Children’s Dental Care: A Parent’s Guide
Updated: Sep 18
Good dental habits begin as soon as a child’s first tooth appears. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste, limiting how often teeth are exposed to sugar and attending dental appointments can all help reduce the risk of tooth decay.
This guide explains the main steps parents and carers can take from infancy through the teenage years.
When Should a Child First Visit the Dentist?
Children should visit a dentist when their first milk teeth appear or before their first birthday.
An early appointment may be brief. It allows the child to become familiar with the environment while giving parents an opportunity to ask about brushing, fluoride, feeding habits and preventing tooth decay.
Children should then attend at the interval recommended by their dentist. Not every child requires appointments at exactly the same frequency.
Why Do Baby Teeth Matter?
Although baby teeth eventually fall out, they remain important for:
Eating and chewing
Speech development
Maintaining space for adult teeth
Supporting a child’s comfort and wellbeing
Decay in baby teeth can cause pain, infection and difficulty eating or sleeping. Some children may require fillings or removal of badly affected teeth.
Preventing decay is preferable to waiting for a child to experience symptoms.
Brushing From the First Tooth
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears.
Teeth should be brushed for approximately two minutes:
Last thing at night before bed
On one other occasion each day
Use a small toothbrush appropriate for the child’s age and fluoride toothpaste.
Children Under Three
Parents or carers should brush the teeth using only a smear of toothpaste containing at least 1,000 parts per million fluoride, unless a dentist advises otherwise.
Keep toothpaste out of reach and do not allow children to eat or lick it directly from the tube.
Children Aged Three to Six
Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,000 and 1,500 parts per million fluoride.
Children can begin practising, but an adult should supervise and help ensure that every surface is cleaned.
After brushing, encourage them to spit out the toothpaste without rinsing with water.
Children Aged Seven and Over
Children aged seven and over will usually begin brushing independently, but parents should continue checking their technique and ensuring they brush for long enough.
Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350 and 1,500 parts per million fluoride. Children should spit after brushing and avoid rinsing immediately.
How Can Parents Make Brushing Easier?
Children do not always cooperate with brushing. Helpful approaches may include:
Brushing together as a family
Using a two-minute timer or suitable song
Letting the child choose an age-appropriate toothbrush
Using a mirror so they can see what is happening
Keeping the routine calm and consistent
Praising cooperation rather than demanding perfection
Do not allow a child to walk or run with a toothbrush in their mouth because they could fall and injure themselves.
How Does Diet Affect Children’s Teeth?
Tooth decay is influenced by both the amount of sugar consumed and how frequently the teeth are exposed to it.
Practical steps include:
Keep sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes
Offer water or plain milk as everyday drinks
Avoid routinely placing juice or sugary drinks in bottles
Do not put a child to bed with a bottle containing anything other than water
Avoid frequent grazing on sugary or sticky snacks
Check whether liquid medicines are available in a sugar-free form
Whole fruit is preferable to fruit juice or smoothies for routine consumption. If juice or smoothies are offered, keep portions small and give them with a meal.
What Happens at a Child’s Dental Check-Up?
Depending on the child’s age and cooperation, the dentist may assess:
The teeth for signs of decay
The gums and soft tissues
Dental development
The way the teeth and jaws meet
Brushing and dietary habits
Any pain, sensitivity or other concerns
X-rays are not automatically required at every visit. They are recommended only when clinically justified.
Fluoride Varnish and Fissure Sealants
Fluoride varnish may be applied to help strengthen enamel and reduce the risk of decay. Children aged three and over should usually be offered fluoride varnish at least twice a year, while younger children at increased risk may also benefit.
Fissure sealants are thin protective coatings placed over the grooves of suitable permanent back teeth. Whether they are recommended depends on the child’s teeth and decay risk.
Your dentist will explain whether either preventive treatment is appropriate.
When Should Orthodontic Development Be Assessed?
Your child’s dentist will monitor the development of the teeth and bite during routine examinations.
Crowding, prominent teeth or bite problems do not automatically mean that braces are required. If an orthodontic opinion is appropriate, the dentist can explain the available referral or private-treatment options.
The timing of assessment and treatment depends on the individual problem and the child’s stage of dental development.
Helping Children Feel Comfortable at the Dentist
Try to describe dental visits in a calm, positive and factual way.
Avoid promising that nothing will happen or using words that may increase anxiety. Let the dental team explain procedures in age-appropriate language.
Tell the practice in advance if your child is particularly nervous, has additional needs or has previously found dental appointments difficult.
Children’s Dental Appointments at Elite Dental Studio
Elite Dental Studio accepts new NHS patients under 17.
Parents and carers can contact the practice to confirm availability and arrange an appointment. Please tell us when booking if your child has pain, swelling, dental trauma, additional needs or significant anxiety.
Call 01375 852044 or use our online booking service.
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