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Brushing your Teeth!!
Posted or Updated on 12 May 2025
Looking after your child’s teeth from an early age sets them up for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Good oral health isn’t just about avoiding fillings – it helps children eat, speak and feel confident as they grow.
Getting kids to brush their teeth can be challenging, but we know it is important for kids to learn and create great oral health habits early on to ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles.
To help you to help your kids, please click on the link below for a FREE children’s toothbrushing chart to help make brushing fun!
Teeth-Brushing-Chart.pdf
Dr Sophia Morris
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Dentist
NHS Mid and South Essex
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Keep your kids smiling with these #TopTipsForTeeth!
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Dear Grainne Donnelly,
Looking after your child’s teeth from an early age sets them up for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Good oral health isn’t just about avoiding fillings – it helps children eat, speak and feel confident as they grow.
In this email, you’ll find simple tips and trusted NHS advice on brushing routines, healthy food choices, and how to access free dental care for children. It’s never too early to start building good habits – and it’s easier than you might think.
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Make brushing fun with our tooth brushing chart
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Getting kids to brush their teeth can be challenging, but we know it is important for kids to learn and create great oral health habits early on to ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles.
To help you to help your kids, we have created a FREE children’s toothbrushing chart to help make brushing fun!
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First tooth = first brush!
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Start brushing as soon as their first milk tooth arrives.
Start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first tooth comes through, usually at around six months or before the age of one
Use a smear of children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
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Brushing twice a day keeps tooth decay away! 🪥
It should be the last thing your child does before bedtime and should occur on one other occasion during the day.
Make tooth brushing fun by using an egg timer or brushing app to time 2 minutes.
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Reducing sugar in your child's diet
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Sugar hides in lots of snacks and drinks – and can cause tooth decay in children 😬
Lollipops and sweet drinks can be really damaging to teeth, because they cover them in sugar for long periods of time. The acid in drinks, like fruit juice and squash can also harm teeth as well.
The best drinks for young children are:
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Oral Health: Three top tips video
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Healthy teeth are an important part of your child’s overall health and well-being. They help your child eat and talk. It’s important to develop good dental habits as your child grows to avoid infection, disease, or other teeth problems. Katie, a dentist from Essex has three top tips to support parents in looking after their child's oral health.
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Kind regards,
Dr Sophia Morris
Dentist
NHS Mid and South Essex
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Did you know?
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You do not have to pay for NHS dental services if you're under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education. pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months. If you do not have a dentist you can visit the NHS.uk website and look for a dentist in your area who is accepting NHS patients.
Note: the availability changes on a regular basis. If you continue to have difficulty finding a dentist, you can call NHS England's Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233
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Did you find the information in this email useful?
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