Today is National Teeth Care Day!

After six months, breastfeeding should transition from on-demand to regular feeding. By the time the baby is one year old, night feeding should be stopped, and it's important to avoid eating or drinking an hour before bedtime to prevent tooth decay.

If my baby wakes up at 5 am for a bottle and then falls back to sleep for a few hours, does that count as night feeding?

Yes! Anytime the child falls asleep after drinking milk between oral cleanings in the morning and evening is considered night feeding, and it should be discontinued after the age of one.

By the time the baby is one year old, they can gradually transition from a bottle to a sippy cup. Around one and a half years old, the child should learn to drink water from an open cup to help establish a normal swallowing pattern as soon as possible.

For older children, it's essential to drink less sugary beverages (including sweet milk), especially carbonated drinks, as they can erode our teeth and cause tooth decay.

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For babies under one year old, we recommend a diet without added sugar or salt.

Fruits should be gradually introduced from purees and chunks to allowing the child to bite into them themselves, which not only protects the teeth but also exercises the child's jaw development.

Can fruits be juiced?

It's not recommended. When fruit is juiced, the fructose that is wrapped in the cells is released, which is more likely to come into contact with the teeth and increase the risk of tooth decay. Additionally, juicing fruits deprives children of the opportunity to chew and exercise their bones and teeth, which could lead to a situation where permanent teeth emerge, but the baby teeth remain firm (double rows of teeth) and do not fall out!

Parents are advised to give children less food containing white sugar and sucrose, such as bread, cakes, chocolate, hawthorn slices, etc., and to provide more beneficial foods like vegetables, nuts, and sugar-free cheese.

Some parents say, "Although my baby loves sugar, I control it and only give them one sweet cookie/one piece of chocolate each time." Even though only a small amount of sweets is given each time, frequent consumption can still harm the teeth. Both the quantity and frequency of sweets consumption should be reduced!

Additionally, be sure to instruct children to rinse their mouths with clear water after consuming sweets and sugary drinks.

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Do babies only need oral cleaning when they get their first tooth?

Oral cleaning should start as early as possible to maintain oral hygiene and help children get used to oral cleaning. At this time, parents can use a wet gauze to wipe the baby's gums, tongue, and inner cheeks, once in the morning and once in the evening, to prepare for regular tooth brushing in the future.

After the teeth come in, parents can use a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush to brush their child's teeth, once in the morning and once at night.

What posture should parents use when brushing their child's teeth?

For young children, we recommend brushing their teeth while they are lying down, similar to a dental examination. This allows the child's head to be relatively stable, ensuring their safety, and also frees up the parent's hands, with one hand for brushing and the other hand to assist in pulling back the child's lips and cheeks to expose the tooth surfaces. You can use a knee-to-knee position or have the parent sit on the floor/bed with the child lying between their legs. Parents must be able to see where the brush is brushing to ensure it's clean!

When can children start brushing their teeth independently?

Children usually need to wait until they are six years old to have the ability to brush their teeth clean independently. Parents should check and confirm that the child has the ability to brush independently before allowing them to brush their teeth on their own.

Before the age of six, parents need to help with oral cleaning. During this stage, parents can learn the "circular brushing method" to brush their child's teeth in a circular motion.

After starting elementary school, children can gradually be encouraged to develop the habit of brushing their teeth independently. At this stage, they should learn the standard brushing method—the "modified Bass brushing technique."

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After the teeth come in, children should start using fluoride toothpaste.

For ages 1-5, it is recommended to use toothpaste with a fluoride concentration of 500ppm. Children with a high risk of cavities, such as those who love sweets, can use toothpaste with a fluoride concentration of 1000ppm.

Before children learn to spit out toothpaste, use a rice grain-sized amount, and after brushing, parents can wipe away excess foam with gauze to reduce the child's swallowing. Don't let children develop a habit of eating toothpaste, but parents can rest assured that this amount of toothpaste is safe even if the child swallows it completely. Once children learn to rinse (usually around the age of three), they can use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

For children aged 6-11, it is recommended to use toothpaste with 1000ppm fluoride. Children with a high risk of cavities, such as those who love sweets, are undergoing orthodontic treatment, or have other high caries risk factors, can use toothpaste with a fluoride concentration of 1500ppm.

When should children start using dental floss?

Once the child has two teeth close together, where the brush bristles cannot reach the interdental spaces, dental floss should be used. We recommend using dental floss once every evening before brushing your teeth. Not just where food is stuck, but every interdental space should be cleaned!

For children with orthodontics, interdental brushes or water flossers can be chosen based on individual circumstances.

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Long-term bad oral habits, such as the use of pacifiers, thumb sucking, lip sucking, and mouth breathing, can affect a child's teeth, jaw development, and even intellectual development. Therefore, we must break our children's bad oral habits before the age of three.

Pacifiers: Pacifiers should be gradually discontinued by the age of one, and no later than one and a half years old. For babies who find it difficult to quit, parents can help by cutting the pacifier or other methods.

Thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking and other habits should be corrected by parents as soon as they are noticed to prevent them from becoming habitual actions. For children who have developed these habits, bitter nail polish or help from a dentist can be sought.

Mouth breathing is a very harmful oral habit. Before correcting mouth breathing, we must ensure the child's nasal airway is unobstructed. An ENT specialist should see children with rhinitis, enlarged adenoids, and other issues to correct nasal airway blockages. We must ensure children can breathe through their noses commonly before correcting oral issues!

When should children see a dentist? How often should children visit the dentist?

Children should see a dentist when they get their first tooth. Some children may have teeth later, but their first dental check-up should not be later than one year old. After that, the dentist will assess the child's risk of cavities and recommend regular dental check-ups every 3-6 months to detect and treat oral problems early.

On this day, we want to celebrate you and your children's oral health and hope they grow up with bright, beautiful smiles!

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