Children Dental Care

At NB Dental we want your children to grow up with happy dental experiences and to develop good dental habits for life.

Prevention is the key to a healthy smile; therefore, we offer all children of registered and attending parents a free of charge check-up up to the age of 18; this includes fluoride varnish treatment as required. We encourage children to have dental examinations at an early age and we feel that it is never too early to bring your child to see us. We recommend you bring your children along with you at your routine check-ups, once the first teeth have appeared.

As part of our preventive programme, we suggest fissure sealants are placed as soon as the first permanent molars erupt. This is a simple procedure where a plastic is painted over the deep grooves of the teeth preventing decay in the biting surfaces of these vulnerable teeth. The sealants can last 5-10 years.

Fluoride Varnish

Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth by a dentist. The process involves painting a varnish containing high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth twice a year to prevent decay. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.

Its use is strongly recommended for children and adults who are at higher risk of tooth decay, such as older people.

Toothbrushing tips

It’s important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.

Children aged up to 3 years

• Start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).
• Parents or carers should brush the teeth.
• Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion.
• Use children’s fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
• Use only a smear of toothpaste.
• Make sure children don’t eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

Children aged 3 to 6 years

• Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
• Parents or carers should brush the teeth.
• Use children’s fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
• Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
• Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well.
• A pea-sized blob of toothpaste

Children aged 7 and over

• Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
• Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).
• Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won’t work as well.

Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it’s still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.

Credit:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/taking-care-of-childrens-teeth