Oral Care From Day One: A Guide for Parents

Caring for gums before teeth arrive

Good oral care starts before there's a single tooth to brush. Your baby's gums are where their teeth are quietly getting ready, and getting your baby used to having their mouth touched now makes brushing much easier later.

Once a day, perhaps at bath time, gently wipe or massage your baby's gums with a clean, damp cloth or a soft finger brush. It only takes a few seconds. Many babies enjoy it, especially when their gums feel sore, and it turns mouth care into a normal, everyday thing.

This is also a lovely time for gum pressure of a different kind. From around five to six months, giving your baby something firm to chew on works the jaw and can soothe sore gums too.

→ Read more: Hard Munchables: The Complete Guide

Brushing first teeth

Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears, usually around 6 months (NHS). From then on:

• Twice a day. Last thing at night, and at least one other time.
• About two minutes. It'll be much shorter at first, and that's fine. Build up as your baby gets used to it.
• You do the brushing. Parents brush for under 3s. From 3 to 6, let your child have a go, but stay with them and finish off. Keep an eye on their technique until around age 7.
• Small, soft brush. Use small, gentle circles, and remember the gums and the backs of the teeth.

Making it easier

Lots of babies wriggle, clamp shut or protest. It's very normal. A few things help:

• Sit your baby on your lap, facing away from you with their head resting against you. You'll get a better view and a steadier head.
• Let them hold a brush of their own while you brush.
• Sing a song or count to make it a game, and brush in front of a mirror.
• Brush your own teeth at the same time. Babies love to copy.

Never let little ones walk or run around with a toothbrush in their mouth.

Choosing a toothpaste

Fluoride helps protect teeth from decay, so it's worth checking the fluoride level on the pack. NHS guidance is:

• Under 3: a smear of toothpaste with at least 1,000ppm fluoride.
• 3 to 6: a pea-sized amount with 1,000 to 1,500ppm fluoride.
• 7 and over: a family toothpaste with 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride.

Your dentist may suggest a stronger toothpaste earlier if your child needs extra protection.

Spit, don't rinse. After brushing, encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste but not rinse with water. That way the fluoride keeps working for longer. And keep the tube out of reach, as under 3s shouldn't eat or lick toothpaste.

We stock OHP fluoride toothpastes in 1,000ppm and 1,450ppm, both used in NHS Scotland's Childsmile programme.

Chewing is part of oral care too

We often think of oral care as brushing, but chewing matters as well. Every time your baby gnaws and chews, they're working the jaw, tongue, lips and cheeks, and that work helps the jaw grow and develop.

Chewing also gets saliva flowing, which is the mouth's own natural rinse. So more chewing and good brushing go hand in hand.

→ Read more: How Chewing Builds Your Baby's Mouth

Cups, drinks and sweet things

What your baby drinks, and how, makes a difference to their teeth too.

• Try an open cup from around 6 months. The NHS suggests introducing a cup from around 6 months, and moving away from bottles from about 12 months. Learning to sip from an open cup is a great skill for little mouths.
• Milk and water are best. They're the most tooth-friendly drinks for babies and toddlers.
• Keep sweet foods and drinks to mealtimes. It's how often teeth meet sugar that matters most, so keeping treats with meals rather than between them gives teeth a rest.

Your baby's first dentist visit

Take your baby to the dentist when their first teeth come through, and before their first birthday (NHS). NHS dental care is free for children, so it's well worth registering early.

That first visit is mostly about getting comfortable. Your baby might just sit on your lap while the dentist has a quick look. Keep it positive and relaxed, and talk about the dentist as a friendly, normal part of life. After that, go for regular check-ups as your dentist advises. From around age 3, many children are offered fluoride varnish to give teeth extra protection.

Teething and oral care

Teething can make your baby's gums sore and their mood unpredictable, and brushing might be the last thing they want. Keep going, but be gentle and flexible:

• Use a soft brush or finger brush on sore days.
• Offer something firm and safe to gnaw on. Counter-pressure is often just what sore gums want.
• Keep brushing twice a day, even if it's quicker than usual.

→ Read more: A Simple Guide to Teething for Parents

Your oral care checklist

1. Before teeth: wipe or massage gums once a day.
2. From five to six months: offer something firm to gnaw on, under supervision.
3. From around 6 months: introduce an open cup.
4. First tooth: start brushing twice a day with a smear of fluoride toothpaste.
5. Before age 1: first dentist visit.
6. Every day: spit, don't rinse, and keep sweet things to mealtimes.