Children Dentistry

A child’s first visit to the dentist should be enjoyable and positive. The more you and your child know about the first visit, the better you will feel. Children are not born with fear of dentist, but they can fear the unknown. Our clinic makes a practice of using pleasant, simple words to describe your child’s first dental visit and treatment. We want you to feel at ease from the first moment your family arrives at our clinic. We want all our new patients to have a fun, exiting, interesting and educational experience at their first dental visit. You are welcome to accompany your child to the dental surgery for moral support!

Your child can have a dental appointment as soon as the first tooth erupts or even sooner if you have any concerns about his or her oral health or if you need general information and instruction. However we insist that all children should have a dental examination by age of three when they usually have a full set of deciduous teeth (baby teeth).

As part of our clinical examination, the alignment of your child’s teeth will be checked by the examining dentist. You will be informed about any possible diversions and given an option to be referred to specialist.

Helpful hints!

Be positive. If you have anxiety about your past dental history, don’t let your child know your anxiety. Try not use words like “hurt”, “drill” or “shot”. We try to use a vocabulary of positive words to help your child relax and enjoy their dental experience.

Set a good example. Talking to your children about how you go to see dentist or even bringing them in with you for your own examination visits often gets them exited about visiting their dentist. There are also children’s books about visits to dentist that can help describe dental visits to children in a fun and easy way.

When New Teeth Arrive !

Your child's first tooth erupts between ages 6-12 months and the remainder of their 20 primary or "baby" teeth typically erupt by age 3. During this time, gums may feel tender and sore, causing your child to feel irritable. To help alleviate this discomfort, we recommend that you soothe the gums by rubbing a clean finger or a cool, wet cloth across them. You may also choose to make use of a teething ring.

Your child's primary teeth are shed at various times throughout childhood, and their permanent teeth begin erupting at age 6 and continue until age 21. Adults have 28 permanent teeth, or 32 including wisdom teeth.

Adopting Healthy Oral Hygiene Habits

As new teeth erupt, examine them every two weeks for lines and discoloration caused by decay. Remember that sugary foods and liquids can attack a new tooth, so take care that your child brushes their teeth after feeding or eating. We recommend brushing four times a day for optimal oral hygiene: after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, and at bedtime. Brushing can be fun, and your child should brush as soon as the first tooth arrives. When a baby's tooth erupts, parents should brush the tooth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. We suggest reviewing proper tooth brushing procedures with your child.

Preventing Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is preventable. Tooth decay is caused by sugars left in your mouth that turn into an acid which can break down your teeth. Children are at high risk for tooth decay for a simple reason — many children and adolescents tend to be lax in their oral hygiene habits. Proper brushing and flossing routines combined with regular dental visits help keep tooth decay away. A low-sugar diet also helps keep tooth decay at bay.
Our focus is on preventive dentistry and timely check-ups. We know that prevention and regular check ups are the most effective measures to keep down the cost of dental care. Regular care helps to detect cavities and orthodontic problems while they are still small. Your child should visit us every 6 months for regular dental cleanings and checkups. We recommend fluoride treatments twice a year along with cleanings to keep teeth their strongest. Tooth sealants are also recommended because they "seal out" food and plaque from the deep grooves in your child's teeth, preventing decay from forming in these hard-to-reach areas. Sealants last for several years, but will be monitored at your regular checkups.
Making your child's dental visit pleasant is a great source of pride for us and we thank you for allowing us the privilege of caring for your child.

Chatham Dentist