PRINTED IN TCI WEEKLY NEWS
July 21st, 2012
Dental Care for Children
By around the age of 2 years a child will have all 20 of their baby (deciduous) teeth. These teeth will stay with the child until the adult teeth come through which is around 6-8 years of age for the front incisors and laterals and around twelve years for the molars (the bigger teeth at the back.) It is therefore important that the baby teeth are properly cared for with good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.
Daily care of your child’s teeth
You should begin tooth-brushing as soon as a child’s teeth start to come through (around 6 mths). A child under the age of 7 years is unlikely to be able to effectively brush their teeth themselves and so I recommend that an adult takes responsibility for brushing the child’s teeth twice a day. A small-headed brush with medium soft bristles should be used with a small (pea-sized) amount of toothpaste. A child’s fluoride toothpaste should be used. In general I find that flossing is unnecessary for a child as it is difficult for a child to do effectively themselves and hard for an untrained adult to do for the child, especially when baby teeth become loose. A fluoride, non-alcohol mouth wash may be used. Limiting the amount of sugar, especially hard candy, juice and soda, will also help to keep your child’s teeth healthy.
Visits to the dentist
I recommend that a child’s first visit to the dentist is nothing more than accompanying a parent or guardian during their own routine dental check-up. In this way, a child sees an adult that they trust sitting happily and comfortably in the dentist’s chair and in turn will help make the child feel more relaxed and familiar with the environment. Then, at the age of around 18-24 months I recommend a first check-up. This would be very relaxed, involve no pain and might even involve them sitting on mum or dad’s knee whilst in the dentist’s chair. From then on a routine visit every 6 months will ensure that the teeth and gums are staying healthy and clean, no cavities are starting and then later that the adult teeth are coming through correctly.
Fissure Sealing
Fissures are the very narrow grooves that occur naturally on the chewing surface of adult molars and premolars. These are vulnerable to decay as the fissures can be deep and difficult to clean (often narrower than the thickness of one bristle of your toothbrush.) Fissure sealing is a preventative treatment where a liquid filling material is used to fill in the fissure which then sets, thereby preventing anything entering the fissure and causing tooth decay. It is routinely recommended for children around the age of 6 or 7 years.
Losing baby teeth
A child’s baby teeth should start to come out naturally from around the age of six. The teeth become lose because the roots have dissolved and so they have very little to anchor them into the jaw. Therefore losing these teeth should be relatively painless and straight forward and require nothing more than a little wiggle to help them along. Occasionally, an adult tooth might come through without the baby tooth having come out. 
This is not that unusual, is nothing to worry about and often there is nothing more to do than wait a little while longer. Occasionally the baby tooth might require some help in which case a visit to the dentist is required for a very simple extraction. If you are in any doubt it is worth speaking to your dentist and getting some advice.
In summary, it is important but not difficult to care for your child’s teeth; giving them the care that they need with help to ensure that your child learns good dental habits for life.
