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