Teaching our children to brush their teeth well is vital. When the child has Down's syndrome, this is even more important because s/he could still be using milk teeth years into adult life. (Irregular dentition and absence of some second teeth are common).

In addition, the shape of the mouth makes it more tricky to fit dentures. A suggestion in Radio Times last October could help. Hold the bristles against the teeth and brush in the direction of growth while saying: "Up like a rocket, down like the rain, back and forth like a choo-choo train". Our children often learn well if there are simple words to emphasise the task.

It could be advisable to remind the child they are only trying to remove soft food not the surface of the teeth - encourage gentle brushing!