Information
Dr Adam Alford Senior Dentist – Brisbane City Talks Kids
My philosophy with children is simple; the earlier the better.
Do I need to see a pediatrician dentist?
Not initially a good quality general dentist is all your child needs; a pediatrician is a specialist so therefore we will refer to a pediatrician if we feel there is something that needs to be addressed by them. My answer here is if you are feeling sick do you go to your GP medical practitioner or do you go to a specialist immunologist?
When do I start cleaning my Childs teeth?
I encourage parents to give their babies tooth brushes to chew on, the earlier you start the better. Obviously care and supervision are essential, but it is all about getting the child used to what it is and what it feels like. You can every now and then gently brush the gums.
A Couple of Do’s
Do start cleaning your childs teeth as soon as they start appearing in the mouth.
Do bring your child in when they are between 1-2 years of age, it’s a great age to them familiar with what a dental practice looks like, sounds like and smells like.
Do bring your child in every now and then when you are having your own checkup as this tends to remind you about questions like thumb sucking, dummy use, bottle habits, what to do about crooked teeth etc.
At this stage they may have a ride on the chair sit on mum or dads lap while they get their teeth cleaned.
By the time they are about 3 we try and clean their teeth, have a chat with the Hygienist or Therapist, tickle their teeth with the polishing cup try and count their teeth and have a look around. It just gives me a chance to check the mouth out a little a flag any possible problems.
From 4 I would be bring your children in every 6 months, this just builds good habits and gets you and the children into a regular routine of good habits.
Dr Adam Alford Senior Dentist Brisbane City is the author of this article. If you would like to read more please visit https://www.adamalford.com.au/
