Children's Dentistry - Get your children off to a good start

 
Your child's first dental visit to our office will likely influence how she will feel about dentists and dental care for the rest of her life. A positive first visit can be the first step toward a lifetime of good dental habits. That’s why here at Coburg Dental Group we suggest you plan their first visit soon after they get their first tooth. At this age, children may have problems resulting from thumb-sucking, teething, or nursing bottle decay

Another good way to familiarize your child with the Coburg Dental Group office is to let them join either you or one of their siblings on a dental visit or two. That way, once it's their turn to be examined, the procedure will be predictable. And for young children, predictability means comfort!

The first dental visit should primarily be a fun "getting-to-know-you" session with the dental therapist or hygienist. We would take the opportunity to thoroughly examine their mouth, gums and teeth. We may also gently clean your child's teeth, and, in a child-friendly way, demonstrate the proper way to brush.

Dental visits should be a positive experience from the very beginning!

Here are a few more pre-visit tips:

  • Don't wait until your child needs dental care to plan the first dental visit.
  • Even very young children are perceptive, and can pick up and react to any anxiety you might have about the upcoming visit.
  • Arrange for a morning appointment if possible, when most children are more positive and receptive.
  • Don't talk about specific procedures or instruments. These ideas may confuse or upset your child; words like "drill," "injection," and "needle" are potentially very frightening to a child. Our Oral Health Therapists use children friendly language and concepts that maintain a happy, calm and non threatening approach to dentistry!

At Coburg Dental Group, our oral health therapists recommend you to start cleaning your infant's teeth as soon as they get their first tooth. At first, you can just use a wash cloth to clean your infant's teeth, then move onto using a soft children's toothbrush

 

If using fluoride tooth paste, ensure that it is a small pea size amount, so there is little chance of your child getting too much fluoride if they swallow it. Encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste at a young age.

 

Children’s toothpaste has less fluoride than adult toothpaste. We recommend children continue on a lower fluoride toothpaste until the ago of 6 to 7 – or until their 1st permanent molars erupt.

 

If your child is not spitting the toothpaste, reduce the amount used or alternatively just brush your child’s teeth with a wet toothbrush so as to remove the plaque.

 

Additional fluoride supplements are not recommended for those in fluoridated water areas and already using a fluoride toothpaste.