It is very important to have good oral health and a good daily toothbrushing routine. This will help to look after your teeth from the moment the first one appears, right through into older adulthood.

Poor oral health can affect your ability to eat, drink and talk, it can also lead to bad breath, tooth loss and pain. Tooth decay is largely preventable, too much sugary food and drink, as well as not cleaning teeth well, can allow the plaque to build up resulting in cavities or tooth decay.

Oral Health for children

Your child’s teeth will help them to bite and chew, support speech and language development and make space for their adult teeth to come through.

Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as their first tooth appears!  A regular toothbrushing routine is essential to maintain their oral health through childhood and into adulthood. For guidance on choosing their toothbrush, toothpaste and knowing the right amount of toothpaste for your child’s age visit the NHS website.

NHS Website - children's teeth

You can also discuss your child’s oral health and toothbrushing with your health visitor Health Visiting Service – Children and Young People’s Services (sirona-cic.org.uk)

There are lots of videos, songs and apps to help you develop your child’s toothbrushing routine

NHS Tooth brushing video NHS - taking care of your baby or toddler's teeth

You may also find the below videos helpful for further tips on brushing your children’s teeth at different stages:

• How to care for the teeth of children aged 3-6 with Dr Ranj and Supertooth!
• For children aged 0-3 years old
• For children aged 7 years and older.

 Oral Health for adults

It’s essential that we all look after our oral health to keep our teeth, gums and mouths clean, healthy and free from unwanted pain and infection. For advice on an effective toothbrushing routine, which toothbrush and toothpaste to use as well as guidance on mouthwash and dental floss usage visit the NHS website.

NHS - How to keep your teeth clean

Cutting down on sugary foods and drinks, not smoking and limiting alcohol consumption will benefit your teeth, mouth and the whole body. Smoking can cause tooth staining, tooth loss, gum disease and oral cancers. Stopping smoking and limiting alcohol will lower your risk of mouth cancer. Causes of mouth cancer – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

NHS - Causes of mouth cancer Stop smoking support

The Do’s and Don’ts for good oral health

• DO brush your teeth using fluoride toothpaste for two minutes twice a day, once in the evening before bed and once more during the day, usually in the morning.
• DON’T rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth, it will wash away the fluoride in the toothpaste.
• DO spit out the excess toothpaste leaving the fluoride in the remaining toothpaste to continue protecting your teeth.
• DON’T use mouthwash immediately after brushing your teeth as this will wash away the fluoride from your toothpaste, use it at another time during the day.
• DO maintain a healthy lifestyle which is good not just for your teeth but for your whole body.
• DO cut down on sugary foods and both sugary and fizzy drinks.
• DO be smokefree and limit your alcohol consumption.