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MNHQ

The definitive guide to protecting children's teeth.... what are your best teeth-saving tips?

86 replies

carriemumsnet · 03/04/2008 22:22

We're wanting to put together a definitive guide to how to care for your child's teeth. We think there's a lot of advice on nutrition and gen health, but - and maybe it's just us - somehow the health professionals assume we know about teeth and quite a lot of us don't.

We're looking for a mixture of how to get a reluctant toddler to clean their teeth, best toothbrushes etc plus general facts and info that may or may not be widely known. For example it took me watching my 5 year old ds having all his milk teeth filled (and several taken out) to learn that:

You should give all sweet things in one go - better (for your teeth - not necessarily your waistline) eat six mars bars in one sitting and then nothing all week, than have a bit every few hours/ every day.

You should have sweet snacks with meals, not in between.

That raisins and dried fruit are the work of the devil - worse than sweets? Likewise fruit juice though I think a straw makes it better than a sippy cup?

That giving a baby/toddler a bottle of milk to fall asleep with causes decay.

That if you have to give sweet stuff between meals, you should give the child cheese, an apple or water afterwards to try and neutralise the sugar.

(So apples are OK, apple juice not OK)

Perhaps that's all obvious/ well known, but we don;t think it is to everyone and it's certainly not made clear by all HV's/ docs - and by the time you get to see a dentist it's often too late.

So please post your tips and your facts/info here and if we have any Mumsnetter dentists who'd like to give our guide the once over once we've compiled it, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
smugmumofboys · 04/04/2008 22:47

Develop a water habit from the off. My two have juice/squash rarely and don't miss it.

shelleylou · 04/04/2008 22:39

I went to an oral health workshop recently and was told that childrens toothapste shouldnt be used it should have 1000ppm of fluride in it so it helps strengthen teeth and juice should be given really between meals just at meal times. I was also told that beakers with valevs shouldn't be used as it prolongs the juice being in the mouth. Sorry if some of this has already been said

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 04/04/2008 22:18

Thanks for these please keep them coming (no teeth showing on that smiley eh?)

Can anyone clear up the flouride good or bad thing?

We were told for ds to use extra flouride toothpaste as he too has "weak enamel"

Dentist then tells friend that her child (who used to eat toothpaste) has had too much flouride and that it's eroded her teeth

Then hygeinist tells me never to let children use adult toothpaste or they'll get white spots from too much flouride...help please !

I was also told that regular fruit (ie not dried) was fine between meals just not juice - is that wrong?

OP posts:
bosch · 03/04/2008 22:43

Carriemumsnet, I could have written much of your post (if I was as eloquent...) - ds1 had his back teeth condemned at the age of 5.

The dentist kindly suggested he has weak enamel (translate as it's not your fault mum). A dentist friend afterwards re-translated it as, if true all his teeth are buggered but it's much more likely to be down to too many raisins and apple juice and not enough toothbrushing. From then on, aside from change to diet, we've bought electric toothbrushes for ds1 and 2 and ds1 has only needed one more filling.

So my top tip is the electric toothbrushes. Ds's love them and they've got timers so you know when they've been brushing for two mins, and can 'check' their teeth are clean - ie brush for another 30 secs/1 min...

hotcrossbunny · 03/04/2008 22:38

Oh, and fruit was just as bad as sweets... I've obviously been getting it all wrong, although dd's teeth have survived thus far!

hotcrossbunny · 03/04/2008 22:36

We went to the dentist this afternoon. He said Dd's (4) teeth were great but that brushing wasn't the be all and end all of healthy teeth. Apparently teeth can only cope with 3 sugar onslaughts a day (random made up number?) so we should let them have sugary stuff with meals only.

Dd said 'but I get hungry in between meals mummy'. I said 'well we'll have to have bread and butter'. Her answer? 'But butter isn't good for you'. I was stunned and . Since when should 4 year olds be worrying about this stuff???

Btw - children's toothpaste is fine for as long as we want. It has less fluoride in in case they swallow a tubeful...

divedaisy · 03/04/2008 22:34

DS aged 5 is being taught about bad food and healthy food.. He's facinated by our fillings and pleased he doesnt have any. He gets a character toothbrush and age appropriate toothpaste. he has a go and then I do them for him esp b4 bed. he goes to the dentist with me every 6 months. I dont allow fizzy drinks. Milk and dilutable juice. Pure juices I also dilute about 50-50 with water. He does get sweets, but he must eat them all in one go and with healthy food snack - usually pieces of fruit.

Fridayfeeling · 03/04/2008 22:33

DOn't use kids' toothpaste if you don't have fluoride in the water - there isn't enough fluoride in those kiddy toothpastes. Just use the pea size of normal adult toothpaste.

Also don't spit and rinse - swallow!

littlelapin · 03/04/2008 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Octothechildherder · 03/04/2008 22:29

A cool flashing toothbrush

LarryVeestAdamAntSpawnChorus · 03/04/2008 22:28

Oh yikes - I think I've committed all of those crimes on my DCs.

Ummm - Tesco's own kids' toothbrushes have got suckers on the bottom, which I think are pretty cool. (That's not really what you're after, is it?).