Babies and toddlers

1. Breastfeeding is best for babies

• Your baby’s main food in the first 6 months of life is breastmilk or infant formula.
• Once your baby has finished feeding remove the baby from the breast or bottle.
• For support and advice about breastfeeding speak with your maternal and child health nurse.

2. Don’t put baby to sleep with a bottle

• When babies fall asleep with a bottle some milk stays in the mouth and on the teeth. This can cause tooth decay.
• Once your baby has finished feeding remove the baby from the breast or bottle.
• If your child has a night time feed remember to:
• • Always take them out of their cot to feed them.
  • Always hold them when feeding them with a bottle.
• Avoid leaving a baby to feed from a bottle without supervision.
• They may fall asleep with the bottle still in their mouth, increasing the risk of choking,
  ear infection and tooth decay.

3. From 6 months of age children can start to drink from a cup

• Between 6 and 12 months your baby can move from drinking from a bottle to a cup.
• Toddlers (1–3 years olds) should only drink from a cup.
• Remember that holding and drinking from a cup is a new skill that your baby needs to learn.

4. Water is the best drink for toddlers

• Water should be the main drink and toddlers should drink tap water throughout the day. In addition to this, plain cow’s milk is a healthy drink choice for children over 12 months.
• For babies under 12 months, tap water should be boiled and cooled before drinking.
• Most of Victoria’s tap water supply has fluoride in it. Fluoride protects teeth from decay.
• Remember that shop bought bottled water usually does not have fluoride in it.

5. Plain milk is a healthy drink choice

• Babies under 12 months should be drinking breastmilk or infant formula.
• Milk is a good source of calcium which makes teeth strong and healthy.
• Children over 12 months can drink plain full fat cow’s milk.
• After 2 years of age, low fat milk is suitable.
• Remember that flavoured milks can have added sugar in them and this can cause tooth decay.

6. Babies and toddlers don't need fruit juice or sweet drinks

• Fruit juice and sweet drinks can cause tooth decay.
• Fruit juice and fruit drinks are not necessary or recommended for children under 12 months.
• Fruit juice with ‘no added sugar’ contains natural sugar which can also cause tooth decay.
• Sweet drinks include: soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks, cordials, tea drinks, fruit drinks and energy drinks.
• Diet soft drinks contain acids which can also damage teeth.

7. Healthy meals and snacks are important for healthy teeth

• Children can begin to eat solid foods from around 6 months of age.
• Babies do not have a preference for sweetness and sweet foods and drinks. This is something that they get used to when they have sweet foods and drinks regularly.
• From 12 months of age children should be enjoying a wide variety of healthy foods similar to the rest of the family.
• Children learn about eating food from watching their parents and other family members.
• Many common foods and snacks have sugar in them. Eating foods with high levels of sugar causes tooth decay.

8. Start cleaning baby’s teeth when they appear (6 months)

• Cleaning and brushing teeth removes plaque (the build-up on teeth) that causes tooth decay.
• You can start cleaning your baby’s teeth by wiping with a soft cloth or brushing with a small soft toothbrush and water.
• At 18 months start using a pea sized amount of low-fluoride toothpaste to brush your child’s teeth. Encourage your child to spit out toothpaste after brushing, but not rinse.
• Clean all surfaces of the teeth and gums twice a day (after breakfast and before bed).
• Children will need an adult to help them brush their teeth until about 7 or 8 years of age.

How to clean your child's teeth guide>>

9. Children should have an oral health assessment by 2 years of age

• The first oral health assessment can be provided by a Dentist or other Oral Health Professional, Maternal and Child Health Nurse or Doctor.
• Having regular check-ups can help to spot problems early. Early stages of tooth decay can be treated.
• Find out more about free or low-cost public dental services available to children.

Who is eligible? >>
Find your nearest community dental clinic >>

10. Oral health is important for the whole family

• Babies are not born with the bacteria that causes tooth decay. Parents and carers can pass on this bacteria to babies. To help prevent this, families can do these things:
• • everyone brushes their teeth twice a day with their own toothbrush
  • everyone (including pregnant women) has a regular dental check-up and any tooth decay treated.
  • try to avoid putting anything in your baby’s mouth if it has been in your mouth (for example sharing spoons and ‘cleaning’ dummies by putting them in your mouth).