Children’s Dentistry
Children’s Dentistry in Melbourne
Our team of gentle, caring, and patient-centric dental professionals here at Lifestyle Smiles are skilled to provide dental treatments not just for adults, but to your little ones as well.
Gone are the days when parents wouldn’t care for their child’s teeth, thinking it will be replaced after some time. Nowadays, parents are much more educated with the importance of baby teeth in relations to their child’s overall health.
Your child will have their first tooth coming out around 6 to 7 months old and will have all their baby teeth erupted by the age of 2. As soon as a child turns two or three, it’s the best time to visit the dentist for an oral assessment.
Prevention is the Key
Paediatric or Children dentistry relates to the care of young patients. We focus on preventive dental care, early diagnosis of diseases, treatment planning, and management of kids with dental trauma. As adults, we complain even the slightest toothache we experience. Can you imagine a kid experiencing the same kind of pain?
Tooth decay is on the rise in Australia, with 1 out of 4 in children having untreated tooth decay. Tooth decay, if not detected early, can cause an infection that might affect the permanent teeth underneath. If the infection progresses, we might have to remove the baby tooth, which can result in space loss, bite problems, and even a more serious systemic disease.
Importance of Baby Teeth
Baby teeth are an integral part of a child’s overall physiologically and psychologically growth, such as:
It helps children learn to speak. We use our teeth to make phonetic sounds like pronouncing D, L, N, and T.
It allows children to start eating solid food. Most children experiencing toothache will avoid eating as chewing makes it more painful.
It acts as a guide for the path of eruption of baby teeth and aids in the development of the jaw bone and other structures.
It retains the space for the eruption of more prominent permanent teeth. Early removal of baby teeth may require placement of orthodontic appliances (space maintainers) to keep the space open and prevent the remaining teeth from drifting which can cause crowding of teeth or impaction of permanent teeth in the future.
Your Child’s First Dental Visit at Lifestyle Smiles
On your child’s first dental visit, we would typically utilise a “tell-show-do” technique to familiarise the child with the dental chair and some of our instruments. So, what that means is that we tell the child what we are doing to make sure that they are aware what we are doing, and then we show them exactly what is going to happen, and then we do it for them. For example, we introduce the mouth mirror to them, show them how we use it, and do count their teeth using the mouth mirror.
Child’s first dental visit mainly involves visual inspection, making sure there’s nothing unusual with the child’s teeth and gums. Depending on your child’s response, we might be able to do preventive treatment such as fluoride application.
It is also the best time to educate you, parents, on how you can take care of your child’s oral health and plan succeeding treatments to be done –if necessary. We aim to educate parents on proper tooth brushing techniques, the importance of diet in preventing tooth decay, and other preventive measures.
Aside from regular dental check-ups, preventive measures can also contribute to avoiding tooth decay
Your Child’s First Dental Visit at Lifestyle Smiles
On your child’s first dental visit, we would typically utilise a “tell-show-do” technique to familiarise the child with the dental chair and some of our instruments. So, what that means is that we tell the child what we are doing to make sure that they are aware what we are doing, and then we show them exactly what is going to happen, and then we do it for them. For example, we introduce the mouth mirror to them, show them how we use it, and do count their teeth using the mouth mirror.
Child’s first dental visit mainly involves visual inspection, making sure there’s nothing unusual with the child’s teeth and gums. Depending on your child’s response, we might be able to do preventive treatment such as fluoride application.
It is also the best time to educate you, parents, on how you can take care of your child’s oral health and plan succeeding treatments to be done –if necessary. We aim to educate parents on proper tooth brushing techniques, the importance of diet in preventing tooth decay, and other preventive measures.
Aside from regular dental check-ups, preventive measures can also contribute to avoiding tooth decay.
Fluoride Varnish Application
Fluoride Varnish is a highly concentrated form of fluoride which is applied to the tooth’s surface, by a dental professional, to strengthen the tooth and prevent tooth decay. It also remineralises or reverts early dental caries in children.
Pit and Fissure Sealants
Sealants are the most neglected treatment by parents. It fills in deep grooves of child’s teeth to prevent tooth decay from starting in these hard to clean areas.
Prepare for Your Child’s First Dental Visit
A child’s first paediatric dentistry visit can be stressful for both parents and children, but preparation can make the visit more comfortable. Here are some things you can do ahead of time at home to ensure the day goes smoothly:
Be positive!
Try to avoid talking about any unpleasant experiences. Talk about the dentist in a very positive way. Avoid saying certain words such as needle, pain, or injection.
Watch videos about going to the dentist.
It can help to familiarise the kids when see their favourite characters happily visiting the dentist. Preparing your child for their first dental visit this way means that when that day rolls around, they’ll have an idea of what will happen and it won’t be a new situation for them.
Play “Pretend-Dentist” at home.
Pretend you’re the dentist and count their teeth. Talk through what you’re doing and why keeping their teeth clean is so important. Then, swap roles and let your child have a turn being the dentist with a stuffed toy animal.
Schedule their dental visit wisely.
Schedule your child’s first dental visit at a time they’re typically in a good mood. Usually in the morning or after a nap and a meal works well. When children are hungry or tired, they tend to be less tolerant of a new situation and not as cooperative.
Bring “friends”.
If your child has a favourite stuffed toy, bring it with them. A familiar, beloved “friend” will help them feel safe and secure.
Get excited!
Studies have shown that parents can pass their dental anxiety on to their children. When you accompany your child to their visit, take a deep breath, keep things upbeat and try your best to appear excited.
Lifestyle Smiles Community Service Program
As part of our mission of giving back, we are committed to doing community outreach programs that aim to educate the local community and schools. Annually, we visit selected schools to promote awareness on how to improve the children’s dental health.
Local schools that we support and visit annually includes The Learning Sanctuary, Hurlingham Preschool, St Peters Kinder, North Brighton Kinder, and Brighton Baptist Kinder.
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Our Goal of Preventive Dentistry
Our team here at Lifestyle Smiles aim to make patients of all ages realise that Children Dentistry is important in keeping gum disease, cavities, and other conditions at bay. We want to help your child start early in having a lifetime of healthy smiles!
Give us a call us or fill in the enquiry form and book an appointment with our dentists to discuss your child’s dental needs furthermore!
Our Goal of Preventive Dentistry
Our team here at Lifestyle Smiles aim to make patients of all ages realise that Children Dentistry is important in keeping gum disease, cavities, and other conditions at bay. We want to help your child start early in having a lifetime of healthy smiles!
Give us a call us or fill in the enquiry form and book an appointment with our dentists to discuss your child’s dental needs furthermore!
Disclaimer: The material posted is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary with each patient. Any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. If you have any specific questions about any dental and/or medical matter, you should consult your dentist, physician or other professional healthcare providers.
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