Tooth Decay is Preventable

Taking these steps will maintain a healthy mouth with beautiful teeth.

Brush teeth twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste

·         Brush gently using a soft brush (never hard or medium and do not scrub

·         Change your toothbrush every 2-3 months

·         Help children under the age of 7 – if children can not tie up shoe laces they do not have the dexterity to brush effectively

·         After brushing, swish & spit and only rinse your toothbrush, not your mouth. This means the fluoride has a chance to strengthen areas between the teeth and in pits and fissures

·         Massage gums while brushing.

·         Use only a smear of toothpaste for preschoolers and pea size amount for everyone else.

·          Never use another person’s toothbrush.

Limit sugary foods and Drinks, Especially at snack time.

·         Water only in sipper bottles

·         Water and Milk are the  best drinks for teeth

·         Juice has as much sugar and acid as fizzy drink

·         Tooth - friendly snacks and drinks for snack time  - give teeth a rest between meals. Make meals and main snacks reasonably big so that snacking and grazing are less likely.

·         Raisins, dried fruit, museli bars, roll-ups etc are very high in sugar.

·         Do not put honey or Jam etc.  Dummies

·         Save sugary food and drinks for treats (have a treat  day once a week)

Regular dental checks

·         See your dental professional routinely once a year

·          A child’s initial dental check should be about the age of two ( or earlier if there is a problem

·         It is best if a child’s first dental visits are fun, positive and prevention oriented rather than treatment being necessary.

Barbara Moreton is a registered Dental Therapist in New Zealand with a background of 30 years primary school teaching mainly with young children