As soon as your child’s first tooth appears, you need to start dental care. Making dental care fun early on helps not only prevent tooth decay (a real problem for Aussie kids) but also forms healthy dental habits early on.
Dental care for babies
Once that first tooth erupts (around 6 months of age), you should brush it gently. Either purchase a baby toothbrush without bristles or wipe the tooth clean morning and night. Giving your child a toothbrush early on familiarises them with having a toothbrush in their mouth.
Dental care for children in Penrith
Around the age of two or three, let your child attempt to brush their teeth first. Then give their teeth a good brush yourself to ensure all the surfaces are clean. Children will not develop the motor skills to brush their teeth on their own until they turn 8. And, even when they turn, supervision is needed to ensure they do a quality brush and floss of their teeth.
Tips for brushing your children’s teeth
Typically, children do not enjoy brushing their teeth every day. However, as they grow older, they understand it is a necessity to prevent cavities.
As an experienced family dentist in the Penrith area, there are a couple of tips we suggest to make teeth brushing more enjoyable for everyone.
- Read a book about brushing one’s teeth from your child’s favourite cartoon character.
- Show your child how to brush your teeth. Children are mimics and will often happily copy a beloved parent or sibling.
- Let the child pick their toothbrush. Moreover, purchasing two toothbrushes can be a great way to let junior have some independence, followed by mummy or daddy using ‘their’ kid toothbrush to make sure the job gets done.
- Try a tooth brushing cleaning chart like the one on our website.
- Kids toothpaste – if they hate the mint stuff, try one of the fruity flavoured ones or just use water if that doesn’t work.
- Finally, make toothbrushing fun. Listen to a special song, use a funny egg timer, watch a video or app – use whatever works to make the time pass by.
Children’s dental checkups
The Australian Dental Association recommends that a child’s first visit to the dentist occurs around one year of age. Typically the first dental check-up focuses on getting the child comfortable at the dentist. Furthermore, regular checkups set the child up for success when going to the dentist later on.
Children’s dentist in Penrith
At Tindale Dental we love seeing our special patients. We know seeing the dentist can be a bit daunting as a child so we aim to make your child as comfortable as possible. You will be welcome to say for the duration of your child’s dental visit providing a comforting presence. As an experienced kids dentist in Penrith, our team will welcome your child making sure they have everything they need for a successful and positive dental visit. Contact