Kids Dental

At Mount Druitt Dental, our staff are highly trained and experienced to provide childrens dental care for babies and small children.

Even before their adult teeth erupt, there are things you can do to protect your child’s teeth and gums, and instil good habits that they will take into their later years

Free* Kids Dental

Are you eligible for free dental care for your children? The government-funded Child Dental Benefit Schedule provides eligible families with $1000 per child for select Children’s dental services. Find out more about free kids dental.

Baby teeth and children's first dental visit

New parents often ask us when they should bring their child for their first dental check-up. Our answer is when the child’s first tooth erupts, usually between 6 and 10 months.

The sooner a child has their first dental visit, the better. This will establish good dental habits early in life and reduce any anxiety about the dentist.

We even encourage parents to bring small children to meet us for free before their first visit. Then they will be more comfortable for their first childrens appointment later.

You could have a ‘practice run’ at home by having them lie on the bed and counting their teeth using a torch.

Avoid saying things like ‘There’s no need to be scared’ because they won’t have a fear of a dentist unless the idea is put into their head. Instead, you could describe it as a fun visit where they can ride in a magic chair and get a reward at the end.

Their first visit is a limited examination to enable the child to become familiar with the dental setting. Then it will be an ordinary activity for them, rather than something for them to worry about.

Once your child turns two, you should bring them in for a full check-up. Our dental team will assess their dental development and do any early prevention treatment needed.

Children's dental care at home

Baby teeth or milk teeth are an important step in your child’s teeth development. At home, you can encourage the healthy development of their teeth before the first tooth erupts. One important task is to wipe your baby’s gums with a damp cloth to minimise the sugar and bacteria on their gums. Although they’re not permanent, healthy baby teeth will contribute to the growth of healthy adult teeth. If you bottle-feed your baby, remove the bottle as soon as they’re finished rather than leaving it with them. As babies have a weak immune system, their baby teeth can develop tooth decay if they always have milk in their mouth. Another way to prevent dental problems in children is to instil good habits very early. This includes:

brushing twice a day
avoiding sugary food and drink, including fruit juices
avoiding snacking
not using food as reward.

When your children are young, they will only eat and drink what you give them. So if you don’t introduce them to sugary food and drink, they won’t know it exists! It’s also important for your child to brush twice a day. Developing this routine early will give them good oral health and teeth care habits that will last a lifetime. Let them watch you do it so they see brushing as a normal activity quickly. You only need to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Adult teeth and early intervention

Children usually get their first adult tooth around five or six years. However, they could start losing their baby teeth as early as four and as late as eight. You should get your child’s teeth checked regularly to prevent decay and treat any existing decay. If left untreated, the decay will affect the health of the adult teeth. Early treatment is the key to a child’s healthy . By the age about 12, around 75% of children need braces, though most of their facial development has occurred by that age. Early intervention can occur even before all the adult teeth have come in. Early treatment can correct:

bite problems
underdeveloped jaws
narrow dental arches
crowded teeth
deep overbites
jaw joint problems
airway problems
thumb sucking.

This intervention can often prevent:

the removal of adult teeth to relieve crowding
a fang-like appearance
lengthy use of braces
speech difficulties.

It is also vital to correct any functional jaw problems as soon as they develop. Functional therapy can improve both facial appearance and speech. Come in and talk to our specialists about your child’s orthodontic needs as early as possible.