Children's Dentistry

In Australia, tooth decay in children is on the rise. Children aged 5 to 10 years have an average of one and a half decayed, missing or filled baby teeth. So, it’s more important than ever to teach your child good oral health habits that will stay with them for life.

Caring for children's teeth is important

It’s important to look after your child’s teeth from the moment they start teething. Keeping your child’s teeth and gums clean will protect against infection, cavities and pain. Decayed baby teeth can damage the permanent (adult) teeth underneath.

It’s important for your child to get into a regular oral hygiene routine to prevent tooth decay. Babies can be affected by tooth decay as soon as their first teeth arrive. As soon as your baby’s teeth start to erupt you should book in for their first visit to the dentist. At this visit our dentist will evaluate and can advise you on how to best clean your baby's teeth.

If a child’s tooth is lost due to decay, it can cause crowding problems when their adult teeth come through later. Which can lead to orthodontic treatment being needed.

Dental care for babies

Many babies begin teething at around 3 months old. Their first teeth usually appear at around 6 to 9 months. By the age of 1, a baby will usually have around 8 teeth. But babies develop at different rates, so this can vary.

You should begin cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as they arrive. This can be done by:

• Wiping with a soft cloth
• Brushing with a soft toothbrush and water

Teeth cleaning for older children

From the age of 18 months, you can start using a low-fluoride toothpaste when you brush your child’s teeth.

You can buy toothpaste and small-headed toothbrushes, made especially for babies or children, at your local pharmacy or supermarket. You will need to clean your baby’s or child’s teeth until they are old enough to do it themselves. This is usually around the age of 7-9 years.

Visiting the dentist

Regular check-ups

Regular dental check-ups are important from the age of 1 as this will help your child to build good, lifelong oral health practices. It also normalises ‘going to the dentist’ so your child is less likely to be scared

We always do our best make a visit to the dentist a positive experience. You can help by never use the dentist as a threat for not brushing teeth or other behaviour.

When to seek further help

See the dentist if your child develops any of the following:

• bleeding, red or swollen gums
• pus coming from the gums
• a bad taste in the mouth that won’t go away
• abscesses (these can be under the teeth and will usually be very painful)

Costs of dental care

The Australian Government covers the dental costs of some children through Medicare. You can check whether your child is eligible on the Child Dental Benefits Schedule website or by calling us.