Dental Health and Dentist Visits

Brushing is one of the main ways parents can keep a child’s teeth healthy. Caregivers should brush a child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice each day to help prevent tooth decay (cavities). Begin brushing as soon as the child’s first tooth begins to show. This two-page PDF parent handout with visuals is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Haitian Creole, Somali, and Vietnamese.

Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States. This article explains the risk factors for cavities and gives tips on what parents and caregivers can do to care for babies’ and children’s oral health.

This page provides links to lesson plans and activity sheets intended to help start building good oral health habits in children.

The best way to protect your child’s teeth is to teach them good dental habits. This article focuses on the important dental habits of toothbrushing, reducing sugar, and regular dental checkups.

Tooth decay (dental caries) is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in the United States. The good news is there are ways to prevent it. This article explains what parents need to know to keep their child’s teeth healthy.

Just as with any new experience, it’s helpful to prepare children for what to expect when they visit the dentist. This article gives parents simple steps to take before going to the dentist and while at the dentist’s office. The article offers information about why a child might be frightened or fussy at the dentist and what to do after visiting the dentist. A PDF handout is available.

Teaching children and parents about oral health throughout the year is a valuable service that educators provide. Repeating messages reminds children and parents about the importance of keeping their mouth healthy and how to do it. This tip sheet provides strategies that staff can use to promote good oral health among children and parents.

The best way to treat tooth decay is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Help children and their caregivers understand the importance of good oral health habits! Multilingual educational materials are available for download at no cost and include: activity sheets for kids, educational handouts for children and their parents, and resources for large group instruction.

Children sometimes get nervous about their first few dental visits. Going to the dental office or clinic is a new and unfamiliar experience for them. For young children who are not used to oral health care, having their teeth and mouths examined can feel intrusive. What young children hear about dental visits affects what they think an upcoming visit will be like. This article gives tips for educators and parents on how to talk about dental visits appropriately with young children.

Each child has different skills and needs that can guide parents in helping them brush. This article gives tips to help young children practice brushing and make it a good experience.

Babies hit new milestones every day, and their first dental visit is another one to include in the baby book! This article includes a short video, as well as information for parents about how to prepare for the dentist visit, what to expect, and some tips for a great visit.