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Snack ideas for children 3 years and older

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Snack ideas for children 3 years and older

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Encouraging children to clean their teeth

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Encouraging children to clean their teeth

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Better Health/Start for Life: NHS guidance on caring for your baby's or toddler's teeth

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Better Health/Start for Life: NHS guidance on caring for your baby's or toddler's teeth

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How to take care of your baby or toddler’s teeth - Start for Life - NHS

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Help your little one maintain a lifetime of healthy smiles by teaching them good dental habits, such as regular brushing and not eating or drinking too much sugar.

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Encouraging children to clean their teeth

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Encouraging children to clean their teeth

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You can find a dental surgery that's convenient for you, whether it's near your home or work, and phone them to see if there are any NHS appointments available.

You can search for an NHS dentist near you on this website.

Dental surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients. You may have to join a waiting list, look for a different dentist who is taking on new NHS patients, or be seen privately.

Once you find a dental surgery, you may have to fill in a registration form at your first visit, which is just to add you to their patient database. But that does not mean you have guaranteed access to an NHS dental appointment in the future.

Dental emergency and out-of-hours care

If you think you need urgent care, contact your usual dentist, if you have one, as some surgeries offer emergency dental appointments and will provide care if clinically necessary.

You can also contact NHS 111, who can put you in touch with an urgent dental service.

Do not contact a GP, as they cannot offer urgent or emergency dental care.

When to contact NHS 111

You can get help from NHS 111 or NHS 111 online if you have:

severe pain

heavy bleeding

swelling of your mouth, throat, neck or eye

Call 111 or use NHS 111 online.

When to go to A&E

Only visit A&E in serious circumstances, such as:

injuries to the face, mouth or teeth

severe or increasing swelling in your mouth, throat or neck, making it difficult to breathe, swallow or speak

Find your local A&E
If you're not sure whether you should go to A&E, contact NHS 111 online.

How much will I be charged?

The emergency dentist will only deal with your current dental problem and provide clinically necessary treatment to stop any pain.

An urgent dental treatment will be charged at Band 1 (£25.80), unless you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment.

If you're asked to come back for further treatment, this will be considered a separate course of non-urgent treatment.

If you're not entitled to free NHS dental treatment, you'll have to pay the relevant charge for the new course of treatment.

Ask the dentist what the treatment will cost or ask for a treatment plan.

Find out how much you'll pay for NHS dental treatment.

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Find out how to access NHS dental services.

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You don't have to pay for NHS dental treatment if you're:

under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education

pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months

being treated in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist (but you may have to pay for any dentures or bridges)

receiving low income benefits, or you're under 20 and a dependant of someone receiving low income benefits

Low income benefits

You're entitled to free NHS dental treatment if you or your spouse (including civil partner) receive:

Income Support

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

Universal Credit (in certain circumstances)

Certificates to help with health costs

You can receive free NHS dental treatment if you're entitled to or named on:

People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help.

You'll be asked to show your dentist written proof that you don't have to pay for all or part of your NHS treatment. You'll also be asked to sign a form to confirm that you don't have to pay.

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Who is entitled to free NHS dental treatment in England?

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You don't have to pay for NHS dental treatment if you're: under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months being treated in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist (but you may

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Vital information for all parents to know .

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You, your child or someone you look after:

feels very unwell or like there's something seriously wrong

has not had a pee all day (for adults and older children) or in the last 12 hours (for babies and young children)

keeps vomiting and cannot keep any food or milk down (for babies and young children)

has swelling or pain around a cut or wound

has a very high or low temperature, feels hot or cold to the touch, or is shivering

Do not worry if you're not sure if it's sepsis - it's still best to call 111.

They can tell you what to do, arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor, or call you an ambulance.

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You, your child or someone you look after: feels very unwell or like there's something seriously wrong has not had a pee all day (for adults and older children) or in the last 12 hours (for babies and young children) keeps vomiting and cannot keep any food or milk down (for babies and young children) has swelling or pain around a cut or wound has a very high or low temperature, feels hot or cold to the touch, or is shivering Do not worry if you're not sure if it's sepsis - it's still best to call 111.

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How to care for the teeth of children aged 3-6 with Dr Ranj and Supertooth!

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Looking After Your Teeth and Brace: Top Tips | Cleaning | Foods to Avoid | Breakages

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How to care for the teeth children aged 7+ with Dr Ranj and Supertooth!

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When it comes to teething, all babies are different. But your baby will probably get their first tooth some time during their first year.
Find out how to spot when your baby is teething and what order your baby's teeth are likely to appear in.

When do babies start teething?

Some babies are born with their first teeth. Others start teething before they are 4 months old, and some after 12 months. But most babies start teething at around 6 months.

Teething symptoms

Baby teeth sometimes emerge with no pain or discomfort at all.

At other times, you may notice:

their gum is sore and red where the tooth is coming through

they have a mild temperature of 38C

they have 1 flushed cheek

they have a rash on their face

they're rubbing their ear

they're dribbling more than usual

they're gnawing and chewing on things a lot

they're more fretful than usual

they're not sleeping very well

Read tips on how to help your teething baby.

Some people think that teething causes other symptoms, such as diarrhoea, but there's no evidence to support this.

You know your baby best. Get medical advice if they have any symptoms that are causing you concern. You can call NHS 111 or contact a GP.

Read more about spotting the signs of serious illness in babies and toddlers.

What order do baby teeth appear in?

Here's a rough guide to how babies' teeth usually emerge:

bottom incisors (bottom front teeth) - these are usually the first to come through, usually at around 5 to 7 months

top incisors (top front teeth) - these tend to come through at about 6 to 8 months

top lateral incisors (either side of the top front teeth) - these come through at around 9 to 11 months

bottom lateral incisors (either side of the bottom front teeth) - these come through at around 10 to 12 months

first molars (back teeth) - these come through at around 12 to 16 months

canines (between the lateral incisors and the first molars) - these come through at around 16 to 20 months

second molars - these come through at around 20 to 30 months

Most children will have all of their milk teeth by the time they are 2 1/2 years old.

Community content from HealthUnlocked

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When it comes to teething, all babies are different. But your baby will probably get their first tooth some time during their first year. Find out how to spot when your baby is teething and what order your baby's teeth are likely to appear in. Some babies are born with their first teeth.

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How to care for the teeth of children aged 0-3 with Dr Ranj and Supertooth!

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Do you know how much sugar is in your drink?

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NHS advice on looking after your child's teeth 

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NHS advice on looking after your child's teeth 

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From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here's how to take care of your children's teeth.
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay-free.

Toothbrushing tips

It's important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.
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.

Taking your child to the dentist

NHS dental care for children is free.

Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practice for the future.

When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.

Find a dentist near you

Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants

Fissure sealants can be done once your child's permanent back teeth have started to come through (usually at the age of about 6 or 7) to protect them against decay. This is where the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are covered with a special thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves. The sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years.

Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth. It involves painting a varnish that contains high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth every 6 months to prevent decay. Some children may need this more often. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.

From the age of 3, children should be offered fluoride varnish application at least twice a year. Younger children may also be offered this treatment if your dentist thinks they need it.

Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish or fissure sealing.

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Find out how to look after children's teeth, including advice on brushing, toothpaste, establishing a routine and taking a child to the dentist for the first time.