- By 1300SMILES Densits
- January 11, 2019
Children’s oral health is so important, and it is down to parents, grandparents and family members to ensure that we give them the best start on a lifetime of quality oral health. From the very young through to teens encouraging a routine of good practice in their oral health is so important so please read on for our advice to help you from day one.
From infant
Good oral hygiene starts in infancy. Whether you’re nursing or bottle feeding, you should begin incorporating some type of dental hygiene regimen as soon as possible. Before any teeth erupt, wipe down the gums with gauze or a soft, wet washcloth. Once teeth begin to come in, keep them clean. Using the right set of tools is essential for this daily ritual. For example, it is important to purchase a toothbrush designed specifically for babies, which will have a much smaller head, for their tiny mouths.
As a general precaution, parents should stay away from foods rich in sugar and starch. In addition, a child should never go to sleep while nursing or with a juice or milk in their bottle. Food or drink resting in a child’s mouth can lead to issues with oral health and even worse is a choking hazard.
Taking your child to the dentist
When it comes to the first dental visit is a common rule of thumb to wait until that first tooth emerges which usually happens around the 12-month mark. However, if you notice anything abnormal or that just doesn’t look right don’t hesitate to call!
First dental visits
If you have not done so already, make sure your child has their first dental visit by the time they are two years of age. Your dentist will keep your child’s teeth healthy by removing plaque build-up and food debris that may be stuck in their teeth. This is an important part of dental care because it prevents bacteria from continuing to grow, which may eventually lead to other dental diseases (e.g. tooth decay or inflammation of the gum tissue).
Frequency of Dental visits
Overall frequency is very much the decision of your dental professional. If there is remedial or preventative work to be done, then your dentist may ask to see you more often. Otherwise every six months is standard for both adults and children.
Help with dental costs through the CDBS – the Child Dental Benefit Schedule
The CDBS provides individual benefits for a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital.
Eligible children will have access to a benefit cap of $1,095 over a two-calendar year period (as of 2024).
To be eligible a child must be aged between 2-17 years and their family must receive Family Tax Benefit Part A or a relevant Australian Government payment.
Families can check whether their child or children are eligible for the CDBS by contacting the Department of Human Services.
Caring at home
Dental professionals will provide you with expert tips on how to take care of your child’s teeth at home. Advice typically includes the proper way to floss and brush your child’s teeth and additional information based on the specific condition of your child’s teeth. It is an unfortunate fact that in Australia a very high percentage of children have had teeth removed or develop cavities by the age of ten. This can so easily be avoided if a correct routine is introduced and encouraged along with regular checks with your friendly 1300SMILES dentist. We have FREE guides to take away including a brushing chart to help you.
Brushing routine
At your first dental visit, your dentist will discuss the importance of brushing and flossing your child’s teeth. Establishing a routine from an early age is essential for your child’s future oral health development.
Brushing routine is essential for maintaining those little teeth, by brushing twice a day you will minimise the chance of decay and cavities setting in. It is important to use the correct child’s toothbrush and make sure you are using the proper technique. Make sure you manoeuvre gently around the teeth and gums in a circular motion.
As you could guess brushing isn’t always the highlight of your child’s day so make it fun! Keep brushing interesting by buying a cool toothbrush and toothpaste and use an egg-timer to keep them engaged while brushing, even try creating your own tooth brushing song!
Food & Drink
It’s important to get a healthy balance, we all know that treats of some sort will be consumed. However, it’s how we encourage our children to look after their teeth after meal times that matters. Encourage your children to have healthy snacks & drinks and where possible avoid sugary or carbonated drinks. Check the packaging when purchasing on how much sugar is contained in food and drink, normally the higher it is on a list of ingredients the more that product contains. Water is by far the best drink to have as it’s both free from sugar and helps digestion.
Check for Decay
Tooth decay is so common with little ones with over 27% of children aged 5-10 suffering from untreated tooth decay in 2020 (Australian Dental Association). If left decay can cause severe damage to your little one’s teeth and even lead to an extraction.
You can check your child’s teeth by lifting their lips and checking for white patches on the teeth, this may be an early sign of decay. If you notice grey, brown or black spots this indicates more serious decay; in either case, book an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible!
