Oral care guide by age: from milk teeth to adulthood

Regardless of age, looking after your teeth has one common aim – to remove the microbial coating, known as plaque, from the surface of your teeth using the fibres of a toothbrush. According to dentists, there’s just no substitute for brushing your teeth properly. On the other hand, each age group faces its own specific challenges when it comes to looking after the oral cavity. How should you look after your kids’ teeth and your own to keep them healthy? We asked dentists directly.

Daily brushing starts when their very first teeth come through

Parents are completely responsible for cleaning the teeth of babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Some babies get their first milk teeth through as early as four months. “Parents should be checking their baby’s mouth regularly and as soon they get their first tooth, they should start regular brushing,” says Nikola Celerýnová, a dentist from the Usmile clinic.

To brush your baby’s first teeth, a good choice is a single-tuft toothbrush or a soft toothbrush. You should brush your baby’s teeth every morning and evening after food and ideally after their bedtime milk as well. “Any kind of sugar, even that in formula milk, promotes plaque since it feeds cariogenic bacteria,” explains Tomáš Zábojník, a dentist from the Bulovka Dental Clinic.

You don’t need to use toothpaste to clean milk teeth, according to dentists. However, if you feel that your child likes the taste of the toothpaste and that makes it easier to clean their teeth, then feel free to use a small amount. Just be sure always to go for a toothpaste suitable for kids between the ages of 0 and 6.

How to look after toddlers’ and pre-schoolers’ teeth

By when they’re roughly the age of three, you should have taught your child to look after their teeth using interdental brushes or floss. The easiest way for little children to clean those interdental areas is by using what’s known as ‘sword’ dental floss. However, you don’t have to use it for all the teeth that your child has grown. Simply clean those interdental areas where the molars touch once per day. 

According to dentists, one of the most common causes of tooth decay in young children is poorly brushed teeth, or where parents have completely neglected the interdental areas. If your child is especially uncooperative when it comes to brushing their teeth, don’t be discouraged and keep at it, even if they fight you on it. “That is much better than the child having to undergo a general anaesthetic to treat their decayed teeth, which is both mentally and financially tough on parents,” warns dentist Tomáš Zábojník. 

He believes that kids need to get into a good habit regarding brushing their teeth regularly, which will stay with them into adulthood. When they are around six you should take your child to see the dental hygienist, who will show them how to look after their teeth. Children of this age and older can be slowly given more responsibility for brushing their teeth to encourage independence. Of course, as their parents it falls to you to check the state of their teeth every day and in particular to finish cleaning them, if needed. 

Older school-aged kids can look after their own teeth

Once your kids are 10 and older, you shouldn’t need to finish cleaning their teeth for them, but it’s definitely a good idea to keep checking the state of their teeth on a regular basis. If they wear braces, they have to keep their teeth in an even more immaculate condition and be sure to clean their teeth, ideally after every meal. 

The pitfalls of dental care in adulthood

If your teenage years are long behind you, keep in mind that trips to the dentist are not the cheapest outing and instead invest as much time and effort as possible into prevention. Therefore, don’t underestimate the value of regular visits to the dental hygienist, who will not only thoroughly remove tartar but will also show you how to clean your teeth properly. 

“For various patients, different cleaning techniques may be suitable, although the ultimate aim remains the same – remove plaque. For this, either manual or sonic toothbrushes can be used. It depends what suits the individual,” explains dentist Nikola Celerýnová, adding that how well teeth have been cleaned can be checked by a plaque detector, which highlights old and uncleaned plaque by colour.

In terms of toothpastes, as with children, they are more of an accessory to make brushing easier or more pleasant. “If your teeth are more decayed, I would recommend a calcium-based toothpaste and if you have sensitive gums, I’d go for one designed for sensitive teeth,” adds the dentist.

In her view, another hidden threat to adults’ (and kids’) teeth is sweetened drinks, which contain a lot of sugar. “The bacteria present in dental plaque ferment these sugars into acids, which reduce the pH in the oral cavity, leading to demineralisation – decalcification – of the teeth,” explains the dentist. The excessive consumption of foodstuffs with fruit acids and sweet things more generally can also be to blame.

So now you know how to look after your little ones’ teeth and which mistakes to be aware of with your own. Preventive care at home is absolutely key, so don’t underestimate it.