Children and oral health
You can prevent tooth decay by taking care of your child's teeth.
Talk to a dentist about your child's specific oral health care needs.
The American Dental Association recommends taking your baby to the dentist at age 1 for an exam. It is recommended to visit the dentist every 6 months.
Brush with a fluoride toothpaste 2 times a day.
- Fluoride is a mineral that works to protect teeth from decay.
- Fluoride makes teeth stronger.
- Brush two times a day for two minutes with a soft toothbrush.
- Encourage your family to brush with fluoride toothpaste.
- Use a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste for kids ages 2 and older. Teach them to spit out the toothpaste when they’re done so they don’t swallow it.
- For kids under age 2, use a ½ pea size smear of fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush in gentle circles on every surface of every tooth.
- Replace toothbrushes at least every 3 to 4 months. Replace sooner if the bristles are worn out or if your children have been sick.
- Plaque that’s not removed by brushing twice a day and flossing once a day can lead to cavities.
- Tooth decay remains the single most common chronic disease of U.S. children. It is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.
Stop the pop.
- Sugary drinks can bring harm to your overall health.
- Sodas have acid that can dissolve the enamel, making the teeth weaker, more sensitive, and more likely to decay.
- Energy drinks should be avoided as well because they can have as much or even more sugar than sodas.
- Sodas contain almost as much acid as a car battery (this is too much acid).
- Use a straw when you do drink soda to reduce contact with your teeth. After drinking a soda, rinse your mouth and teeth with water. This washes out the sugar and acid to prevent them from harming your teeth.
- Substitute sugary drinks with:
- Water
- Milk
- 100% fruit juice
- Never put soda in a sippy cup or bottle.
No more than 4 ounces of juice a day.
- Choose 100% juice.
- Eating fresh fruit is healthier than drinking juice.
- Drinking too much juice causes cavities. This is a bigger problem when the juice is offered in a bottle instead of a cup.
- It is better for your teeth if you drink fruit juices just at meal times.
- Juice can be watered down to help stretch 4 ounces of juice throughout the day. For example: 2 ounces of apple juice plus 2 ounces of water.
- Drinking more than 4 ounces of juice a day can lead to a child missing out on other necessary nutrients.
- Drinking more juice than recommended can lead to weight gain in infants and children.
- Recommended juice limits:
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- Infants under 6 months of age should not be given juice.
- Children 1 to 6 years old should have no more than 4 ounces of juice per day.
- Children 7 to 18 years old should have no more than 8 ounces of juice per day.
Sleep without a bottle.
- Babies and children should never go to bed with a bottle that has breast milk, formula, juice, or other drinks. This can lead to teeth getting cavities.
- Babies who sleep with a bottle can increase their attachment to the bottle and their risk of ear infections.
- You should always clean your baby’s teeth after his or her last feed and before he or she goes to sleep.
- If your baby must sleep with a bottle, put only water in it.
- Steps to stopping the bottle:
- Warn your little one 2 or 3 days before that you’ll be stopping the bottle use at bedtime and overnight. Remind your child several times each day that in 2 or 3 days it will be time to sleep without his or her bottle. Help your child build a positive connection with the new routine to help with this change. For example: reading a special book before bed will replace the bottle for your child.
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- Stop the bottle on the appointed day. Remind your little one that this is the day he or she won’t have a bottle at bedtime. Your child may become upset, but remain calm to comfort him or her by giving extra snuggles to ease this change to their bedtime routine.
- Expect some fussing during the first few nights after removing the bottle. Your child should accept it after a short time.
Only water in a sippy cup.
- Tooth decay among young children is on the rise. Sippy cups with sugary beverages are one cause. Sippy cups have been misused as kids sip for long periods on sugary beverages. The sippy cup was intended to help children switch from a bottle to drinking from a regular cup.
- Since sippy cups only let a tiny amount of fluid through at a time, the sugars in the fluids are continuously being swashed in and around the child’s teeth. Oral bacteria feed on these sugars and produce harmful acids. Acids attach to the tooth enamel, weakening it and making it more susceptible to decay.
- Never put soda or energy drinks in a sippy cup.
- During the sippy cup period:
- Don’t fill a sippy cup with sugary liquids. Choose water whenever possible.
- Don’t let the children sip continuously from the sippy cup. Remove the cup when the child has finished drinking.
- Sippy cups used at naptime or bedtime should only have water in them.
- Don’t use a sippy cup to comfort a distressed child.
Wean off the bottle by age 1.
- A sippy cup is a training tool to help children move from a bottle to a cup. The longer parents wait to start this move, the more attached kids become to their bottles and the more difficult it can be to break the bottle habit. Instead of cutting out bottles all at once, try removing them slowly from the feeding schedule, starting at mealtimes.
- When your child does use a cup, offer praise and positive reinforcement. For example, if grandma is around you might say, “See, Emma is such a big girl she drinks milk in a cup!”
- If you keep getting asked for a bottle, find out what your child really needs or wants and offer that instead. For instance, if your child is thirsty or hungry, provide the drink or food in a cup or on a plate.
- Pediatricians recommend a gradual approach: First, substitute a cup for the bottle at midday feeding. Once the baby adjusts, use the cup at the morning feeding, and so on.
- If you continue to have problems or concerns about stopping the bottle, talk with your doctor.
See dentist at age 1.
- Baby teeth are important because they hold a place for permanent adult teeth, are essential for chewing food, and help children speak clearly and smile brightly.
- At the first visit the dentist will check for cavities and the progress of jaw and tooth development. The dentist will then gently clean your child’s teeth and apply a fluoride gel or varnish, if necessary.
- The dentist and dental team will answer any question about your child’s oral health.
- Topics the dentist may discuss with you:
- Fluoride needs
- Oral habits (thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking)
- How to thoroughly clean the teeth
- Teething
- Proper nutrition
- Frequency of dental checkups- To build the comfort and confidence level of your child during dental visits, the dentist often will suggest returning every 6 months.
Don't share utensils with children.
- Bacteria can be passed from parents/caregivers to the child, making them at higher risk of getting cavities.
- To lower the spread of tooth decay, family members…
- Should not clean the child’s pacifier with their mouth
- Should not share spoons or fork
- Should not pre-chew children's food
- Should not share cups or bottles
- Should not share toothbrushes
- Should not allow a child to place his or her fingers in anyone’s mouth. Children will usually put their fingers back into their own mouth, increasing the chance of passing the bacteria.
Limit sugary snacks.
- Limit sugary snacks to protect children’s teeth.
- Infants that drink or eat sugary food are 32% more likely to develop cavities before the age of 3.
- Ways to limit sugary snacks:
- Offersugary treats only for special occasions.
- Choose not to offer sweets as rewards. By offering food as a reward for good behavior, children learn to think that some foods are better than other foods.
- Reward your child with comforting hugs or kind words, or give them non food items, like stickers, to make them feel special.
- Limit sugary cereals. Choose oatmeal and other cereals that don’t have added sugar. Add nuts, fruit, or cinnamon if you want to jazz it up. Limit juices, sports drinks, and other flavored beverages. Try to stick to water and unflavored milk.
- Eat:
- Grapes, bananas, peaches, or other fresh fruits
- Carrots, peas, green beans, celery, or other fresh vegetables
- String cheese or other cheeses
- Whole grains.
Adult brushes the child's teeth
- It is important to brush your child’s teeth every day and take them to the dentist regularly.
- Brush your child’s teeth for healthier teeth, good breath, fewer cavities, and to avoid painful dental problems.
- Young children are not able to clean their own teeth. As a parent, you must do it for them when they are very young and do it with them as they get older. When your child can tie his or her own shoe, then your child is ready to do a good job brushing. However you should check to make sure your child does a good job.
- Start cleaning your child’s mouth even before your child has teeth.
- How to clean your child’s teeth:
- Lie or sit your baby in a comfortable place.
- Make sure you can see into your baby’s mouth.
- Do not use toothpaste until your child has teeth.
- If your baby doesn’t have any teeth, wrap your finger in a clean damp washcloth and wipe the gums.
- If your child has teeth, brush teeth with a soft baby brush and fluoride toothpaste.
Breastfeeding is highly recommended.
- Breastfeeding provides young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
- Colostrum is yellowish, sticky breast milk that’s produced at the end of pregnancy that is a perfect food for the newborn. Feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth.
- Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continuing breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
- Breastfeeding builds a strong connection with the mother and baby.
- Breastfeeding boosts your child’s immune system. It is particularly beneficial for premature babies and also may protect children against:
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- Infections
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Women who breastfeed are at lower risk of:
- Breast cancer & Ovarian cancer
- Heart disease & High blood pressure
- Hip fractures and bone density problems
It is safe to go the dentist while pregnant.
- A woman who takes care of her mouth and gets dental checkups when she is pregnant is more likely to stay healthy and have a healthy baby. Don’t skip your dental checkup just because you are pregnant. Medicaid will cover a woman's dental visits during the pregnancy and 1 year after the baby is born.
- During pregnancy hormonal changes can increase the risk of developing gum disease, which can affect the health of your developing baby.
- During pregnancy your gums are more likely to bleed and there is a greater chance of them becoming inflamed or infected.
- Pregnant women with untreated gum disease are 4x more likely to have preterm low birth weight infants.
- During pregnancy you’re more likely to get a build-up of plaque (a type of bacteria) on your teeth.
- If you have a dental emergency, don’t wait! Infections in the mouth can be harmful to you and your baby.
- It is highly recommended to get your teeth cleaned during pregnancy to help decrease inflammation in the mouth.
Where can you find a dentist?
Visit our Find a dentist page for a list of low-cost dental clinics near you.
Find a dentist webpage
You can also find a dentist that accepts Medicaid at https://medicaid.utah.gov.
Medicaid dental coverage webpage
Or call 1-866-608-9422 to talk to a Medicaid health program representative.
Call 1-866-608-9422
Click the links below to download flyers containing this information.
Visit the websites below for supplemental materials.
Head Start - Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Easy-to-read oral health educational tips for families with small children. Patient education brochures, social media posts, healthy snack ideas, and information about pregnancy and oral health are available.
Visit ECLKC website
National Maternal and Child Health Resource Center
Easy-to-read oral health educational materials are available in multiple languages. Oral Health materials include tips for good oral health during pregnancy, tips for families, and information specific to infants and young children.
Oral health education materials website
Brush up on oral health website
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) oral health risk assessment tool
The AAP recommends all children receive a risk assessment at the 6- and 9-month visits. Risk assessment should continue if a dental home has not been established by the 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-month, and the 3- and 6-year visits
Download AAP tool PDF
American Dental Association (ADA) oral health risk assessment tool
Two downloadable ADA’s Caries Risk Assessment forms were developed as practice tools to help dentists evaluate a patient’s risk of developing caries. One form is for patients ages 0-6 years of age and the other is for patients over 6 years of age.
Download ADA tool for 0-6 year olds PDF
Download ADA tool for 6 years old and older PDF
Protect tiny teeth toolkit
This toolkit makes it easier than ever to help connect new parents and families to the oral health answers they need, providing healthy tips to patients and conversation tactics to providers like you.
Visit the website to download the toolkit
Sesame Workshop
With a mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, we reach families in more than 150 countries with playful early learning so we can empower each generation to build a better world.
Visit sesame workshop website to learn more
Utah's Office of Maternal and Child Health (MCH)
MCH works to reduce sickness, disability, and death among women of childbearing age, children, and youth in the state.
Go to MCH website
Utah's Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC)
WIC is a supplemental nutrition program that offers nutrition services and healthy foods to eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to their 5th birthday. You can learn how to feed your baby, shop on a budget, prepare quick nutritious meals, and many other helpful tips.
Go to WIC website
Campaign for Dental Health (CDH)
The CDH is a broad network of oral health advocates, health professionals, child and family organizations, and scientists who are working together to preserve our nation’s gains in oral health. It is our mission to provide the public and policy makers with the evidence-based information and tools they need to promote and protect this important public health measure. We believe, quite simply, that life is better with teeth.
Go to CDH website