Did you know that you should start bringing your baby to the dentist as soon as they get their first tooth? You can never start too early concerning good dental habits. Read on to find out how you can take care of your children’s teeth.
While we understand that going to the dentist probably isn’t anyone’s favourite activity, there are things you can do as a parent to ensure that your child grows up with good oral health habits. Starting dentist visits when your kids are young will help them to feel comfortable in the dentist chair, especially when you choose a family-friendly dental practice such as City Smiles. Indeed, we welcome patients of all ages. We are happy to reassure both parents and children that there is nothing to fear from dentistry.
When Should I Bring My Child To The Dentist For The First Time?
Many parents incorrectly assume that there is no need for their child to visit the dentist until all of their baby teeth have grown in, which usually happens by the age of three. However, waiting this long for your child’s first appointment isn’t ideal. The Australian Dental Association recommends that dentist visits start with the appearance of a baby’s first tooth. When you start dentist visits early, your care provider can get a head start on checking for any possible issues. Your dentist can take steps to mitigate any problem areas before they arise. Additionally, your dentist can advise you on the best way to brush and floss your child’s teeth. In turn, this should not cause any pain or discomfort to your child.
How Do I Care For My Child’s Teeth?
As soon as there are teeth in your child’s mouth, those teeth need to be cleaned. Indeed, brushing your child’s teeth every day is just as important as brushing your adult teeth. Be sure to use a soft, child-sized toothbrush so as not to cause any pain or discomfort! While your child is under the age of 18 months, you can brush their teeth using just water. As your child gets older, using a tiny amount of child-friendly toothpaste is recommended. While your child is still learning how to rinse and spit after having their teeth brushed, using child-friendly toothpaste is incredibly important. This is because it is specifically designed to be swallowed by young children without causing digestive issues.
Bottle Feeding and Baby Teeth
Once your child has teeth, it’s important to consider their diet concerning their dental care. If your child is bottle-fed, ensuring that they are not drinking vast amounts of sugary liquids in their bottle is significant. This is because an excess of sugar can lead to a condition known as ‘bottle mouth,’ in which liquid pools around the teeth when a child lies down with a bottle. It can cause damage and degradation to your child’s teeth. Bottle mouth can also cause tooth discolouration and cavities. In extreme cases, it may even lead to the removal of baby teeth. If your child is partial to juice or other sweet liquids in a bottle, they should be given water afterwards. Encourage them to rinse their mouths to ensure their teeth are not coated with damaging sugary compounds.
Making Oral Hygiene Fun!
As your child gets old enough to actively participate in their dental hygiene routine, encouraging them to care for their teeth is incredibly important. Using positive reinforcement, such as rewards for everyday brushing or encouraging a full two-minute brush by playing music, are good ways to get your child excited about good dental hygiene. Make the process more pleasant by allowing your child to choose their favourite toothpaste flavour. Also, let them select their own child-sized toothbrush – with an array of different colours and character brushes to choose from. Your child will surely find something that makes them enthusiastic about brushing their teeth.
How Can We Help?
At City Smiles, we believe in providing cost-effective, family-friendly dental care to every one of our patients. We provide dental care for patients of all ages. We offer a range of treatments at our practice, from general dentistry to cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
To find out more about our practice and the services we provide, please see here.
To make an appointment, please use our online booking portal or call us on (03) 9654 6979.
