From early years, children should be encouraged to brush twice daily. Choose a toothpaste containing 1300–1500 ppm fluoride to help protect the delicate enamel. At 8 years old, they should have the dexterity to brush their own teeth, but you’ll still need to monitor how well they’re doing it. A visit to our dental hygienist will ensure your child learns the best technique.

When we eat or drink sugars, it takes at least 30 minutes for saliva to neutralise the acidity created by decay-producing bacteria. Frequent sugary snacks and drinks can mean your child’s mouth is constantly in an acidic state, increasing the chances of tooth decay.

Most importantly, reduce sugar! In addition to sensible eating and effective brushing, we recommend dental sealants and fluoride applications to protect your child’s teeth. Sealants can prevent food from getting stuck in the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces, while topical fluoride strengthens the enamel against decay. These treatments are applied by our dentists and hygienists. Use a straw if drinking sugary, fizzy or acidic drinks (to bypass the teeth) and ask your child to rinse their mouth with water after drinking or eating sugary treats.

We spend time and money teaching our children to swim, dance, and play instruments – and investing in their dental health is just as important. Good brushing habits are essential for keeping teeth healthy and pain-free. A visit to the hygienist to learn how to brush correctly from a young age is one of the best investments you could make for your child. Our hygienists use imaginative and colourful resources to make learning how to brush and care for teeth fun, giving your children an invaluable lifeskill.

Sometimes adult teeth grow alongside baby teeth because baby teeth can be tough to shed! This can create difficulties with eating and may impact your child’s oral hygiene. Depending on the condition of the baby teeth in question, we may recommend leaving them to fall out naturally, or we might advise their removal.

Always be positive about visits to the dentist. These days, good dentistry is largely pain-free, and if your child’s teeth are well looked after, they’re unlikely to experience any discomfort. If your child seems fearful, encourage them to talk about why. Remember, anxiety from a parent or trusted adult can easily be conveyed to a child. Perhaps an older relative has mentioned what it was like when dental methods were quite different?

Adult (permanent) teeth have a larger content of dentine, the layer under the enamel that gives teeth their yellowish colour. Therefore, it's normal for them to appear less white than baby teeth.

When adult teeth first appear, they can sometimes seem out of alignment. Often, they will straighten themselves over time, but if they don’t, they may need some extra help. Paying regular visits to the dentist and hygienist who will advise what’s best for your child’s teeth is so important – as is keeping their mouth clean.

We typically see children every 6 months, but this depends on their risk factor for dental disease. The dentist will make recommendations based on each child's individual needs.