Milk teeth - brushing and dental care

‘Milk teeth’ aren’t permanent but they’re important. Dr Howard Lee on the business of caring for first teeth

Permanent teeth start to come through when a child’s about six, but the ‘milk’ teeth – the first set – are just as important. They start to come through in the first few months and by the time your baby’s three, he or she should have a set of twenty. These ‘milk’ teeth help your baby’s speech development, are vital for chewing solid food and they guide the permanent teeth into position. If milk teeth are lost prematurely, the adult teeth may be incorrectly positioned and overcrowded, making them difficult to clean – and unattractive. So milk teeth are worth looking after.

After your baby’s born, plaque will begin to form as soon as the first tooth appears – a major cause of oral-hygiene problems. Plaque is a thin film of bacteria, which constantly forms on all teeth, especially near the gum line, between teeth and on the biting surfaces of back teeth. Bacteria in plaque use sugars in food and drink as a source of energy, so ensuring that your baby has a good diet is the main thing that you can do to help.

Don’t let your baby go to sleep with a bottle containing milk
Make sure your child doesn’t have a sugary drink at night after they’ve brushed their teeth
Avoid baby foods sweetened with added sugar or concentrated fruit juice
Don’t add sugar to home prepared weaning foods
Sweetened fruit juices and cordials should not be given in babies bottles, as they contribute to decay and encourage a ‘sweet tooth’
Never dip a dummy or comforter into anything sweet. The phrase ‘no artificial preservatives or sweeteners’ can mean that sugar is present in the product
Offer foods with plenty of calcium, vitamins and minerals to encourage healthy teeth to form.