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Parents often have questions about how to take care of their children's teeth. When should you start brushing? What kind of toothpaste is best? When should you go to the dentist? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you keep your kids' teeth healthy and cavity free.

You should start cleaning your infant's teeth as soon as he gets his first tooth. At first, you can just use a wash cloth to clean your infant's teeth. As he gets more, you can use a soft children's toothbrush.

Because there is some danger if your child gets too much fluoride, your choice of toothpaste is important. Keep in mind that most brands of kids' toothpaste are fluoridated. They just have different flavors and popular characters on them to make them more fun for children, but that doesn't make it safe for your children to swallow too much of the toothpaste.

If using fluoride toothpaste, use a small, pea-size amount of toothpaste, so that there is little danger of your child getting too much fluoride if he swallows it. And begin to encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste at a young age (between 4-5 years).

The other alternative for younger children is to use non-fluoridated toothpaste, until they are spitting the toothpaste out. The first visit to the dentist should be by around the third birthday.

However, an early visit to the dentist is a good way to learn proper oral hygiene at an early age, including avoiding nighttime bottles or cups of formula or juice, proper tooth brushing, and a diet that promotes good dental health.

Another important topic is figuring out if your child is getting enough fluoride. Children begin to need supplemental fluoride by the age of six months. If he is drinking tap water (either alone, or mixed with formula or 100% fruit juice), and you live in an area with the water is fluoridated, then he should be getting an adequate amount of fluoride. If he doesn't drink water, or is drinking well water, unfluoridated bottled water (most brands of bottled water don't have fluoride in them unless the label specifically states that they do), or filtered water, then he may not be getting enough fluoride to keep his teeth healthy. Talk with your dentist about fluoride supplements

The sealant is a plastic material that is applied to the teeth, hardens, and provides a barrier against plaque and other harmful substances. Sealants can be applied to the 1st and 2nd permanent molars to help protect the grooves and pits of these teeth that can be hard to clean and are prone to developing cavities, and appropriate premolars as soon as possible after they erupt (usually after 6 years of age).

In addition to teaching your children the importance of regular brushing and flossing, routine visits to the dentist and a healthy diet, it is important that you set a good example by also practicing good dental hygiene. If you do not brush and floss each day or regularly see a dentist, then it is unlikely that your children will either.