Childsmile

Recommendations

Reduce the amount and especially the frequency of food and drinks containing sugar. Try to keep food and drink containing sugar as part of a meal. Snack on healthier options: toast, fruit, veg sticks or a sandwich.

Brush teeth and gums twice every day with a fluoride toothpaste. Brush in the morning and last thing at night. Older children and adults should use around 1450ppm fluoride toothpaste, younger children 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste. Older children and adults should include daily flossing with their toothbrushing routine.

Spit don’t rinse. Try not to rinse after brushing and let your toothpaste help keep teeth strong.

Register with a dental practice and attend regularly.

Advice by age 

See more information for parents and carers at Childsmile for:

• babies: birth to 3 years old
• 3 to 5 year olds
• 5 to 12 year olds

Latest Childsmile news

August 2025: As the new school year begins, a big thank you to all nursery and school staff, and to all parents, carers and children taking part in the Childsmile Daily Supervised Toothbrushing programme across Scotland. Daily Supervised Toothbrushing has driven improvements in child oral health over the last 20 years.

The percentage of Primary 1 children with no tooth decay in Scotland has risen from 45% in 2003 to 73% in 2024.

Our new research shows that Childsmile Daily Supervised Toothbrushing may also reduce school absences in P1 children. Preventing dental decay reduces tooth extractions in hospitals, which are linked to 6+ extra school absences.

Thank you and please keep up the Childsmile Daily Supervised Toothbrushing. Not only can this reduce tooth decay in Scotland’s children, it can contribute to reducing school absences.

Read this information as a pdf document (August 2025).