A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Use the age-specific guidance below to help care for your child’s teeth.
Children aged up to 3 years
- Start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later)
- Parents or carers should brush the teeth
- Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste
- Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion
- Use children’s fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride
- Use only a smear of toothpaste
- Make sure children don’t eat or lick toothpaste from the tube
Children aged 3 to 6 years
- Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste
- Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion
- Parents or carers should brush the teeth
- Use children’s fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride
- Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
- Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well
Children aged 7 and over
- Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste
- Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion
- Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label)
- Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well
Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it’s still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.
How to help children brush their teeth properly
- Guide your child’s hand so they can feel the correct movement
- Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth
- Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes
- Don’t let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves
Making brushing fun
Children learn by example, so demonstrate good oral hygiene habits yourself. Brush and floss your teeth together as a family to make it a fun and routine activity.
Follow the tips in the video below to help keep your kids’ teeth decay-free.
Resources for parents
Download and print this reward chart for your child to colour in throughout the week. Each time your child has brushed their teeth, they can colour in a tooth – the goal is for them to brush twice a day so all 14 teeth can be coloured in.