Baby teeth help keep space in the mouth for the adult teeth – some remain in the mouth until the child is 12 or 13 years old. Once your baby’s first teeth appear, it is important to protect them against decay so that their adult teeth have a chance to fully develop before they come through. If baby teeth are lost early, it can mean:
Caring for your child’s teeth
It is never too early to start caring for your baby’s teeth. Start brushing as soon as the first tooth breaks through. Be sure to take your baby to the dentist before the age of one and then for regular dental checks as advised by your dentist.
This short video from our Oral Health team gives advice on how to brush children’s teeth and age-appropriate toothpaste. Lots more advice is available on the brushing teeth page.
Dummies and digits
Dummy and digit sucking can affect the movement of baby teeth and can cause an open bite which can affect your child’s speech and eating.
Dummies appear to cause fewer problems as this habit is easier to stop. If your child stops before their adult teeth appear at age seven, less damage is caused. However, dummies can cause speech and language difficulties if your child talks with a dummy in their mouth. It is important that the dummy should never be sweetened or dipped in anything.
A thumb sucking habit is harder to break. If it continues, then the position of the adult teeth can be permanently affected, and self-correction is less likely to occur. The child may require complex orthodontic treatment (braces) in the future to attempt to correct the tooth position. Orthodontic treatment cannot be started until the habit has completely stopped.
Eating healthily to avoid tooth decay
This short video from our Oral Health team gives advice on how to feed your child to avoid tooth decay – you may find the healthy eating and reducing tooth decay topics on this website useful too.
Breast feeding provides the best nutrition for babies.
From six months of age, introduce drinking from a free-flow cup and from age one year discourage feeding from a bottle.
Sugar should not be added to weaning foods or drinks.
Once your baby is eating solid foods, choose healthy and nutritious foods and drinks, keeping sugary food and drinks to a minimum as sugar is the main cause of tooth decay.
As soon as teeth erupt in your baby’s mouth, brush them twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste. Brush last thing at night and on one other occasion. Use toothpaste containing at least 1000 parts per million (ppm) fluoride and use only a smear of toothpaste.
Use sugar-free medicines.
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