Baby Teeth Matter

Healthy baby teeth matter for your child's well being and development. Baby teeth are important for:

Helping your child to speak and eat properly
Creating space for adult teeth
Guiding adult teeth into position
Helping your child socialise and gain self-confidence

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is a preventable disease. How much and how often children consume foods and sugary drinks can contribute to tooth decay.

Dental plaque is the soft sticky substance that forms on teeth. Plaque contains millions of bacteria that feed on the sugars in foods, producing acid. The more often children eat sweet foods and drinks the longer teeth are bathed in acid. This acid dissolves tooth enamel and overtime this may lead to tooth decay. Saliva can help minimise the impact of acid on teeth by removing food and acid from the mouth, bringing the mouth back to a healthy safe environment. To give saliva a chance to work it is important to ‘rest’ teeth after eating and drinking.

Check Your Child's Teeth For Tooth Decay

Lift your child's lip every month and check for any changes to their teeth. Tooth decay often occurs near the gum line and presents as white shiney spots or brown patches. The New Zealand Dental Association provides guidance for parents on how to Lift The Lip in their resource "It's easy to protect your families smile". This resource is available in a variety of languages from the NZDA website . If you do notice any changes to your child's teeth contact your local Community Oral Health Service or family dentist.

It's easy to protect your families smile Maori Samoan Tongan Arabic English Mandarin

Baby Teeth Matter