Pre-schoolers and children

1. You should brush your children's teeth and encourage them to learn how to brush correctly, using a small pea sized quantity of low strength fluoride toothpaste.

2. Most importantly, avoid sweet snacks and sweet drinks between meals. The possibility of tooth decay is directly related to the number of times that sweet things are in contact with the teeth.

3. Seek your dentist's advice without delay if your children's teeth become damaged - whether loosened or just chipped, or look black.

4. If a baby tooth is dislodged do not attempt to straighten or replace it. Take the child to your dentist straight away.

5. Nowadays, dentists concentrate on preventing dental disease. Ask your dentist how frequently your children need a check up so that problems can be detected early enough to allow the dentist to prevent them without the need for fillings.

Dental Health Tips for Primary Schoolers

1. Supervise toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste, especially after meals, and teach your children to use dental floss as they get older. Good oral hygiene at an early age will reduce the likelihood of dental disease and set up good oral hygiene habits for life.

2. Avoid between meal snacks of sweets, sugary foods and sweetened drinks as they cause tooth decay. Be aware of what your children eat and drink at school.

3. Have your dentist make your children mouthguards for sporting activities. A custom-made mouthguard fits better and is much more comfortable than one off-the-shelf, so your children will want to wear them. You can even have them in their favourite colours.

4. If your child's teeth become damaged in any way, take the child to your dentist immediately.

5. Take your children for regular check ups. To prevent decay, your dentist can apply fluoride solutions and/or seal small pits in the enamel which are prone to decay.

6. Remember, at this age, teeth are often crooked. Ask your dentist if any corrective treatment is needed.

If a tooth is knocked out:

• If it is clean, place it straight back in its socket
• If it is dirty wash it in milk - if milk is not available, use water but only for a few seconds
• Do not scrub the root surface and try not to touch the root
• Having removed any debris, now try to replace the tooth in its socket
• If you can't replace it, wrap the tooth in plastic wrap or store it in milk (cold milk from the fridge is fine). Most importantly, get your child to a dentist immediately, with the tooth.