Kids - general dental health.

As your child grows and develops they will encounter different dental issues. The transition from liquids to solids and then progressively on to a more complex diet as well as heading off to school for the first time and many other lifestyle factors will contribute to your child’s overall oral health. 

It is important throughout this time to nurture your child’s attitude to looking after themselves. High quality self-care will result in minimal need for dental treatment throughout life.

 
 

When should I start brushing my kids teeth?

When your baby’s first tooth erupts.

 

When should my child start brushing their own teeth?

Children develop differently in all abilities. A rough guide as to when a child can brush their own teeth is the same time that they can write their own name. Usually this is about 3-4 years of age. Your child will still need supervision while brushing at this time.

 

When should my child start/stop losing teeth?

Again, children all develop at different times both physically and dentally. This graphic gives an indication of approximate times when your child’s adult teeth will erupt along with the loss of baby teeth. Generally, girls develop dentally before boys. If you are concerned about your child’s dental development, please ask us and we will happily answer your questions. 

 

We want to assist you in educating your child throughout their development. Your child should see the dentist regularly and understand that visiting them is an important part of growing up. We will assess your child’s caries risk in line with up to date guidelines and place your child on an appropriate ongoing recall schedule. 

 

Healthy eating and drinking:

To develop strong teeth, your children need a healthy, balanced diet made up of fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, lean meats and fluoridated tap water. Your child should only occasionally eat high-sugar foods such as chips, cakes, biscuits and muesli bars.

More information on healthy eating is available at the following links:

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating

 

Fissure Sealants:

Fissure sealants are a proven highly effective preventative treatment usually used to protect your child’s first molars and less often on other indicated teeth. Sealants are a minimally invasive procedure that do not require the use of any anaesthetic.

A small amount of sealant material is flowed into the deep pits and fissures on the biting surface of your child’s tooth. It is then bonded to the tooth using a curing light. The procedure is quick, harmless and has been proven to significantly decrease the risk of your child developing caries in these teeth.

 
 

Dental Trauma:

Accidents happen, especially to kids! And when they do, your kids' teeth may get knocked out or damaged. The best course of action is to see us as soon as possible. We will have emergency appointments available for this very reason.

Kids are very resilient and usually recover quickly and fully, often we will examine the child and simply let mother nature do her job. If we need to give a helping hand, we will assess the problem and treatment plan accordingly according to a minimal intervention approach.

To prevent trauma on the sporting field we recommend a professionally fabricated mouthguard. We can provide you with excellent quality mouthguards, we can even name them and do your team’s colours! 

dentaltraumaguide.org

 

CDBS (Child Dental Benefits Scheme):

If you receive benefits such as Family Tax Benefit A payments, you can take advantage of government programs such as the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Currently (until 31/12/2017) this scheme allows eligible families access to up to $1000 assistance in government funded dental treatment over a two-year period. If you have your Medicare card ready, we will be able to check your eligibility over the phone for you.