have improved dramatically since 1973, when fluoride toothpaste was introduced. Today, 12-year-old children in England have the best teeth in Europe and 6 out of 10 children start school with no tooth decay.

While this is good news, five year olds in the UK rank only seventh in Europe for dental health, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds are 50% more likely to have tooth decay. Learning about good oral health from an early age is important and taking care of children's teeth can prevent decay. 

Fluoride is a natural element that can help prevent tooth decay. It occurs naturally in foods and is added to the water supply in some areas, although the level is usually too low to be of much benefit. Fluoride in toothpaste is very effective at preventing tooth decay.

Caring for your child's teeth
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay-free: 

• You can start to brush your baby's gums with a soft toothbrush at bath time, or even let your baby have a go themselves as long as you supervise them. This establishes tooth brushing as part of their washing routine.
• Start brushing your baby's teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around six months, but it can be earlier or later). It's important to use a fluoride paste as it helps prevent and control tooth decay. 
• Children under the age of three can use a smear of family toothpaste containing at least 1,000ppm (parts per million) fluoride. Toothpaste with less fluoride is not as effective at preventing decay. Children between the ages of three and six should use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride. Make sure your child doesn’t eat or lick the toothpaste from the tube.
• Brush your child's teeth twice a day, once just before bedtime and at least one other time during the day. Encourage your child to spit out excess toothpaste but not to rinse with lots of water.
• Supervise tooth brushing until your child is seven or eight years old, either by brushing their teeth yourself or, if they brush their own teeth, by watching how they do it. 

Taking your child to the dentist

Once you've established a good tooth-brushing routine at home, the next step is the first trip to the dentist. These tips can make this a lot easier:

• Take your child to the dentist when they're as young as possible and at least once by the time they're two. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist.
• Taking your child to the dentist means any health problems can be identified at an early stage. Just opening up their mouths for the dentist to take a look is useful practice for the first time they need treatment. 
• When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

NHS dental treatment for children is free. Take your child with you when you go for your own dental appointments so they get used to it. To find a dentist, use the service search, contact your local primary care trust (the address and phone number will be in the phone book) or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.