Children's Dentistry - Dental Care for Child's Teeth

Children dentistry, or paediatric dentistry, refers to the branch of dentistry dealing with the dental health of children from their birth to their adolescence. As such, paediatric dentists perform dual complementary roles in their practice, namely, the promotion of dental health among children and the education of parents about their responsibilities in their kids’ dental health.

Indeed, the best children’s dentist Melbourne has to offer its residents, transients and even tourists on vacation provides for valuable services to both his clients and his community! You as a parent or legal guardian must also look into his services in the interest of maintaining good dental health for your children or wards. Here are the things that you must know in this regard.

When the First Visit Should Happen

The first exposure to children dentistry where parents and kids are concerned should occur on either of these two events: (The adage about earlier being better, however, is true in making the first visit to the best children’s dentist Melbourne)

• Within six months after the child’s first tooth appears
• By the child’s first birthday

For example, if your baby has his first teeth at 5 months, you have his oral health checked by the time he is 11 months old perhaps even before that time, if you so desire. Such care in dental check-ups is a must because early oral examinations are important in the early detection of possible tooth decay, among other possible oral health issues. Keep in mind that paediatric dentists will also be aware of possible issues regarding the gums, tongue and cheeks as part of their children dentistry practice.

Parents and legal guardians have the responsibility of establishing an accessible on-going professional relationship with reliable paediatric dentists for the abovementioned reasons. Plus, these adults will also be provided with a home care program for the maintenance of good dental health in children (i.e., brushing and flossing, good diet and proper care) as well as information on the proper growth of teeth. With good dental health, unexpected expenses for dental emergencies can be saved perhaps to the kids’ college fund.

What to Expect During Dental Visits

The best practitioners of children dentistry in Melbourne will strive to make each visit to the dentist as pleasurable as possible. Parents and children can wait for their appointments in well-appointed waiting rooms filled with kid-friendly toys and magazines while the friendly staff will ensure that, indeed, the patients are comfortable.

The staff will also ask preliminary questions about the patient – age, dental history, and physical condition as well as present complaint, if any. Many young patients will first be seen by a dental hygienist before the dentist comes in for a more thorough examination followed by appropriate treatment, if necessary.

Before the actual dental examination, the children dentistry practitioner may allow the young patient to get to know the dental instruments, enjoy a ride in the dental chair, and generally just allow him/her to relax. This is especially true for children on their first-time visit.

The typical timeline for dental visits for kids is:

• First visit should be on the first birthday
• Second visit is on the second birthday with the assumption that the child has successfully transitioned from the bottle to the cup but does not take a snack or drink milk in the middle of the night. If this is the case, then the dentist will schedule more frequent visits as food and drink intake in the middle of the night increases the risk for cavities.
• Third and subsequent visits should be in 6-month intervals starting at 2 years of age
• First set of mouth x-rays happens between 4 and 6 years of age, which will check for cavities between the teeth.

Between the ages of 6 and 12, prevention is the name of the dental health game. Kids must be taught the basics of good dental habits while also making regular visits to their dentists.