Making Toothbrushing Part of Your Child's Bedtime Routine
A regular bedtime routine helps your child know what to expect at the end of the day. Brushing your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste is an important part of the routine.
Oral Health
Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease, but it's preventable. Children with dental pain can have trouble speaking clearly, eating, and learning. Resources in this collection cover the health of the mouth including the teeth, gums, and oral-facial system that allows us to smile, speak, and chew.
These resources highlight some of the most common diseases that affect oral health, including tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer.
Helping Children Stop Using a Pacifier
Long term use of pacifiers can affect your child’s bite and the growth of the jaws and bones that support their teeth. If your child shows no interest in giving up their pacifier by 18 months, they may need help to stop.
Getting Oral Health Treatment Is Important!
If your child’s dentist finds tooth decay and recommends a follow-up dental visit for treatment, it’s important for your child to get care. Receiving follow-up treatment is key to keeping your child healthy.
Visiting the Dentist by Age 1
A dental visit by age 1 is key for building a lifetime of good oral health. Tooth decay can be prevented or managed with early dental visits and with good oral hygiene.
Brush Up on Oral Health
These Brush Up on Oral Health tip sheets provide information on current practices and practical strategies to promote good oral health for pregnant women, children, and their families – both in the classroom and at home.
Improving Oral Health for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Children and Their Families
Learn how partnerships can increase access to oral health services for children in Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. Find information about oral health care, financing oral health care, and planning ahead.
Using Culturally Responsive Practices to Promote Oral Health
Explore culturally responsive practices and how staff can help parents promote their children’s oral health.
Improving Oral Health Literacy
Explore oral health literacy, why it is important, and what Head Start staff can do to improve it.
Using Pacifiers Safely
Find out how some oral habits may be harmful to children’s teeth and mouths. Explore tips staff can share with parents about using a pacifier safely and weaning their child from a pacifier.
Health Literacy, Language, and Culture
Learn how to support pregnant women and parents in obtaining, processing, and understanding information to make appropriate oral health decisions, taking into account families’ language and culture.