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Getting your kids off to school in the mornings can be a rush, and unfortunately, many children will head off to school without a clean, healthy mouth. Worryingly, more than a few children begin their school lives with tooth decay, a completely avoidable disease.

Here are some simple steps to make sure your child’s teeth receive top marks:

• Brush their baby teeth as soon as they come through. Book your child’s first dental appointment by age 1 to check everything is okay. You’ll also get lots of helpful advice from us on how to care for your child’s teeth.
• Make sure your child brushes their teeth for two minutes twice a day, preferably first thing in the morning and last thing at night using fluoride toothpaste. Supervise your child until you are confident that they can be trusted to brush for the full two minutes, usually around age 7.
• Let your child choose a toothpaste flavour they like, but make sure it is fluoridated and preferably has the seal of approval from the Australian Dental Association.
• They can also choose their toothbrush, but ensure it has a small head and soft bristles, and replace it regularly.

We’ve all heard the saying you are what you eat, and this certainly applies to your dental health. Sugary foods like fizzy drinks and sweets will all contribute to tooth decay. Try to include at least some of these healthy, tooth-friendly foods in your diet.

Cheese

Cheese is great for teeth because it increases the pH level in your mouth, and just chewing cheese increases saliva flow. Cheese also contains lots of protein and calcium, both of which can strengthen your tooth enamel.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is another food that is high in calcium and protein, and the probiotics found in certain yoghurt products can also benefit your gum health. If you do like yoghurt, choose sugar-free plain yoghurt and if you want to sweeten it, add some fresh fruit.

Leafy Greens

Your mum was right when she told you to eat up your greens because they are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are low-calorie too. Choose greens such as kale and spinach because they also contain calcium and folic acid, which has lots of health benefits.

Crunchy Fruits and Veggies

Crunchy fruits and vegetables have a high fibre and water content, which helps to wash away excess food particles and to scrub your teeth slightly. Also, they are an excellent source of vitamins.

Preschoolers love to learn new things, so this is a fun activity that will get them thinking about the importance of looking after their teeth, all while learning their alphabet.

1. Find a simple cartoon drawing of a mouth on the internet and which has big white teeth. Print out the drawing and laminate it.
2. Search for letter cards online, and you can find tooth-oriented cartoon letters! Print out the letters and laminate them. You don’t have to do this step, but it does make the activity more enjoyable.
3. Use a dry-erase marker to write letters on the teeth. Your toddler can call out the letters on the teeth and can erase each letter as they say it. Alternatively, they can find the correct letter card before cleaning the tooth. The game continues until all the teeth are clean, shiny and white.

You can easily create a similar game for numbers, using a large printout of a mouth and numbering the teeth. Make some pretend teeth from playdoh and roll the dice to see where to place each playdoh tooth.