An element of tooth protection, plaque removal, should start as early as possible. Initially clean around the incisor teeth with a cotton wool bud or a small baby’s toothbrush, with only a tiny smidgen of toothpaste. But as the baby develops hand-to-eye coordination it is a good idea to give it a small toothbrush to play with at bath time, providing always that you also clean the teeth properly. Do remember to clean both the inside and outside of the teeth. An adult cleaning a child’s teeth at night is not an optional task. Like cleaning the face it has to be done, and is best accomplished by standing behind the small child, in the way that the dentist works from behind you in the surgery.

Using a fluoride toothpaste is always a good idea, providing it is only a smear until the child is capable of spitting it out rather than swallowing it. There have been cases of small children swallowing too much, and getting fluoridized mottled teeth. Always keep tooth-paste out of the reach of children, as they have a habit of eating it given half a chance. By the age of 6 or 7 most children should be able to clean their teeth adequately, even if the results still have to be checked by adults.

Fluoride can enter the tooth in two other ways. It occurs naturally in the water in some places in the UK, where it has been known to create the mottled teeth referred to above. It can also be added to the public water supply, as it has been in the West Midlands. Fluoride can also be administered personally in the form of tablets or drops. The tablets, which have pleasant flavours, are either crunched or allowed to dissolve, the drops are added to water. Children should not use either of these if they are also using fluoride toothpaste – it must be one or the other.

Although these fluoride additives not only protect teeth against decay but also repair very slightly decayed areas of tooth, they should only be used after consultation with your dentist or doctor. And you must always check on the local water supply to find the level of fluoride before embarking on a personal dosage course. You should not use them if the water contains more than 5 parts fluoride per million. And, if the family drinks a considerable amount of bottled water, the contents ought to be scrutinized for fluoride levels as well. In any event the drops should not be used until the baby is over 6 months old, and the tablets delayed until the child is over 2 years old, and again neither of them should be used if the child is already using fluoride toothpaste.

Fillings are the most common kind of repair work done on teeth that have cavities. The procedure is very simple. The dentist cleans out the cavity thoroughly and then fills up the cleaned cavity with a special filling material. This filling material, which could be porcelain, amalgam, composite resin or gold, seals the cavity through which the bacteria could enter the teeth, thus preventing any further decay of the tooth.

There is no one material that could be considered as the best one to be used as filling. Several factors need to be considered including the shape of the tooth, the reaction that you could possibly have to the chosen material, the location of the cavity and the extent of damage that needs to be fixed.

Gold fillings are considered to be the best, but this is an extremely expensive option as well. Gold fillings provide a good fit with the gums, are very durable and will last for a long time but they require a lot of visits to the dentist to complete this procedure.

Silver fillings are a cheaper alternative to gold and are also quite resistant. Silver fillings are darker in color and more easily noticeable than porcelain or composite fillings. Silver is definitely not the material of choice to fill up cavities in teeth that are highly visible such as the front teeth.

Composite fillings are very popular as they can be specially mixed to match the exact color and shade of your teeth. After mixing the composite material, it is directly placed in the cavity and left to harden. Composite fillings are long lasting but are not recommended for use in larger sized cavities.

Porcelain fillings have a very high resistance to staining of any type and can be made to match the exact color of your teeth. Porcelain fillings are a very high-priced option and could work out to be as expensive as fillings made of gold.

After doing a thorough check-up of your teeth, if the dentist decides that a filling needs to be done, he will discuss the various options available to you, depending on the location and size of the cavity to be filled. While deciding which one to choose of the available options, you need to take into consideration your budget as well as your insurance if you have one.