Everything you need to know about your baby’s milk teeth, brushing for the first time, teething, whether they should use soothers…
… and more!
But it’s really important to make sure you whiten your teeth in a safe way that doesn’t harm your teeth or your oral health.
This guide is for you if you want to:
Tooth decay in a milk tooth is a bad sign for your child’s future dental health.
Almost 14% of three-year-olds have dental caries – small holes – in their teeth.
If milk teeth are lost too early because of tooth decay and caries, it can shift the position of their permanent teeth. This leads to misaligned teeth, which then need to be corrected by an orthodontist.
And when the milk tooth falls out, the tooth decay-causing bacteria remain… which can then go on to attack the permanent teeth.
IMPORTANT: If you have any concerns at all about your baby’s milk teeth, please go and see a dentist. The sooner you see your dentist, the more chance you have of avoiding dental problems when your child gets older.
Milk teeth are not only smaller then permanent teeth but also far less robust.
The enamel is softer and is only about half as thick, which explains:
In summary, it’s crucial you do everything within your power to take great care of your baby’s oral health… right from the very start.
Keep reading to find out exactly how to help your child easily move towards – and enjoy – regular brushing…
If you want whiter teeth, you no longer have to put yourself through expensive, potentially harsh and painful bleaching treatment.
There are many whitening toothpastes on the market.
But not all whitening toothpastes were born equal.
Some are more effective than others.
Some are gentler than others.
And, unfortunately, some contain harsher ingredients than others – such as sodium metaphosphate, zirconium silicate and calcium pyrophosphate.
The higher the Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) score of a toothpaste, the more likely it is to use these ingredients… and the more likely it is to:
We believe effective whitening toothpastes should be gentle.
We believe they should actually care for your oral health.
SLS, Triclosan and other nasties are not what we want for you.
We want you to enjoy exceptional oral health and whiter teeth – naturally.
Which toothpaste do dentists recommend?
Before too long, your child will be ready for the perfect next step in their journey to brushing their teeth:
The Curaprox teething ring … complete with integrated training toothbrush to:
Just clip on the Curaprox soother holder to stop the teething ring falling on the floor where it can get dirty. Originally designed for the Curaprox soother , the holder works perfectly to make sure your baby keeps hold of their teething ring.
The first milk tooth usually breaks through around the sixth month mark. Brushing their first tooth is a special moment!
Clean each milk tooth at least once a day with a moistened Curaprox baby toothbrush.
Put your baby on your lap – with their back to you and their head resting against your chest.
As your child gets older, stand behind them, tilting their head backwards.
Brush their teeth using small circles, making sure you cover all the surfaces.
Toothpaste is optional at this age but, if you do go for it, just use a drop of low-fluoride baby toothpaste with a pleasant taste.
Encourage them to spit it out afterwards. But there’s no need to rinse with water, which would wash away the fluoride.
The Curaprox baby toothbrush offers gentle, exceptional cleaning for children aged up to four. And it makes cleaning teeth fun and joyful… so you can enjoy quality parent-child time.
The Curaprox baby toothbrush – developed by Dental Professor Adrian Lussi:
We recommend you make the first of many visits to the dentist after your baby’s first birthday.
Avoid going to the dentist only when something hurts. This way, your child will learn that regular, routine visits to the dentist are perfectly normal.
From your child’s second birthday at the latest, brush their milk teeth twice a day for at least two minutes: once after breakfast and once before bedtime. Use a maximum of a pea-sized amount of low-fluoride children’s toothpaste.
Before you know it, they’ll be happily cleaning their own teeth! Here are the four phases of tooth brushing:
Phase 1: Dependent cleaning – from the first tooth.
You take control of your child’s oral hygiene.
Phase 2: Supported brushing – from two-and-a-half years old.
Your child starts to brush their own teeth. So:
Phase 3: Supervised brushing – from nine-years old.
You regularly check, motivate and support your child with their oral health.
Phase 4: Independent brushing – young adults.
They’re responsible for brushing their teeth and looking after their oral health.
PLEASE NOTE: Take extra care when the first wobbly milk tooth falls out… and makes room for a permanent tooth.
This usually happens around the age of six. The enamel on new permanent teeth takes about three years to completely harden… so they’re particularly susceptible to decay.
Thorough, gentle oral hygiene during this time is even more important. It’s also time to progress to a specialist junior toothpaste with a higher fluoride content.
Dummies, soothers, pacifiers… can be an effective way to calm your baby. But conventional dummies are known to make your child more likely to need orthodontic treatment as a teenager.
And children with a crossbite or an open bite are more prone to breathing through the mouth – rather than the nose – which can lead to problems including:
The Curaprox soother, meanwhile – with its distinctive flat suction tip and side wings – is the ultimate orthodontic dummy.
The Curaprox soother – developed by orthodontists:
And don’t forget to clip on a Curaprox soother holder so your baby’s soother won’t get lost or dirty!
Because the jaw develops according to weight and not age, the Curaprox soother is sized based on the weight of your child:
We recommend your child gives up on soothers by their third birthday at the latest to aid healthy jaw development.