How can protect your baby’s teeth

Start cleaning your baby's teeth twice a day as soon as you see his first little tooth bud emerging. If you start early, your baby will get used to having his teeth cleaned. it's best to carry on brushing your child's teeth for him until he's at least seven. By that age, he should be able to do it properly for himself.

                                                


The main cause of tooth decay is sugar. It's not just the amount of sugar that can be harmful, but how often it's eaten or drunk throughout the day. Only offer your baby sugary food and drink at mealtimes, so that there will be several hours between the times he has something sweet.
If you want to give your baby a snack between meals, choose savoury options such as cheese or vegetables.

To really give your child the best chance of healthy teeth, you should:

Only offer breastmilk, formula milk, or cooled, boiled water as drinks for your baby.

Avoid squashes, fruit juices, flavoured milk and fizzy drinks. These usually contain lots of sugar and cause tooth decay.

Provide your baby with a healthy, balanced diet and don't add sugar to his food.

If you use prepared baby foods, check that they are sugar-free or have no added sugars or sweeteners.

If your baby needs to take medicine, choose sugar-free versions.