Little ones should be enrolled with a dentist by the time they are one or two in case they are ever in need of emergency dentistry.
This is the opinion of Dr Robert Jacobs, who has been practising in the US since 1975 and who told the Lawrence Journal World that it is essential to start early when it comes to kids’ teeth.
As well as making sure they have their own dentist, he said parents need to get involved with brushing at home from the age of six to nine months, or whenever teeth emerge.
“You want to get bacterial plaque off the teeth twice a day,” the expert said.
Dr Jacobs recommended using non-flouride toothpastes for babies and very young children.
“When the child can spit out the toothpaste is when you can switch to fluoride toothpaste,” he added.
In August this year, a study by Oral Health America found that seven out of ten mothers and fathers remind their offspring daily about brushing their teeth in a bid to avoid emergency dentistry.
