HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Dental health in babies & children
Te ratonga niho mō ngā pēpi me hunga kāore
Your children's teeth are at risk of decay as soon as they appear. There are some important things you can do to look after your child's teeth.
Breastfeeding is the best thing for pēpi (babies) for health and their developing teeth. If you are using a bottle to feed, it should only contain formula for pēpi, expressed breast milk and water when they are a little older. Do not put any fruit juices or sweetened drinks in their bottle or sippy cup.
When your pēpi moves on to solids, avoid sugar as much as possible in their diet.
You should start brushing as soon as the first pēpi tooth comes through the gums. This usually happens around 6 months of age. Use a soft-headed brush that is small enough to fit into their mouth. You only need a small smear of a fluoride toothpaste.
Dental care for tamariki (children) is free in New Zealand up to 18 years of age. Make sure your tamaiti (child) is signed up with the community dental service so they can start having regular dental checks from an early age.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- KidsHealth – Healthy teeth
Pages about dental care for tamariki.
- Ministry of Health – It's easy to protect your family's smile
Information on how to care for your children's teeth and free dental care for tamariki and rangatahi (teenagers).
- New Zealand Dental Association
- Brushing for infants and toddlers
Brushing tips for parents of infants and toddlers.
- Brushing for children
Brushing tips for parents of tamariki.
- Diet for infants and toddlers
Tooth-friendly foods and drinks for infants and toddlers.
- Diet for children
Tooth-friendly foods and drinks for tamariki.
- Brushing for infants and toddlers
On the next page: Teething
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed March 2025.
Sources
Review key: HILAT-75077
