Good oral health is essential to total health and well-being at any age! You can help your child reduce the risks of dental decay by helping them with their oral hygiene care.

Here are a few quick tips!

From the moment your baby is born, you should wipe their gums after every feeding. Once the first tooth appears, clean your baby’s teeth with a small, soft toothbrush and use floss to clean between teeth that are touching.

You should continue to assist even young children to brush their teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and to clean between their teeth until they have the dexterity to do it properly on their own.

Remind your teenagers that brushing their teeth only takes two minutes twice a day, followed by oral rinsing and cleaning in between the teeth.

Here’s some fun Apps your child can try-out:

• Disney Magic Timer by Oral-B
• Toothsavers Brushing Game
• Champer Chums
• Brush DJ

And, of course, children of all ages should be encouraged to make healthy food and beverage choices, avoiding sugary snacks and carbonated drinks in particular.

With regular visits to a dental hygienist beginning at age one, your guidance will give your children and teens something to smile about!

Why should your child have their first dental exam at age one?

Because early childhood caries (ECC) are very insidious. In fact, they can start at a very early age and progress rapidly. ECC is one of the most widespread chronic diseases and is the major reason why children receive general anaesthesia. The consequences associated with ECC are far from being harmless on the generl health and well-being of your child:

• Problems with mastication and difficulty eating properly.
• Problems with growth, language and self-esteem.
• Problems related to lack of sleep, pain or infections such as dental abscesses.

RAMQ Dental Care Coverage

Certain services provided by dentists and denturists are paid for by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec. Children under the age of 10 can receive the following services free of charge (some in dental clinics, others in hospitals and certain services in both places):

• Annual examination and emergency examination
• X-rays
• Local or general anesthesia
• Grey amalgam fillings on the premolar and molar teeth
• Fillings using esthetic materials in certain cases
• Tooth and root extractions
• Endodontics, including root canal treatment, apexification, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, emergency opening of the pulp chamber and sedative dressings
• N.B.: Pulpotomy and pulpectomy are covered only for the primary teeth. For the permanent teeth, pulpotomy is covered only under general anesthesia
• Prefabricated crowns
• The oral surgery services covered for all

The costs related to cleaning and applying fluoride are not covered by the Régie for children under age 10.

For more detailed information, please visit the RAMQ Dental Services webpage.