Free family guidance

Oral Health for Families

Simple oral health information based on UK guidance. It helps parents and carers care for children's teeth and mouths at home.

On this page

Simple prevention at home

This page explains everyday ways to care for children's teeth and mouths. It explains why each step matters and when to contact a dental professional.

Know Your Mouth

Learn what five parts of the mouth do and how to care for them. This section gives general information and cannot diagnose changes in your mouth.

Teeth
What is it?
Teeth are the hard parts of the mouth that bite and chew food.
What does it do?
Teeth break food into smaller pieces. The tongue and saliva then help prepare it for swallowing.
Why does it matter?
Clean tooth surfaces and age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste help prevent tooth decay.
What can I do?
Brush twice a day for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste. Help or supervise children until they can clean every surface well.

Sources: OH-UK-006, OH-UK-007, OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002

Gums
What is it?
Gums are the tissue around the teeth. They are also called gingivae.
What does it do?
They form a close seal around the teeth and are part of the tissues that support them.
Why does it matter?
Plaque that is not removed can irritate the gums.
What can I do?
Brush twice a day and clean carefully where the teeth meet the gums. Follow your dental team's advice about cleaning between the teeth.

Sources: OH-UK-006, OH-UK-002

Tongue
What is it?
The tongue is the part of the mouth that moves food around as you eat.
What does it do?
The tongue moves food between the teeth and mixes it with saliva. It then moves the food towards the back of the mouth for swallowing.
Why does it matter?
It works with the teeth and saliva to prepare food for swallowing.
What can I do?
Gently clean the tongue once a day. Do not scrub so hard that it bleeds.

Sources: OH-UK-007, OH-UK-010

Saliva
What is it?
Saliva is the liquid in your mouth. It is made by the salivary glands.
What does it do?
It helps with speech and swallowing, protects teeth and mouth tissues, and supports remineralisation—the natural replacement of minerals in teeth.
Why does it matter?
Saliva keeps the mouth moist. This helps with eating and speaking and helps protect the teeth.
What can I do?
Choose water instead of drinks containing free sugars where possible, and brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Sources: OH-UK-008, OH-UK-001, OH-UK-005

Roof of the mouth (palate)
What is it?
The roof of the mouth is called the palate. The hard palate is at the front. The soft palate is at the back.
What does it do?
It helps with eating and making speech sounds.
Why does it matter?
The palate helps separate the mouth from the nose and directs air when many speech sounds are made.
What can I do?
Use this section to learn where the palate is. It cannot tell you what a change in your mouth means.

Sources: OH-UK-009

Brushing and fluoride

Brush regularly and use the right amount of fluoride toothpaste for the child's age. This helps protect their teeth.

  • Brush for about 2 minutes twice a day: last thing before bed and at one other time.
  • For children up to age 3, use a smear of toothpaste with at least 1,000ppm fluoride. For ages 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount with 1,000 to 1,500ppm fluoride. From age 7, use 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride.
  • A parent or carer should brush younger children's teeth and help or supervise until the child can brush every surface well. Many children still benefit from supervision after age 7.
  • After brushing, encourage children to spit and not rinse with water. This leaves more fluoride on the teeth.

Sources: OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002

Food, drinks and tooth decay

Small, realistic changes to when sugary foods and drinks are offered can reduce how often teeth face an acid challenge.

  • Bacteria in dental plaque can turn sugars from food and drink into acid. Frequent sugary snacks or drinks mean repeated acid challenges for teeth.
  • Keep sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes where possible instead of offering them frequently between meals.
  • Choose water instead of drinks containing free sugars where possible.
  • Replace a sugary drink with water when you can. You could also offer sugary snacks less often.

Sources: OH-UK-005

When professional advice is needed

A dental professional can examine a child's mouth and decide what care, if any, is needed.

Routine or non-urgent dental advice

Contact a dentist for an examination and advice if a child has symptoms that persist, or if anything about their teeth, gums or mouth concerns you.

Sources: OH-UK-004

Urgent dental help

For dental or mouth pain, swelling, a dental injury or another urgent dental problem, contact a dentist or use NHS 111 for advice.

Sources: OH-UK-003

Emergency action

Call 999 or go to A&E for a serious facial or jaw injury, uncontrolled heavy bleeding from the mouth, or severe swelling that affects breathing.

Sources: OH-UK-003

  • This page does not check symptoms, diagnose conditions, recommend treatment for an individual or calculate dental risk.

Sources: OH-UK-003, OH-UK-004

Read NHS advice about urgent dental care (opens in a new tab)

Choose one small oral-health goal

Choose one action and a short time to try it. You can review the plan and adjust it in a way that works for you.

Your choices stay on this page only. They are not saved or sent anywhere.

1. Choose one small change
2. Choose how long you would like to try it

Choose a short period that feels manageable. You can adjust it later.

How this information is developed

We use recognised UK guidance and list the sources below. We keep a record of changes so the wording and evidence can be checked over time. This information cannot replace a dental examination, diagnosis or personal advice from a dental professional.

Related BiteToBalance resources are available in the Knowledge Pills library. You can also read more about BiteToBalance.

Content version
1.5.0
Last evidence check
16 August 2026
Author
BiteToBalance content team
Who this information is for
Families with children and young people aged 0 to 18 years
Topic
Preventive oral health
Clinical review status
Awaiting clinical review

Frequently asked questions

Brief answers to common questions about children's everyday oral health.

How often should children brush their teeth?

Children should brush twice a day for about 2 minutes: last thing before bed and on one other occasion.

Sources: OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002

Why is brushing before bed important?

Brushing before bed removes plaque. Children should spit without rinsing, so fluoride stays on the teeth. Saliva flow is much lower during sleep.

Sources: OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002, OH-UK-005

What does fluoride toothpaste do?

Fluoride toothpaste helps prevent and control tooth decay.

Sources: OH-UK-001

Should children rinse after brushing?

No. Encourage them to spit out the excess toothpaste without rinsing with water, so fluoride stays on the teeth for longer.

Sources: OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002

Why does the frequency of sugary snacks and drinks matter?

Each sugary snack or drink can lead to an acid challenge. Having them often gives teeth less time to recover, so keeping them to mealtimes where possible can help.

Sources: OH-UK-005

At what age should a parent help with brushing?

Parents or carers should brush young children's teeth and help as they learn. Many children can brush independently from around age 7, but they may still need watching or help to clean every surface well.

Sources: OH-UK-001, OH-UK-002

What should I do if I am worried about my child's teeth or mouth?

Contact a dentist for an examination and advice. For pain, swelling, injury or another urgent concern, contact a dentist or use NHS 111 to find the right service.

Sources: OH-UK-003, OH-UK-004

Does this website diagnose dental problems?

No. BiteToBalance provides general education only and cannot diagnose a condition or recommend individual treatment.

Sources

The UK sources below support the health information on this page. Each source has an ID so reviewers can check which source supports a statement.

  1. OH-UK-001

    Children's teeth (opens in a new tab)

    NHS

  2. OH-UK-002

    Delivering Better Oral Health: summary guidance tables for dental teams (opens in a new tab)

    Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England

  3. OH-UK-003

    How to find an emergency or urgent NHS dentist appointment (opens in a new tab)

    NHS

  4. OH-UK-004

    Tooth decay (opens in a new tab)

    NHS

  5. OH-UK-005

    Delivering Better Oral Health: chapter 10, healthier eating (opens in a new tab)

    Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England

  6. OH-UK-006

    The mouth (opens in a new tab)

    University of Leeds

  7. OH-UK-007

    The normal swallow (opens in a new tab)

    Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  8. OH-UK-008

    Considerations for artificial saliva products in dentistry (opens in a new tab)

    NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

  9. OH-UK-009

    How is the palate involved in speech? (opens in a new tab)

    Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  10. OH-UK-010

    Bad breath (opens in a new tab)

    NHS

What this information can and cannot do

This information is for general education. It cannot diagnose a dental condition or replace an examination, advice or treatment from a dentist or another qualified health professional.