Dental Care for Children
Good dental care is an essential part of healthy living for everyone, but our kids' dental care depends so much on parents and guardians, as well as their Dentist. The foundation of good dental care is prevention.
When to start?
Early visits
Starting right from the beginning, when baby’s first teeth appear, this is when we would like to first see your child. Early visits to the Dentist also get kids used to having their teeth checked, avoiding the stress of introducing clinical care when they are older, when they might be a lot more resistant to the idea.
Preparing your childs first visit
When preparing your child for a visit, especially the first time, keep things simple.
- Try not to include too many details or big words that may cause unnecessary anxiety.
- Keep a positive attitude, and use positive phrases to make the visit seem fun, not scary.
- Tell your child that the Dentist is going to check their smile and count their teeth.
- Play pretend with your child, and let them be the dentist AND the patient – all you’ll need is a toothbrush, a stuffed toy or doll, and even a mirror – make it fun!
- It’s very normal for a young child to cry or wiggle about, and not want to be examined by a stranger, so don’t worry.
- After the visit is over, praise your child for their good behaviour and bravery.
Identifying problems early
Kid’s dental care requires special skills and experience, and at Darling Dental our trained, highly experienced team will be able to assist with all of your kids’ dentistry needs. If your child has had the following symptoms or habits, we invite you to discuss the possible causes and treatments available with your Dentist:
- Crooked teeth, or teeth not meeting in the front
- Teeth grinding, worn down teeth or headaches
- Snoring, breathing problems or recurring ear infections
- Thumb sucking or using a pacifier or dummy
Proper brushing is essential to maintaining great oral health
We should teach our kids good technique, and make brushing a family affair. Young children, who do not yet have good coordination, need your help with brushing.
Brushing should be done first thing in the morning and at bedtime, and only requires a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Teach them to brush along the gum line and all surfaces using a small circular motion, and build the teeth-brushing time up to the recommended two minutes.
Whilst brushing and a good diet are most important for your child’s dental health, we do recommend flossing for children who continue to get decay after preventative measures have not worked, but if there are spaces in between your child’s teeth, there is no need to floss until they get their adult teeth.
The growth, development and health of our children are known to be directly linked to their dental health, so it is essential to be alert right from the time baby’s first tooth appears, and it is important to take your children to the Dentist for regular check-ups. Regular visits can prevent tooth decay or catch problems in their early stages so early intervention can take place.
