DENTAL HEALTH
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do?
For Babies
- Wipe gums twice a day with a soft, clean cloth in the morning after the first feeding and right before bed. This wipes away bacteria and sugars that can cause cavities.
- When teeth come in, start brushing twice a day with a soft, small-bristled toothbrush and plain water.
- Visit the dentist by your baby's first birthday to spot signs of problems early.
- Talk to your dentist or doctor about putting fluoride varnish on your child's teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
*For children younger than 2 years, consult first with your doctor or dentist about the use of fluoride toothpaste.
For Children
- Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Help your child brush their teeth until they have good brushing skills. If your child is younger than 6 years, watch them brush. Make sure they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow.
- Ask your child's dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.
- Drink tap water that contains fluoride.
Other healthy-teeth tips:
- Start offering babies a cup with breast milk, formula, or water in it when they’re around 6 months old. Use either a cupwithout a lid or a cup with a valve-less lid. By 1 year of age, kids should be off the bottle and using a cup instead.
- Do not give juice to babies younger than 12 months old. If you decide to give juice after that, give less than 4 ounces a day to toddlers, less than 6 ounces a day to kids ages 4–6, and less than 8 ounces to kids over age 7. Always use 100% fruit juice, serve it in a cup (not in a bottle), and give it at mealtimes only.
- Don’t let your child go to bed with a bottle or sippy cup with milk or juice in it. Don’t let them sip on a bottle or sippy cup throughout the day with anything but water in it.
- Limit sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, and flavored milks) and sugary snacks (especially sticky candy). If your child does have these, serve at mealtimes, and have them brush their teeth after.
- Make your home and car smoke-free. Children that are around secondhand smokeare more likely to get cavities. If you or anyone in your household smokes, call (800) QUIT-NOW or go to gov for tips and advice on quitting.
More Information:
- How do I care for my baby's teeth?
- Stopping the Bottle
- Dental Health & Hygiene for Young Children - HealthyChildren.org
Nemours Kids Health (2024, January) Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy. Keeping Your Child's Teeth Healthy (for Parents) | Nemours KidsHealth
Child and Teen Checkups are regular screenings and physical examination of your child to help keep your child healthy. Children and teenagers from birth through 20 years of age who are receiving Medical Assistance are enrolled in this program. If any health problems are found, they can be treated early. Children can be tested for exposure to lead or Tuberculosis and other diseases during their checkup. Parents and children receive information about healthy lifestyles during their visit. Dental checkups can be performed at the dentist.
Included in the checkup are: monitoring of height and weight, hearing and vision, development, diet, dental health, physical exams, immunization, other health information and lab test results. The health checkup may be used for Head Start, WIC, sports physical, school, or day-care programs.
Child and Teen Checkups occur at:
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0-1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 months
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Annually starting at age 3 through age 20
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Dental checkups start at the first tooth eruption or by age 1.
After the first dental checkup, a visit to the dentist should occur every 6 months or earlier if problems are noted.
You may receive your checkups from your doctor or at a clinic. Children enrolled in a health plan must receive their Child and Teen Checkups from providers in their health plan. Child and Teen Checkups are at no cost to you. Checkups are a covered service by Medical Assistance.
Need Help?
The Child and Teen Checkup Coordinator can help you find a clinic, schedule regular checkups, find a dentist, get an interpreter and set up transportation. Call 1-888-837-6713 for more information about the Child and Teen Checkups program.