CHILDRENS
TEETH

Your Child's First Visit to the Dentist

Our dentists recommend that your child's first dental visit should occur within 6 months of their first tooth coming in or by the age of 1.

Normally, this first visit will be short, with the emphasis on acclimitise your child to the experience. You can expect some or all of the following to happen during your child's first visit:

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• Meeting the dentist and dental hygienist - this is an opportunity to create a friendly and positive impression on your child.

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• The examination comes next. To aid in your child's comfort and security, your dentist may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child while their teeth and gums are checked. If several teeth have come in, your dentist will ensure that the teeth are correctly spaced for proper bite and that all oral tissues are healthy.

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• Exams can also include cleaning of teeth and fluoride assessments

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Education plays a vital role in your family's dental health and especially so when children are just starting out in learning about dental hygiene. Your dentist will discuss oral health care basics, dental development issues, and will answer any questions you or your child may have. Some of the things your dentist might discuss are;

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• Proper brushing and flossing methods

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• Cavity prevention and Fluoride needs

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• Proper nutrition

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• Oral habits - tongue thrusting, lip or thumb sucking

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• Developmental milestones

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These educational discussions are meant to inform you of oral health problems encountered in children, so you may be pro-active in avoiding them or recognising them. Keeping baby teeth healthy is vital to your child's overall health, and the threat of tooth decay is not absent just because your child is an infant or toddler.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay can cause damage to your child's teeth and gums, make for painful chewing, and lead to poorly aligned permanent teeth. Baby teeth in frequent contact with sugary liquids, such as fruit juices or other drinks with added sugar are at risk for decay. These drinks break down into simple sugars and bacteria can begin to feed on the sugars left on the teeth, creating cavities. Left untreated, baby teeth decay can lead to an abscessed tooth and the spread of infection.