Pop Quiz: At what age should children first go to the dentist? To a national representative overview conducted in 2017 on behalf of CS Mott Children’s Hospital, about half of the parents who responded said they believed they could wait until children were 2 or 3 years old before going to the dentist.
In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children first see a dentist within six months of their first tooth erupting or by age 1. After that, the organization recommends that children visit a pediatric dentist every six months for cleanings and exams.
Although fewer children in America suffer from cavities now than a decade ago, more than 12 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 11 had cavities in their baby teeth between 2017 and 2020, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Research. Because children keep some of these teeth until age 12 or 13, it’s important to keep them healthy, said Dr. Judy Yip, a pediatric dentist in Garden Grove, California. it can even damage the incoming teeth of adults.
See what parents need to know about caring for children’s teeth.
Start early.
Parents may not see a baby’s first tooth until months after birth, but teeth begin to develop in the womb, said Dr. Erin Issac, a pediatric dentist in Pittsburgh. Some research suggests that vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy increase the risk of children developing tooth decay down the road, so it is important that pregnant women take the recommended 600 IU of vitamin D per day, he said.
You can start getting your baby used to oral hygiene by wiping his gums with a damp cloth twice a day, even before the first teeth come in, said Dr. Jonelle Anamelechi, a pediatric dentist in Washington, D.C. “The earlier we’re in the mouth of that child, the more likely they are to make it part of their routine,” he said.
Once that first tooth appears, brush it gently twice a day with a small toothbrush and a rice-grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, said Dr. Doing so keeps the teeth healthy – milk can destroy them. Some parents are nervous about using fluoride toothpaste with young children, she said, but it’s safe as long as children don’t swallow more than this tiny amount at a time. However, fluoride-free options are also available.
Once teeth that are close together appear, floss them together using disposable floss, Dr. Issac said. Once your child is proficient at spitting, you can switch to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, said Dr. Anamelechi, and have him start using a fluoride rinse once a day, too.
As for when to start letting kids brush their teeth, experts had different opinions. Dr. Yip said they are often ready as soon as they can tie their shoes, around age 7 or 8, but Dr Anamelechi advised parents to continue brushing their children’s teeth – at least at night – until age 10 .
Make brushing easy and fun.
What if your child hates brushing? “My first child was not a fan,” said Dr. Anamelechi, “so I brushed his teeth while he slept.”
If oral hygiene is a struggle, do your best to brush at least at night, she said — that’s when teeth need the most cleaning.
Dr. Yip agreed: “My philosophy is that anything is better than nothing.”
Dr. Yip recommended manual toothbrushes for children under 3 for safety reasons. But after that — as long as kids enjoy them — electric toothbrushes are often more effective, Dr. Anamelechi said.
You don’t even have to brush at the sink — you can do it while kids are lying down or in the bath or in a high chair, said Dr. Isaac. “Sing a song, do a little silly dance,” he suggested.
YouTube has lots of fun teeth-brushing videos for kids, she added.
Give your child agency too. “Having kids choose their favorite character toothbrush is usually a good start,” said Dr. Olga Krikunenko, a dentist in Franklin, Massachusetts. Let them try different flavors of toothpaste and choose the one they like best.
If brushing remains difficult, try to fix the problem, suggested Dr. “It’s important to identify exactly what the issue is: Are their gums sensitive? Is the electric toothbrush too stimulating? Don’t they like the texture or taste of the toothpaste?’ Sometimes, a simple change can make all the difference, he said.
Stay alert.
Besides brushing, you can keep kids’ teeth healthy in other ways — like limiting consumption of gummies and vitamins, said Dr. Anamelechi. He suggested giving children snacks of apple slices, which he called “nature’s toothbrush.”
As children grow older and are able to brush and floss on their own, the burden on parents usually lessens, Dr. Anamelechi said. But it’s important to watch that they’re brushing twice a day — and check supplies regularly, because kids don’t always talk when they should.
“Sometimes I talk to kids and they say, ‘Oh, I ran out of toothpaste months ago,'” she said.
