Oral health in the early years
When children’s first teeth are healthy, they make a healthy foundation for permanent adult teeth.
Having a healthy smile at any age is a sign of good general health and wellbeing.
Take your baby to the dentist when their first teeth come through or, by the age of 1. This helps to get them used to the sounds and smells of the dental surgery and the people they will meet.
Find out more about:
Preventing tooth decay
Tooth decay is common in children and is preventable. It’s important to look after their teeth and gums from an early age, even before they get their first tooth.
Tooth decay in children can mean they:
- struggle to eat well
- stop smiling
- experience pain, particularly at night which disrupts their sleep
- struggle to concentrate or reach their potential at nursery or school.
To protect your children’s teeth from decay, you should:
- visit the dentist regularly and ask your dentist for a smile passport
- brush at least twice a day, before bed and at one other time in the day
- encourage children to spit out the remaining toothpaste foam and do not rinse the mouth after brushing. For younger children a flannel can be used to wipe out any excess toothpaste foam
- children begin to get their adult teeth from 6 years of age. At the back of the mouth new adult molar teeth will grow behind the existing baby molars. This can cause discomfort in the mouth and children will often miss brushing right to the back
- use sugar free medicines. If you're using prescribed medicines, ask your GP if there is a sugar free version available
- help to teach your child good dental hygiene habits by brushing your own teeth in front of them and explain what you are doing.
Visit the NHS website for more information about looking after children’s teeth.
Teething
Teething is the natural process when a baby’s first teeth push through the gums.
This usually starts between the ages of 4 to 10 months. You can expect there to be 20 baby teeth by the age of 2 to 3 years old.
Each a baby tooth takes around 1 week to fully emerge. This can cause pain and discomfort in babies. Symptoms include:
- red, tender, and swollen gums
- increased drooling and chin rash
- urge to chew on objects or fingers
- fussiness, irritability, or disturbed sleep.
Teething is temporary and varies. Some babies experience no discomfort, and others need extra support.
Visit the NHS website for tips and advice to help with teething pain.
It is important to remember that the following symptoms are not related to teething:
- high fever over 38 degrees Celsius
- diarrhoea and or vomiting
- severe crying or refusal to feed
- widespread rashes.
If your child has any of these symptoms lasting for more than 3 days, contact your GP or call 111.
How to look after new teeth
It is important to look after your baby’s oral health before teeth appear.
We recommend wiping their gums with a soft, damp cloth before any teeth appear.
From the first tooth, you should brush 2 times a day with a smear of fluoride toothpaste suitable for children under 3.
NHS dental care is free for children. You should take your baby to the dentist before they turn 1.
Visit the NHS website for more information on looking after your baby’s teeth.
Dummies and bottle feeding
While short-term use is usually harmless, using a dummy and or bottle for too long can affect how a child’s mouth and teeth develop. Long-term use may lead to problems including:
- dummy teeth: crooked or crowded teeth, bite problems like open bite (gaps between front teeth) or overjet (buck teeth), jaw misalignment, and changes in the shape of the mouth
- the tongue to sticking out more than usual
- tooth decay, especially when dummies are coated with sweet substances
- reduced saliva flow causing dry mouth, which may lead to other oral health problems
- poor speech development
- mouth breathing
- a higher chance of middle ear infections.
Introducing a dummy later to a breastfed baby reduces the chance of it affecting feeding or becoming a hard habit to break.
The longer a child uses a dummy or bottle, the more likely it is to cause problems with their teeth and mouth.
That’s why it’s best to start using open or free-flow cups from 6 months and stop using dummies and bottles by the time they turn 1.
Find out more swapping to a baby beaker or cup on the NHS website.
How to stop children using dummies
It’s good to gradually reduce the use of dummies and bottles instead of all at once. It's important you pick a calm period to do this so that the urge for your child to want their dummy is minimised.
You can try the following methods to help support your child to stop using dummies.
Communication
Talk to your child about their dummy habit.
Prepare your child for this big event by having conversations about this days or weeks before.
Use positive language and keep it exciting, not scary or threatening.
Reward systems
Positive reinforcement can motivate behavioural changes.
You can try to tell your child that the tooth fairy collects dummies and bottles for newborn babies and leaves a present in return. Presents could include a new book, toy, or healthy snack.
This lets your child feel like they chose to give it up themselves, making it easier for you to praise their decision and reinforce the positive change with a reward.
Identify triggers
Dummies are used for comfort, so observe when your child likes to use their dummy. Triggers such as hunger or discomfort might allow you to address underlying issues.
Bitter or sour solutions
Apply a bitter or slightly sour liquid on the dummy. The unpleasant taste can discourage sucking, helping to breaking the habit.
How to use dummies safely
To prevent oral problems in children who use dummies, remember to:
- limit early use
- keep dummies clean
- not coat the dummy with sweet substances
- limit use to sleep times or specific calming situations
- avoid leaving it on their neck, in their crib, or in their mouth while sleeping
- encourage speech by removing the dummy when they're speaking.