Health Article

Brush Up on Healthy Teeth: Simple Steps for Kids' Smiles

All children older than 6 months should receive a fluoride supplement every day.
Parents should start cleaning their child's teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
Parents should start brushing their child's teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride at age 3.
Children younger than 6 years should use enough toothpaste with fluoride to cover the toothbrush.
Parents should brush their child's teeth twice a day until the child can handle the toothbrush alone.
Young children should always use fluoride mouth rinses after brushing.

False. Check with your child's doctor or dentist about your child's specific fluoride needs. You should only be concerned about a fluoride supplement for children older than 6 months if your drinking water does not contain fluoride.
True. Start cleaning as soon as the first tooth appears. Wipe teeth every day with a clean, damp cloth. Switch to a small, soft toothbrush as more teeth come in.
False. Parents should start using toothpaste with fluoride to brush their child's teeth at age 2. Toothpaste with fluoride may be used earlier if the child's doctor or dentist recommends it.
False. Young children should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is important for fighting cavities, but if children younger than 6 years swallow too much fluoride, their permanent teeth may have white spots.
True. Children usually do not have the skill to brush their teeth well until around age 4 or 5. Parents should brush their young child's teeth thoroughly twice a day until the child can handle the toothbrush alone.
False. Fluoride mouth rinses have a high concentration of fluoride. Children younger than 6 years should not use fluoride mouth rinses unless the child's doctor or dentist recommends it. Young children tend to swallow rather than spit, and swallowing too much fluoride before age 6 may cause the permanent teeth to have white spots.

Source: Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov