Prevention of caries in children aged 0-6 years.
This section was adapted from: ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ a joint publication of the Department of Health and British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry.
We aim to empower our clients to make positive decisions to improve their oral health. The following advice is aimed at achieving this.
Children up to 3 years old.
- Breast feeding provides the best nutrition for babies
- From six (6) months of age infants should be introduced to drinking from a cup, and from age one year feeding from a bottle should be discouraged.
- Sugar should not be added to weaning foods.
- Parents should brush or supervise tooth-brushing.
- Use only a smear of toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm (parts per million) fluoride.
- As soon as teeth erupt in the mouth brush them twice daily.
The frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be reduced and, when consumed, limited to mealtimes. Sugars should not be consumed more than four times per day.
Sugar free medicines should be recommended.
3-6 years old.
- Brush last thing at night and on one other occasion.
- Brushing should be supervised by an adult.
- Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride.
- Spit out after brushing and do not rinse.
The frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be reduced and, when consumed, limited to mealtimes. Sugars should not be consumed more than four times per day.
Sugar-free medicines should be recommended.
The Smile Club.
There are other preventative services that we can offer but these are available only to our smile club or private clients. Smile club members and their children will be offered these services at no additional cost. Private fee per item clients will however incur charges.