The Dental Health Foundation - Information & Support

From 0 until 2 years old

• You can start to clean a baby's teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.



• As more teeth begin to appear, brush the child's teeth with a soft toothbrush and water.



• Do Not Use Toothpaste.



• It may be difficult at first but a baby will become used to this routine. Cleaning a baby's teeth is very important to help protect against tooth decay.

To download the poster in English click here.

To download the poster in Irish click here.

From 2 until 7 years old

• You can start to use toothpaste, but only use a small pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.



• Supervise brushing twice a day, in the morning and in the night just before bedtime.



• Children under seven years are not able to brush their own teeth properly, they need help from an adult, the same way they need help shampooing their hair and tying their shoelaces.



• Remember children should never eat or swallow toothpaste. Make sure a child never manages to eat toothpaste from the tube.



• It takes three minutes to brush teeth properly (about the length of a song)

To download the poster in English click here.

To download the poster in Irish click here.