Children’s Oral Health Care
The early bird catches the worm and we believe the same applies to your dental health. We at indental recommend that children start having regular dental checks from the age of three to allow us to evaluate their oral health and development. Early detection also enables us to eliminate or reduce any potential problems that may appear in later childhood. Visiting the dentist can be a scary experience for a young child, however, our qualified children’s therapist aims to make it an experience that is fun and easy. Our family friendly practice also includes a children’s play area with Playstation games and in-chair entertainment.
We are fortunate at indental to have an Oral Health Therapist who can treat all children for not only their 6 monthly checkups and clean, but for any restorative or further treatment they may require.
SpecialisationAn Oral Health Therapist is qualified and experienced in treating children. However difficult cases may be referred to a pediatric dentist who is a specialist dedicated to the oral health of infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health care needs.
Do’s and Dont’s for preparing your child for their first visit
DO’S
Take time to play “dentist” with your child at home. Pretend that you’re counting teeth, then switchroles and let your child play “dentist”.
- Read your child a story about going to the dentist
- Make the dental appointment for a time when your child is well-rested (maybe first thing in the morning)
- Inform your dentist about any medical or psychological problems that your child may have
- Openly discuss the ‘special occasion’ that is coming up and assure your child that the dentist will take them for a “fun ride in the chair and count their teeth”
DONT’S
- Don’t convey your personal anxiety about going to the dentist
- Dont say things like, “Its OK, the dentist won’t HURT you” or “The dentist won’t need to use the INJECTION”. Children will not hear ‘won’t’.
- Don’t worry if your child cries a little during the visit. A very young child may react that way but will be won over eventually
- Don’t use negative words like: hurt, shot, needle, or drill around your child
Fissure Sealants
Fissures are the grooves or valleys that occur on the biting surfaces of your back teeth. If the fissures are deep and narrow a toothbrush bristle will not fit into the fissure and will not remove the plaque or food. Decay tends to occur in certain places in teeth and the very bottom of a fissure is one of these spots.
In children and adolescents these fissures are particularly vulnerable. Fissure sealants are hard, tooth coloured, plastic coatings that fill these fissures and prevent decay. Placing a sealant is a very simple and straight forward procedure and normally takes a few minutes per tooth. Sealants can wear and come off. If this happens there is no damage to the underlying tooth but the sealant may need to be replaced.
Sealants are normally placed in adolescents after the adult teeth erupt. They are not routinely placed in adults. This is because if you have reached adulthood with a sound tooth the tooth will probably remain sound unless your lifestyle changes. Also adults tend to get decay in different parts of the tooth (places that cannot be protected with sealants).