Amongst all their responsibilities, parents have a duty to ensure the healthy development of their offspring’s teeth and gums. This starts with ensuring that babies eat a healthy calcium-rich diet to ensure the correct development of the teeth even before they erupt. When the first teeth appear, parents and carers need to ensure that babies are only given water or milk from a bottle as even dilute juices are very acidic and can rot baby teeth. A healthy diet is also important and babies and children should not be given sweets, sugar-laden foods or even dried fruits as they can damage young teeth. Good oral health habits are learned early and children copy their parents, so brushing with a very soft baby brush is important. A fear of the dentist can be avoided if a baby is always taken to the dentist every time their parents visit, even if they are not examined themselves.

It is sensible to establish a routine of visiting the dentist from the age of two. It is not advisable to take a young child to the dentist when you are receiving treatment as they could become anxious. The dental hygienist can offer advice from the first tooth coming through. Demonstration of parental brushing is important as children tend not to brush well until they are approximately 6 years old.