To mark National Smile Month that runs from 15 May 2023 to 15 June 2023 Derbyshire County Council is launching a new campaign offering lots of support around how to care for your family’s teeth.
‘Join the Smile Squad’ offers lots of advice and support around how to care for your children’s teeth.
Oral health affects a wide range of things including your child’s confidence, education and self-esteem.
However most oral health problems are preventable if the right tooth care routine is set up from the start.
NHS dental treatment for children is free so take your child for their first appointment as soon as their first baby tooth comes through.
Getting into a good routine from the start is the best way to keep your children’s teeth and gums healthy and can help prevent problems from occurring.
Top tips include:
- it is important to brush for at least 2 minutes, twice a day
- try to do it just before bed and at another time that fits in with your routine such as first thing in the morning before breakfast
- use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste - the size of a grain of rice - for babies and toddlers up to 3-years-old.
- for children aged 3 and over, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
- supervise brushing your child's teeth until they are at least 7 years old, or until they are able to do it properly themselves
- encourage your child to spit the toothpaste out afterwards but do not rinse out your child's mouth with water or mouthwash after brushing as this will wash away the fluoride
Get for more advice and information about oral health.