title: Teaching parents to look after children's teeth.
abstract: Children's toothpastes with fluoride help to prevent decay, but parents should ask their dentist before giving fluoride supplements to children. Overdosage is harmful. Sugars eaten as part of a meal do less harm to teeth than those eaten frequently as snacks. Sugar-free infant drinks and children's confectionery are now on the market and are more "tooth friendly". Look out for the "happy tooth" symbol. Babies can be registered with NHS dentists as soon as the first teeth start to come through, and should be taken regularly to the dentist throughout childhood. Under the NHS scheme, dentists are paid a capitation fee to provide continuing preventive care and treatment for children free of charge.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lloyd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*