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Start cleaning your baby's teeth at least once a day as soon as you can see a tooth emerging. By starting early, your baby will become used to having his teeth cleaned and hopefully, you will avoid future problems with brushing.

Your baby's first tooth will most likely be a bottom front one, emerging at around six months to one year, with the one next to it following within two or three weeks. It's worth bearing in mind that, during this period of teething, your baby's gums will feel tender, so when brushing make sure you're not too vigorous.

Your baby will eventually have around 20 milk teeth, all of which should be through by the time he is three years old. It's a good idea to make teeth cleaning part of the morning and bedtime routine so that you don't forget to do it.

What is the correct way to clean my baby's teeth? 

Only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Brush your baby's teeth and gums thoroughly every day, going all round each tooth. You may find it easier to cradle your baby in your arms so that you can reach his teeth more easily.

You should use small, gentle circular movements concentrating on the area where the teeth and gums meet and cleaning one section at a time. Your dentist or dental hygienist will be happy to show you if you need more guidance.

It's a good idea to take your baby along with you when you have an appointment more or less from the word go. That way he will become familiar with the surgery environment.

NHS dental treatment is free to under 18s and your baby can be registered with a dentist from six months old. Some dentists will start checks then or when teeth start to come through (BDHF 2005a).

Some children will need to take extra fluoride in the form of supplements. However, the British Dental Health Foundation recommends that these are only ever taken on the advice and instruction of a dentist, as too much fluoride when the teeth are developing can actually damage the teeth causing a mottled effect on the enamel (BDHF 2005b).

This is why it's important to discourage children from swallowing toothpaste, and why children under six are recommended to use low fluoride toothpastes, as it can take a while for them to learn to spit out during teeth cleaning. If you live in an area where fluoride has been added to the water supply then your child won't need supplements.

If you are unsure whether your water is fluoridated, ask your dentist or phone your local water company. 

The main cause of tooth decay is not the amount of sugar in your baby's diet, but how often it is eaten or drunk throughout the day, so remember to keep sugary foods to mealtimes only. If you want to give your child a snack in-between meals then choose savoury options such as cheese, toast, breadsticks, sliced fruit and vegetables (BDHF 2005a). Read our ideas for tooth-friendly snacks for more information.

You should also:

• Only offer either breastmilk or formula milk or cooled, boiled water as drinks for your baby.

• Avoid acidic, sugary or fizzy drinks especially between meals, at bedtime or during the night as a comforter. Tooth decay can occur if a baby has long and frequent exposure to sugary drinks given in a bottle. Also check the packaging of "baby" or herbal drinks for other sugars, such as lactose, fructose and glucose, which are just as harmful to your baby's teeth as sucrose.

• Dilute fruit juice (one part juice to five parts water) from six months of age and serve at mealtimes, if you do want to introduce juice.

• Give your baby drinks from a beaker from around six months old.

• Provide your baby with a healthy, balanced diet. 

• The British Dental Health Foundation's dental helpline offers free dental advice. It also provides information on the following: Dental Care for Mother and Baby and Children's Teeth. Call them on 0845 063 1188 (local rate)

• For the name and address of NHS dentists near you, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

Reviewed April 2008