Brush Up on Healthy Teeth

CDC Encourages Parents to Brush Up on Healthy Teeth — Simple Steps for Kids’ Smiles

Every parent knows that a healthy smile is a sign of a happy child, and oral health experts agree that creating those healthy smiles begins in infancy. In observation of National Children’s Dental Health Month (February), experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released a set of pediatric oral health tips, Brush Up on Healthy Teeth: Simple Steps for Kids’ Smiles.

The simple steps assist parents in taking care of their children’s teeth as well as aid in teaching proper dental habits. Proper dental health practices such as drinking fluoridated water and brushing with a "pea-sized" amount of fluoride toothpaste can greatly improve oral health in children. Fluoride works by stopping or even reversing tooth decay. Research has shown that brushing with toothpaste that contains fluoride lowers the risk of decay by 15-30 percent, and drinking fluoridated water lowers the risk by 18-40 percent.

"Beginning oral health care in infancy, along with the proper use of fluoride, reduces the risk of tooth decay and improves overall health," said Dr. William R. Maas, Director of the CDC’s Division of Oral Health. "There are effective measures that parents can take that are safe, effective and simple, but it’s important that parents understand oral health and begin early."

The CDC recommends the following Simple Steps for Kids’ Smiles:

1. Start cleaning teeth early.
   As the first tooth appears, begin cleaning by wiping with a clean, damp cloth every day. When more teeth come in, switch to a small, soft toothbrush. Begin using toothpaste with fluoride when the child is two years old. Use toothpaste with fluoride earlier if your child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.
   
   
2. Use the right amount of fluoride toothpaste.
   Fluoride is important in fighting cavities. But if children younger than six years swallow too much fluoride, their teeth may have white spots. To keep this from happening, use only a small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a pea). Teach your child to spit out the toothpaste and to rinse well after brushing.
   
   
3. Supervise brushing.
   Brush your child’s teeth twice a day until your child has the skill to handle the toothbrush alone. Then, continue to closely watch brushing to make sure your child is doing a thorough job and using only a small amount of toothpaste.
   
   
4. Talk to your child’s doctor or dentist.
   Check with the doctor or dentist about your child’s specific fluoride needs. After age two, most children get the right amount of fluoride to help prevent cavities if they drink water that contains fluoride and brush their teeth with a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste twice a day.

Parents of children over the age of six months should ask about the need for a fluoride supplement if drinking water does not have enough fluoride. Also, do not let a child younger than six years old use a fluoride mouth rinse unless the child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.

• Quiz for Parents (PDF–200K) or Quiz for Parents (Web page)
• Tip Sheet: Simple Steps for Kids' Smiles (PDF–170K)
• Brush Up Poster (PDF–190K)
• See also the Brush Up introduction page.

To receive copies of Brush Up on Healthy Teeth: Simple Steps for Kids’ Smiles, send a request to brushup@cdc.gov 

One or more documents on this Web page is available in Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Historical Document
Page last reviewed: June 1, 2007
Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion