Children’s Dentistry
Your child’s baby teeth are as important as adult teeth as they-
- Allow your child to chew and speak properly
- Reserve the correct space in the gums for the eruption of adult teeth
- Help and guide permanent teeth to erupt in the right position
Therefore it is of paramount importance to prevent or treat the decay or caries in baby teeth which is also known as Early Childhood Caries (ECC)
Tips to prevent ECC
- Clean your child’s teeth before bedtime
- Offer a bottle of plain water or a dummy if your child likes to suck on something while settling to sleep. Do not dip a dummy in any sweet syrups such as honey or jams, or similar
- Phase out bottle-feeding by the age of about 12 months and encourage to drink from a cup
- Encourage your child to drink water. Fruit juice contains a lot of sugar, so limit it to one-half cup per day, preferably diluted and give it at meal times only. Do not let the baby sip juice all day, as this can cause severe decay
- Your child’s first visit to a dentist should be around their first birthday. Thereafter have a check-up according to your dentist’s recommendation, which is typically every six to twelve months. Children who have regular check-ups have fewer dental problems and are less likely to be afraid of dental treatments
- Breastfeeding is always encouraged as the best form of nutrition for babies. However, parents should be aware of risks to the baby’s teeth if breastfeeding is especially frequent and on-demand after 12 months. To prevent “nursing caries”, space out the feeds so the baby’s mouth is not constantly bathed in breast milk. Wipe or brush the baby’s teeth twice a day
- Oral hygiene starts at birth. Gently wipe your baby’s gums with a warm, moistened face washer after every feed. Once the baby teeth start to erupt, you may switch to a babies’ toothbrush with a small head and soft, rounded bristles. Brush the teeth with plain water twice a day
- Keep a set of spoons for your baby’s use only as sharing spoons or tasting baby’s food with the same spoon can transfer decay-causing bacteria from your mouth to your child.
- Children tend to imitate their parent’s behaviors. If oral hygiene, good nutrition and dental care are important to you, they will be important to your child. Talk to your child about the importance of healthy teeth. A child who understands that adult teeth have to last a lifetime is more likely to take care of them
- Set a timer for at least two minutes. Most children brush for a minute or less, which is not long enough to remove plaque
- While watching your child brush, point out any missed areas. Children usually forget to brush molars and the inner tooth surfaces where the tongue sits so teach your child to brush their teeth in a particular order to ensure they are cleaning all tooth surfaces. We suggest always starting and ending at the same place every time so it becomes a habit
- Brushing of the tongue helps to remove decay-causing bacteria
Treatment Modalities for Children
- Regular fillings
- Regular extractions
- Fissure sealants
- Fluoride application
- Space maintainers
- Habit corrections and consultations
We teach children healthy habits from an early age, so that they can have healthy teeth for a lifetime.
We also bulk bill for all children eligible under Medicare’s Child Dental Benefit Scheme (CDBS). If you have a child or children in the family that fall within the qualifying age range, be sure to ask our receptionist about scheduling their appointment by calling (03) 5821 2388.