In our daily work, we often encounter children who come to the dentistry center of Guangzhou Women’s and Children’s Medical Center because they have a mouth full of “rotten teeth”. Through the communication with parents in the process of consultation, we found that some parents still lack the awareness of prevention of “tooth decay” of their children, and some parents even told us that their children have not brushed their teeth since their teeth grew. It must be said that children are prone to caries, on the one hand, it is related to children’s dietary habits and the structural characteristics of milk teeth, on the other hand, it has a great relationship with parents’ lack of awareness and guidance on children’s caries prevention. It is very necessary to take proper and effective family oral health care for each age group. Fetal period 1. Before birth, parents are advised to make oral health care plan for their future children. Discussing gingivitis during pregnancy, oral health care and newborn oral health care with the mother during pregnancy is very beneficial for the parents-to-be. 2.Before preparing for pregnancy, you should go to dentistry for a comprehensive oral examination to solve the problems that exist in the mouth and lay a good foundation for oral care during pregnancy. Infancy 0-1 years Cleaning and massaging the gums before the eruption of milk teeth will help establish a healthy oral ecology and help teeth erupt. This means that parents wrap moist gauze around their fingers and gently clean the child’s teeth and massage the gum tissue. The easiest way to do this is for the parent to hold the child halfway on their chest, with one hand holding the child in place and the other hand cleaning once a day. It is not necessary to use toothpaste, and it is not advocated. However, a new, fluoride-free tooth and gum cleaner can be used. The child’s first visit to the dental clinic is best scheduled when the first tooth erupts (at approximately 6 months of age) and at the latest before the child is 1 year old. This examination can provide a detailed understanding of the child’s oral condition, as well as familiarize the child with the oral treatment environment and reduce dental fears, while providing parents with more oral maintenance advice, especially if the parents themselves are caries-prone, and the baby needs “key protection”. Early Childhood 1-3 years old From the beginning of the baby’s teeth eruption, you should start brushing, about 3 years old (with normal rinsing ability) before you can use fluoride toothpaste to prevent swallowing. The amount of toothpaste should be the size of a pea each time. This stage is to be done by parents. Brushing position: 1. Knee-to-knee approach: One parent fixes the child’s body while the other parent sits opposite and brushes the teeth (as shown below), trying to encourage the child during the process. 2. Single way: The parent sits on the floor with both legs stretched forward, the child is fixed between the legs, the head is between the parent’s thighs, and the arms and legs are fixed by the parent’s lower legs. At the same time, you can start teaching your baby to brush their teeth and let them take a toothbrush without toothpaste for imitation. By taking care of your baby’s oral health, you can help them prevent dental caries and especially be able to stop the occurrence of baby bottle caries (early childhood caries). Knee-to-knee way of this stage is a caries-prone period for babies and brushing is a must. At the same time, 1-year-old babies should quit night milk, quit bottle, get used to using water cups and spoons, and eat less frequently. Most importantly, you must brush your baby’s teeth before going to bed, you must brush your baby’s teeth, you must brush your baby’s teeth! Parents must help their children brush their teeth, and the surface of the teeth after brushing should be smooth and free of any food residue. Preschool 3-6 years old During this period, the child’s brushing ability is greatly improved, but still needs parental supervision to ensure the effect, it is recommended to start using dental floss to remove the inclusions between the two teeth. Posture: Parent stands behind the child, head facing the same direction, child’s head rests on parent’s non-dominant arm, and parent’s other hand helps child brush teeth. For children prone to caries, fluoride gel and fluoride mouthwash can be used with guidance. The child’s ability to brush is greatly improved during this period, but parental supervision is still needed to ensure effectiveness, and it is recommended to start flossing to remove any inclusions between the teeth. School age 6-12 years old Parental responsibility becomes supervision and should ensure time and quality of brushing. Plaque stains can be used after brushing to help the child objectively understand the importance of brushing. Fluoride toothpaste is a must at this age and flossing can be increased in frequency. Parents need to pay close attention to their children’s oral health. This is a time when children are active and may cause trauma to their teeth. This is also the period of tooth replacement and it is recommended to come to the dentist for checkups at 3 months. Adolescent period 12-18 years old Adolescents have a rebellious mentality and cannot realize the importance of oral hygiene, so it is important to develop the ability to consciously perform oral health care. Bad eating habits and hormonal changes during adolescence also increase the risk of caries and gum inflammation in adolescents. Cultivate responsibility and parents should continue to supervise and guide tooth brushing while accepting changes in their child’s personality. Regular oral examination is even more necessary! During this period, the child has basically finished tooth replacement, and the occlusal relationship is something that needs close attention during this period. The newly grown enamel is not fully developed and the roots are not fully developed, so it is recommended to come to the dentist for a checkup in 3 months to remove plaque as well as to check the occlusal relationship in time, which can reduce the risk of caries and establish a normal occlusion.