Looking after your baby’s mouth and teeth
Last edited: 13/05/2026
Advice on teething, brushing and tooth decay.
The best start
Breast milk provides all the goodness and nutrients your baby needs to give them the best start in life.
Keeping your baby’s teeth and mouth healthy is important.
It is important to keep teeth healthy right from the beginning to avoid pain, infection and early loss of baby teeth (milk teeth).
When will teeth start to break through?
A baby’s first tooth can come through anytime. The average is between six months and one year.
Most children will get all 20 baby teeth by three years old.
Teething
Signs of teething may include:
• Dribbling more than usual
• Red cheeks
• Sore red gums
Easing teething:
• Gently massage babies’ gums with a clean finger or a soft toothbrush.
• A cooled teething ring from a fridge (never from a freezer) can be soothing for teething babies.
• Dribbling can irritate your baby’s chin, neck and chest, which can become dry and sore. Try to keep the skin as dry as possible and change any wet clothing.
• Apply a simple barrier cream to keep the skin soft and smooth.
Caring for your baby’s first teeth
Brushing
- Brush teeth as soon as you see the first tooth start to come through
- Brushing your baby’s teeth may be difficult at first, but it is important to get into a good routine early on, so be patient.
- Brush baby’s teeth twice a day - last thing at night and one other time.
- Use a small soft toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste suitable for babies (containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride).
- Children should have help with their brushing until around seven or eight years old.
Tooth decay
- Tooth decay is caused when germs on teeth (in the sticky layer or film called plaque) turn the sugars in foods and drinks into acids.
- The acid dissolves the teeth which causes decay.
- The more often your child eats or drinks sugary things, the greater the chance of tooth decay.
- Never add sugar or salt to weaning foods.
- Think healthy and remember five a day.
Drinking from a cup
- Your child needs to learn to sip, not suck.
- Start to introduce a cup at around six months.
- Comfort sucking on a bottle can easily become a habit so it is best to avoid this.
- Using a free‑flowing cup is the first stage of your baby using an open cup.
- Never give sugary drinks in bottles as this can cause very rapid tooth decay.
- Baby drinks and juices are not recommended – most contain sugar which can cause tooth decay.
- Remember, plain milk and water are the safest drinks for teeth.
Remember these top tips to give your baby the best start for healthy teeth
- Brush teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
- Use a small smear of fluoride toothpaste suitable for babies(no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride)
- Use a small, soft baby toothbrush to brush twice a day
- The earlier you give sweet tastes, the earlier your baby will develop a sweet tooth.
- Never give sugary drinks in a feeding bottle or dip dummies in anything sweet.
- Introduce a cup at six months.
- Do not add sugar or salt to weaning foods.
- Introduce healthy and nutritious weaning foods (ask if you need advice).
If you have any concerns or questions about your, or your baby’s, oral health ask the dentist or health professional.
Urgent treatment and out‑of‑hours care
Urgent treatment means treatment that the dentist considers necessary to relieve severe pain or prevent your oral condition deteriorating before you can make a routine appointment. If you are not in a current course of treatment and are experiencing pain or swelling, or if you need an urgent appointment outside of our opening hours, please phone 111.
Contact us
0300 123 4412
kcht.dentalhelpdesk@nhs.net
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm
Referral team
0330 123 9438
kcht.communitydentalservice@nhs.net
Post to Capital House, Jubilee Way, Faversham, Kent ME13 8GD
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Contact us
Phone: 0208 496 7350
Email: kentchft.dentaloutreachlondon@nhs.net
Referrals:
Any healthcare professional can refer a patient online to our services.
Visit www.kentcht.nhs.uk/dental for more information.
This email address is for questions or queries only. Please do not send referrals to this email.
This information should only be followed on the advice of a healthcare professional.
Do you have feedback about our health services?
0800 030 4550
Text 07899 903499
Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm
kentchft.PALS@nhs.net
www.kentcht.nhs.uk/PALS
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Trinity House, 110-120 Upper Pemberton
Ashford
Kent
TN25 4AZ
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If you need communication support or this information in another format, please ask a member of staff or contact PALS using the details above.
