Helping a scared child. It’s best to be positive and proactive from the start. “Some children come to the dentist for the first time when they’re older and have problems, and that causes fear and anxiety. If they come to us early and in a state of health, it’ll continue to be a positive experience,” says Marge Green, president of the American Dental Hygienists Association in Chicago. If your child seems apprehensive, tell him how careful the dentist and hygienist will be, and tell him he can tell the dentist if he’s feeling nervous. Avoid sentences like, “Don’t worry, the dentist won’t hurt you.” Instead, tell him exactly what the dentist will do. And again, encourage asking lots of questions beforehand.

How often to brush. Keep up with the twice a day brushing. Dr. Kowolik recommends after breakfast and before bed. And of course, more than twice a day is a bonus!

Sports mouth guards. Got a little Beckham in the family? You may want to invest in a sports mouth guard. “Once children have permanent teeth, at around eight years old, it’s never a bad idea to have kids to wear a mouth guard while in sports,” says Dr. Henson. “They help prevent severe oral injuries.” Look for guards in drugstore and sporting goods outlets.

A knocked -out tooth. If a tooth does go M.I.A., it’s important to find it and put it in a small glass of milk. If you don’t have milk, tap water will do, or better yet -- and if your child will do it -- rinse the tooth with milk and put it in his mouth between his lips and gums. “Milk has the minerals with the ideal pH for the tooth and it won’t dry out,” says Dr. Henson. But time is critical -- call your dentist as soon as it happens and get your child to an appointment right away. “Ideally, we’d like to get it back in the next 30 minutes,” says Dr. Henson.