Why the bedtime brush matters more than the morning one
Saliva almost stops while children sleep. That makes the last brush of the day the one that protects most.
If your family can only win one brushing battle a day, make it the one at bedtime.
Saliva is the mouth's night guard - and it goes off duty
During the day, saliva constantly rinses away food and neutralises the acid that cavity germs make from sugar. When children fall asleep, saliva flow drops sharply. Anything left on the teeth sits there for eight to ten hours with very little protection.
A thorough brush with fluoride toothpaste just before bed removes most of the plaque and leaves a thin layer of fluoride on the enamel for the night.
Spit, don't rinse. Rinsing with water washes away the fluoride you just put there.
Make it the last thing, not nearly the last thing
- Brush after the final milk feed, story-time snack or bedtime biscuit - not before it.
- After the brush, only water.
- Same time, same place, same order every night. Predictability does most of the work.
Grown-ups finish the job
Most children do not have the hand control to clean the back teeth well until around age 7 or 8. Let them start; you finish. A quick "check brush" of the back molars and the gumline is enough.
Make brushing predictable at home
A brushing calendar, a 2-minute spell timer, streaks and awards for kids — free, no sign-up.
General information for healthy children. It does not replace an examination by a dentist.