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Oral health for children and teenagers

Oral health resources to help you care for your child or teenager's teeth.

Your child's teeth and mouth

Your child’s teeth help them eat, speak and stay healthy – find out more about what they do.

Teeth

Teeth play an important role in eating, chewing and nutrition. They also help in forming sounds and speaking clearly.

Group of boys in school uniform smiling at camera

Teeth development in children

Between the ages of about 6 and 7 years, baby teeth start to fall out and the permanent teeth begin to come through.

Girl brushing teeth, looking in small mirror

Dental treatment

Everyone, including young children, should have regular dental visits for good oral health.

Looking after your child's teeth

There are lots of ways you can keep your child’s teeth healthy – learn more about teeth brushing, mouthguards and when to see the dentist.

Teeth and mouth care

Brush teeth twice a day – morning and night. By the time your child reaches school, they might be starting to clean their own teeth.

Girl smiles at camera with a banana in front of her mouth

Food and drink for healthy teeth

Find out what to eat and drink to support healthy teeth.

Mouthguards

A mouthguard, custom-fitted by a dentist, can reduce the risk of dental injuries.

Girl smiling and holding a Smile Squad drink bottle

Dental care - fluoride

Brushing with fluoride toothpaste and drinking fluoridated water helps to protect teeth against decay.

Two glasses of milk on a blue background

Calcium

Calcium is vital for healthy teeth and bones. It also plays a crucial role in other systems of the body, such as the health and functioning of nerves and muscle tissue.

Teeth and medication

Many prescription medications can affect the teeth and gums. Healthy teeth and gums depend on good oral hygiene, a diet low in added sugar, healthy saliva and regular visits to the dentist.

Prevention and treatment

Find out about the cause of tooth decay and how to prevent it, and how your child's dentist may fix worn, decayed or damaged teeth.

Dental sealants

Sealants are used to fill up the small grooves or fissures in your back teeth, keeping food and bacteria out and preventing decay.

Dental fillings

Dental fillings are used to repair worn, decayed or damaged teeth. They are made from substances which can ‘fill’ in parts of a damaged tooth and then be set hard.

Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are the molars (back teeth) that come through last and furthest back in your mouth, usually in your late teens or early 20s.

Oral health resources in your language

Learn more about dental health, the child dental benefit schedule and Smile Squad in community languages.

Oral health information and guides about services at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

Children's dental health advice on topics such as child dental benefit schedule, public dental service and emergency dental care.

The parent brochure explains the four simple steps you need to take to receive free high quality dental care for your child. It also provides more detailed information about Smile Squad.

Dental resources for children of all ages

Find age-related resources for your child - from toddlers to teenagers

Dental conditions

Dental erosion

Dental erosion occurs when the surface of your teeth is lost after touching acid.

Mouth ulcers

A mouth ulcer is the loss or erosion of the delicate lining tissue of the mouth (mucous membrane).

Tongue-tie

Tongue-tie can affect functions such as feeding and speaking. It can improve on its own by the age of two or three years.

Gum disease

Careful and regular cleaning of teeth, gums and dentures can help prevent gum disease.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding is involuntary clenching, grinding and gnashing of the teeth that usually happens during sleep.

Teeth - gapped teeth

Gaps between adult front teeth often close by themselves as more adult teeth come through.

Smile Squad - Victoria's free school dental program

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Reviewed on: 29-08-2024

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