About kids' teeth
Tips and advice for parents about children's teeth by
Anna Nilvéus Olofsson, specialist in pediatric dentistry.
If you have more questions about pediatric dental care,
you can send them to Anna >>
The milk teeth
The primary teeth or the milk teeth often start emerging around 8 months of age, but there are great individual differences. Usually, the front teeth in the lower jaw emerge first.
When the child is around 18 months the first molars start appearing, and by the age of 3, all milk teeth will usually be in place. In total, the child gets 20 milk teeth, 10 in each jaw.
The chart to the left shows how milk teeth normally emerge, but time and order can vary from child to child.
The permanent teeth
From around 6 to 13 years of age, the primary teeth are successively replaced by the next set of teeth, the 28 permanent or adult teeth. The first permanent molar emerges right behind the last milk tooth at the back of the mouth. It can be difficult to detect and clean, and the biting surface is irregular and extra sensitive to caries, so it is important to brush properly.
Brush from the very first tooth
Establishing good oral hygiene routines at a young age is the first step towards healthy teeth, the whole life through. Already when the first tooth emerges, it is time to start using a toothbrush.
Help the child to brush until the age of 10. A small child doesn’t have the manual skills to brush properly and can’t see the consequences of careless brushing. An older child may have to brush under your supervision.
Try to create a positive atmosphere around the brushing routine. It does not necessarily need to take place in the bathroom. You could just as well brush in bed or on the changing table (let the child lie on its back with the head nearest to you).
A little older child may sit in your lap, leaning the head on your arm. While brushing, use your finger to hold out the cheek to see and reach better.
When brushing is difficult
All children sometimes refuse to brush their teeth. Try not to give up. Perhaps it is better to brush right after supper, when the child isn’t so tired yet, instead of waiting until bed time. Use your imagination – make up a tooth story or song, or fight caries with the toothbrush, just like our cool character Twizz.
The TePe toothbrushes are available in several colours with pretty illustrations. Let the child choose his or her own toothbrush, to make toothbrushing a little more fun!
Always brush before bedtime
Let the teeth rest between mealtimes. If your child takes medicine orally, always rinse with water afterwards. A good rule is to always go to bed with clean teeth. If the child often falls asleep before you get to brush, brush while the child is sleeping.
How to brush your kid’s teeth
- Brush twice a day, in the morning and at night before bedtime.
- Choose a toothbrush with a small brush head and gentle filaments. The handle
should fit a small child’s hand, but also the adult helping the child to brush.
- Apply a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, the size of the child’s little finger
nail, to the toothbrush.
- Brush the inside, the outside and biting surfaces of the teeth.
Always brush in the same order, to make sure no tooth surface is forgotten.
- Place the filaments along the teeth and gum line in a 45° angle.
Brush with a slight pressure using small, circular movements.
It is important to clean the gum line area, where bacteria easily build up.
Information leaflet
Download our folder "Dental care in children" (PDF)
