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Have good oral hygiene

Good oral hygiene helps keep your mouth and teeth healthy.

  • Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for 2 minutes at least twice a day. Ideally, you should brush your teeth after every meal and before going to bed.
  • Brush your tongue to remove decomposing food particles that cause bad breath.
  • Do not rinse your mouth after brushing. This will allow the fluoride in the toothpaste to continue to protect your teeth.
  • Floss once a day, ideally before going to bed. Dental floss helps remove plaque between teeth in places your toothbrush cannot reach.
  • If you cannot brush your teeth after eating something sweet, rinse your mouth with water. You can also eat a piece of cheese or chew gum. Choose sugarless chewing gum with xylitol, which is a natural sugar that does not cause cavities. Chewing gum helps protect teeth against cavities by increasing saliva in your mouth.

Oral hygiene for babies and children

Until around age 6, children do not always have the manual dexterity needed to brush their teeth well by themselves. That’s why it’s important to:

  • use the right amount of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush;
  • supervise your child when he brushes his teeth;
  • finish the brushing for him, if necessary.

Also, to reduce the risk of passing on bacteria that can cause tooth decay, avoid sharing toothbrushes.

Babies from 0 to 6 months of age

  • Clean your baby’s mouth at least twice a day, ideally after a bottle or after nursing. Massage his gums gently with a clean, damp washcloth.
  • Rinse the washcloth after each use and keep it especially for taking care of your baby’s mouth.
  • Do not use toothpaste if your baby does not have teeth.

Children from 6 months to under 3 years of age

  • Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as he gets his first tooth.
  • Brush his teeth at least twice a day, ideally after a bottle, after nursing or after eating.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste. Use an amount the size of a grain of rice.
  • Show your child how to spit out any extra toothpaste after brushing his teeth. Ask your child not to rinse his mouth after brushing. This way, the fluoride in the toothpaste will continue to protect his teeth.
  • Gently brush his tongue.

Children from 3 to 6 years of age

  • Brush your child’s teeth for 2 minutes at least twice a day, especially before going to bed and ideally after every meal.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste. Use a pea-sized amount.
  • Show your child how to spit out any extra toothpaste after brushing his teeth. Ask your child not to rinse his mouth after brushing. This way, the fluoride in the toothpaste will continue to protect his teeth.
  • Teach your child how to brush his tongue.
  • Help your child floss every day.

Children over 6 years of age

  • Make sure your child brushes his teeth for 2 minutes at least twice a day. Tell him it is especially important to do it before going to bed and ideally after every meal.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste. Put around 0.5 to 1 cm of toothpaste on the toothbrush.
  • Make sure your child spits out any extra toothpaste and that he does not rinse his mouth after brushing his teeth. This way, the fluoride in the toothpaste will continue to protect his teeth.
  • Encourage your child to brush his tongue and floss every day.

Last update: July 16, 2018

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