Questions about children’s teeth and dental care?

Every child should see the dentist by age 1, or within six months after the first baby tooth erupts.

Bring your child to the dentist to have it evaluated. Adult teeth are supposed to grow into the space left empty by baby teeth. If the baby tooth has not moved out of the way yet, it can block the adult tooth from coming out or cause it to come out in the wrong place.

Yes! Any time teeth are close enough together to touch, they should be flossed. No matter how well you brush, the toothbrush cannot get into those spaces. Baby teeth (just like adult teeth) can get cavities in between them if they are not flossed regularly

Baby teeth are actually placeholders for adult teeth. They hold the space until the adult tooth underneath is done growing and is ready to come out. When baby teeth are lost prematurely, it can cause loss of space, which may make it difficult for the adult tooth to grow in properly.

At whatever age they can do a good job! A good rule of thumb is when a child can tie their own shoelaces, they are probably ready to brush on their own. But even when they brush by themselves, you should always check afterwards to see if they are doing a good job. If you see any fuzzy plaque on their teeth, help them by brushing for them.