FAQ'S

  1. When should you take your child to a dentist?
  2. Does your dental health have an effect on the dental health of your child?
  3. How can I brush my child’s teeth?
  4. Are primary (baby) teeth important?
  5. Should I use toothpaste and what strength should it be?
  6. What do I do if I don’t have fluoride in our water supply?
  7. Should I floss my child’s teeth?
  8. Does sucking on a dummy (pacifier) or thumb affect my child’s teeth?
  9. Why does my child grind their teeth?
  10. What do I do if my child falls and injures his primary (baby) teeth?
  1. When should you take your child to a dentist? top Ideally, the first visit to a child friendly dentist should happen within 6 months after the eruption of the first tooth. While you’re there, take the opportunity to get some expert advice about feeding habits that can cause dental problems and caring for the child’s teeth.
  2. Does your dental health have an effect on the dental health of your child? top Yes, there are significant studies to suggest that the dental health of the primary care giver, usually the mother, can be related to the ongoing dental health of the child. If the parent has a history of dental decay then they can transfer the decay-causing bacteria to the child, making them more susceptible to decay if they have an inappropriate diet. So it’s important for mum to have excellent oral hygiene during pregnancy and during infancy to help decrease the risk of the child developing dental caries.
  3. How can I brush my child’s teeth? top Repetition and reinforcement is key to helping children get into the habit of brushing.

    Try brushing at bath time using an age specific toothbrush. The process may be reinforced by playing the same music during bath time or tooth brushing. Sometimes the use of age specific electric toothbrush can be of benefit as the tactile sensation may be pleasurable. It’s important that you help brush your child’s teeth until eight or nine years of age – children may not have the dexterity or the experience to do this themselves until this age.
  4. Are primary (baby) teeth important? top Primary teeth are important for a number of reasons: function, aesthetics, speech, developing the adult dentition and of course, photos for grandma!

    The relationship between oral health and general health is significant. The level of decay in the primary teeth is a predictor of the level of decay in the permanent teeth.
  5. Should I use toothpaste and what strength should it be? top Your child can start to use a child’s strength toothpaste from one year of age, using just a smear on their brush. From two years of age, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is appropriate.
  6. What do I do if I don’t have fluoride in our water supply? top If you don’t have fluoridated town water, or you are using tank water, you can discuss an appropriate fluoride regime with your dentist.
  7. Should I floss my child’s teeth? top Once the second primary molars have completely erupted at about three years of age, flossing can be considered as part of good oral care. A child cannot effectively floss until eight or nine years of age.
  8. Does sucking on a dummy (pacifier) or thumb affect my child’s teeth? top There are many instances of children in utero who have been shown to be sucking their thumb on ultrasound. Sucking a thumb, fingers or dummy can affect the jaws and teeth by proclining the front teeth and causing an open bite, where the front teeth cannot meet together. This sucking habit should be stopped before the child goes to school.
  9. Why does my child grind their teeth? top The reason for tooth grinding in children is unclear. It may be the stimulatory effect that encourages the child to grind. In young children this is considered to be within the range of normal behavior but a dental review should take into consideration whether there is excessive wear of the teeth. No intervention is required if there are no obvious problems.
  10. What do I do if my child falls and injures his primary (baby) teeth? top You should ring and attend a child friendly dentist to have the injury evaluated. In many cases the injury may require treatment and it is important to determine whether the injury to the primary teeth can have an effect upon the permanent teeth.
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