Have you welcomed or are you expecting a baby this year? We share useful help and hints on how to approach your child’s oral health and when to begin introducing them to the dentist.
We welcome babies to our practice at any age. It is always useful to bring your baby along to your appointment, so they can familiarise themselves with the environment, smells and feel comfortable in the dental setting. By showing your child how to open their mouth wide for the dentist is good practice and will help your baby/child gain confidence for future appointments.
The general rule for taking your baby to the dentist is as soon as the first tooth is visible in the mouth. This can be within the first year and NHS dental care for children is free.
By taking your child to the dentist at a young age is the best way to build confidence and prevent problems such as tooth decay, and can help parents learn how to clean their child’s teeth and provide good oral care.
Start brushing your baby’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around six months, but it can be earlier or later). It’s important to use fluoride toothpaste, as this helps to prevent tooth decay. A Fluoride Varnish can also be applied by the dentist/nurse to the child’s teeth from the age of three.
Always supervise your baby or child when it comes to tooth brushing. Make sure children don’t eat or lick toothpaste from the tube and below the age of three years, children should use just a pea sized amount of toothpaste. It’s important not to let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.
When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits. For lots of useful help and hints visit www.543junior.co.uk and if you have any questions, please just ask us.
