To keep teeth healthy:
- Clean your teeth at least twice a day after meals.
- Low fluoride toothpaste is best for children under six years of age. Introduce low fluoride toothpaste from approximately 18 months of age.
- Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods.
- If you eat sugary foods and snacks, limit their intake – especially between meals.
- Drink plenty of tap water – especially if fluoridated.
- Milk and flavoured milks are preferable to other sugary drinks. If you do drink acidic and sugary drinks such as soft drinks, sports drinks, cordials and fruit juices, limit how often and how much of these you drink.
- If you live in a non-fluoridated area, seek advice about the use of fluoride toothpaste for children. A dental professional may advise more frequent use of a fluoride toothpaste, commencement of toothpaste at a younger age or earlier commencement of use of standard toothpaste.
Regular dental check-ups (as recommended by your dentist or other oral health professional) help to keep teeth and gums healthy. The Child Health Record recommends children’s teeth should be checked at least twice before they are three and a half years of age. This might be done by a maternal and child health nurse, dental professional or paediatrician.
A wise old Dentist told me ‘You only have to floss the teeth you want to keep’