Tips

• Talk to your child in an upbeat manner, speaking positively about dentists and going to the dentist.  Positive role modelling is important so be careful about communicating your own dental fears.
• Young children learn and develop through play.  You can support this process of pretend play by reading several dentist stories* before practicing with your child how to open his/her mouth wide and counting teeth or setting up a pretend dental office (using dolls, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, plastic mirrors, torchlights etc). 
• Older children may enjoy dressing up as a dentist.  Refrain from using words and phrases such as ‘needles’, ‘drill’, ‘pull’ and ‘I promise it won’t hurt’ as these suggest to the child that dentistry is unpleasant and/or painful.  Use positive words to convey the same message.  Never threaten your child with dental problems or a visit to the dentist such as ‘brush your teeth or else your teeth will rot’.

Despite your best efforts, it is not uncommon for young children to cry, whine or wriggle during an appointment due to the unfamiliar environment and/or anxiety.  Stay calm and take direction from the dentist, trusting that our dental team is accustomed to working with all manner of children. 

We respectfully request that parents remain passive observers during all appointments so the paediatric dentist can communicate with your child without distractions.  This usually results in a more positive experience for your child.  We endeavour to keep you fully informed about treatment options, plans and outcomes at all times and you will be given plenty of opportunities to ask questions.  We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. 

Children’s personal hygiene practices are everyday habits that need to be established early.  Just like children are taught to wash their hands after using the toilet, introducing and teaching good oral hygiene habits from a young age teaches children the importance of a clean and healthy mouth.  Start your child’s oral hygiene routine early and make it fun.  Set a great example by modelling brushing and flossing to your child. 

Starting from the newborn stage, a moist gauze pad or cloth over a finger can be used to clean your infant’s gum pads.  Introduce a soft toothbrush (without toothpaste) once the first tooth has erupted.  Give your child time to play with (or chew!) the toothbrush. 

From 18 months, a tiny smear of fluoridated children’s toothpaste can be introduced.  Above 6 years of age, children should use a pea-sized amount of age-appropriate fluoridated toothpaste when brushing. 

Flossing cleans the tooth surfaces which cannot be reached by a toothbrush and this should begin when any two teeth touch each other.  Remember that children require assistance with tooth-brushing and flossing until they are 8 to 10 years of age.  Ask us for a demonstration! 

Here are some tips for helping your child with tooth-brushing:

• Sit your young child on your lap (facing away from you), or stand behind your older child. 
• Gently cup your child’s chin with your free hand (not the hand holding the toothbrush) and rest his/her head against your chest
• Start brushing from the back of the mouth, aiming the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle towards the gumline.  Using gentle circular motions, brush each tooth before moving forward one tooth at a time.  Remember to brush the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ of each tooth.  Finally, brush back and forth on the chewing surfaces of the teeth
• Encourage your child to spit out toothpaste after brushing (if using)

My child is extremely scared of the dentist. How do I prepare my child for his/her consultation?

Try the following to reduce his/her anxiety:

• This time, we are seeing a different dentist.  All you need to do is to ride in the special chair and open your mouth so the dentist can count your teeth. 
• The dentist will show you her tooth counter and ruler before using it to count your teeth.  We will only be discussing how to make your tooth better on that day. 

Be brief but honest.  If your child asks ‘will it hurt?’ a suggested answer is ‘I do not know but we will be sure to ask the dentist when you meet her’.