Children's Dentistry
Your children's teeth
It's never too early to bring your child to the dentist. In fact it's a good idea to get them used to the dental surgery by bringing them along to your own examination appointment.
Younger children really benefit from watching their parents and siblings being examined in the dental chair, and usually even enjoy the six-monthly family trip to the dentist!
A child's 'baby teeth' will first appear sometime around six to nine months, and are usually all through by the time they are two and a half.
You can start brushing your child's teeth as soon as they appear using a suitable child's brush and toothpaste. Babies often enjoy having their teeth brushed (although usually end up chewing the toothbrush!)
At around six years of age the first adult molars begin to erupt. At this stage an adult toothpaste should be used as it contains more fluoride and offers higher protection from tooth decay. (A pea sized amount is all that is required).
Preventing problems
It is best to restrict sugary snacks and drinks to mealtimes. Snacking or 'grazing' will cause more decay than eating all your sweets at once after lunch!
The saliva in our mouths helps prevent tooth decay. At night we have very little saliva, which is why sugary drinks taken at night can cause such bad tooth decay. Drinks that cause decay include milk and fruit juices, both of which have naturally occurring sugars which will cause dramatic tooth decay.
Try to encourage your child to take a glass of water to bed instead
Children should be encouraged to brush their teeth morning and night with a fluoride toothpaste. Below the age of six years old, a special children's toothpaste is recommended, but after this age a pea sized amount of adult fluoride toothpaste offers the best protection for your child's teeth.
Children's dentistry can be provided on the National Health Service and enables your children to feel relaxed and at ease.
Bring your child to the dentist for regular six-monthly check ups.
