Cleaning teeth helps to prevent tooth decay
Cleaning or brushing your child’s teeth helps remove the bacteria that cause decay.
• Start to clean your baby’s teeth as soon as the first tooth comes through. Use a wet cloth or a small children’s toothbrush with water.
• From 18 months to six years of age, use a small pea-sized amount of children’s low-fluoride toothpaste on a small, soft toothbrush.
• At six years of age children can use standard fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush teeth and along the gum line twice a day; in the morning and at night before bed.
• Children will need an adult to help them brush their teeth until they can do it well by themselves (usually about eight years of age).