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Children's dentistry
Taking good care of your teeth is very important at any age, beginning as soon as the first baby tooth comes through.
Cleaning your child’s teeth should be part of their daily hygiene routine – just before they go to bed and at least one other time during the day. It’s important to supervise your child’s tooth brushing until they are at least seven.
How to brush your child’s teeth
Once the first tooth starts to appear, try using a toothbrush designed for children with a small smear of fluoride toothpaste. In the beginning, you may find it easier to stand or sit behind your child, cradling their chin in your hand, so you can reach their top and bottom teeth more easily.
When all the baby teeth have appeared, use a toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles in small, circular movements and try to concentrate on one section at a time. And don’t forget to brush gently behind the teeth and onto the gums.
Remember to encourage your child as praise will often get results!
For teens, encourage them to follow these top tips to keep their smiles healthy:
- Brush your teeth last thing at night, and at least one other time in the day
- Use a toothpaste with a small to medium sized brush head and soft to medium bristles
- Brush for two minutes
- Floss once a day to help remove plaque and food from your teeth
- Use a mouthwash to freshen your breath and kill bacteria
- Wait at least one hour after eating or drinking anything acidic before you brush
- Chew sugar-free gum after eating to help make more saliva and cancel out the acids that form in your mouth after eating
- Visit your dentist at least once a year or as often as they recommend
Use a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride toothpaste is one of the best ways to prevent tooth decay, so we would recommend using a toothpaste that contains some fluoride. You can check the level of fluoride on the packaging of your toothpaste - we would always advise above 1500 parts per million - but if you’re not sure how much you need, then just ask one of your dental team.
Children should be supervised when brushing their teeth, up to the age of seven. You should make sure they do not rinse, but spit out the toothpaste and, if possible, that they don’t swallow any. This way the fluoride stays in the mouth for longer and will be more effective.
Encourage your child with a fun brush
There are many types of children’s toothbrushes, including brightly coloured or colour changing brushes, brushes that feature their favourite character and there’s some that even come with a timer.
The most important element is that you pick a small headed toothbrush with soft, nylon bristles, that’s suitable for a child of their age. A power toothbrush can help make brushing fun and can help your child brush for the correct amount of time.
Preventing tooth decay
The main cause of tooth decay is not the amount of sugar or acid in the diet, but how often it is eaten or drunk. The more often your child has sugary or acidic food or drinks, the more likely they are to have decay.
Help prevent tooth decay by:
- Only offering sugary or acidic foods at mealtimes
- Stick to cheese, vegetables, and fruit for snack times
- Limit how much dried fruit you give them as it’s high in sugar and can stick to their teeth
- Don’t give them drinks containing sugars, including fruit juices, between meals. Offer water or milk instead
- For babies, don’t add sugar to their drinks or to foods when you introduce solids
- Fissure sealants...
Another way to protect teeth from decay is to have fissure sealants placed on the teeth. These safe and painless sealants are a protective plastic coating that is applied to the biting surface of the teeth, which forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth and causing decay.
Fissure sealants are only applied to the back teeth as these are the teeth that have small hollows (pits) and grooves (fissures) on the biting surface. If the grooves are big, your dental team will advise these teeth to be sealed however, if they are shallow, they will not need to be sealed as there is less chance of tooth decay because food and bacteria are less likely to get stuck.
Improving teen smiles
The teen years are often the most self-conscious and teeth can play a big part in that. If your teen is unhappy with how their teeth look and feel uncomfortable or embarrassed smiling in social situations or in photos, there are treatments that can correct any problems.
A brace will straighten their teeth to improve the appearance or the way they work. It can also help to improve the long-term health of their teeth, gums, and jaw joints by spreading the biting pressure over all the teeth. There are many different types of brace, so don’t be put off by what you remember in your early years, your dental team will be able to talk to you through all the options.
Teeth straightening can take anything from a few months to two and a half years, depending on the problem. Most people can be treated within one to two years.
Protecting teen teeth during sports
If your son or daughter likes playing contact sports such as football, rugby, hockey, or basketball, a mouth guard will help to protect them against broken or damaged teeth, or even a broken or dislocated jaw.
A professional mouth guard will provide your child with the best protection and most comfortable fit as they are custom made in the laboratory from an impression of their teeth. Our mouth guards come in a choice of designs and colours and you can discuss all the options with your dental team.
If you have any questions about your child's teeth and smile, please just ask a member of your dental team.
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