Establishing a good relationship with the Dentist

The pre-school years are ones of adventure with, hopefully, few dental problems. Establishing a good relationship with a dentist, in the early years, lays the foundation for a lifetime of healthy teeth.

Teeth Cleaning

Children need to have their teeth cleaned twice a day, to establish a good oral hygiene routine that will continue through to adulthood. Children don't have the fine motor skills needed to use a toothbrush like an adult, until they are about 8 years old. Some children's teeth are placed so tightly together, that flossing needs to be performed by the parent to remove food between the teeth.

To get good visibility to clean your child's teeth and floss gently lay your child on a bed or couch to clean their teeth. An effective and simple routine can be to let your child clean their teeth in the morning and you help them at night.

Fluoride toothpaste is an important means of protecting teeth. For preschoolers, a reduced fluoride toothpaste is recommended. Children can't properly spit out toothpaste until they're about 6 years old.

Healthy Diet & Healthy Teeth

Preschool children often "graze" - that is, they drink and eat whenever they feel the need. Beware of sweet snack foods and sweet drinks. Even drinks with "no added sugar" can be harmful.

Healthy Alternatives

Food: Stick to fruit and vegetables - apples, oranges, pears, celery, carrots etc - are a healthy and fun alternative to sweet snacks. Peanut butter, cheese, yoghurts, pita breads and popcorn can also be great snacks.

Drink : Water and milk are good for your teeth. Water makes up 70% of your body's weight so you need to replenish it regularly. Milk provides a good source of calcium for healthy growing bones.

Accidents

Preschool children may knock, chip or dislodge a tooth during the adventures of life. If your child does damage their baby teeth, in any way, it's important to see your dentist as soon as possible.

If a first tooth is lost or moved, don't attempt to straighten it or replace it. As the permanent tooth may be located quite close to the baby tooth, it's important that any action taken does not affect the permanent tooth. Often baby teeth that are knocked out at an early age are slow to be replaced. It's thought that this is because the gum (where the tooth is missing) becomes "harder" and the new tooth has more difficulty pushing through the scarred tissue.

First dental visit

Regular dental visits can prevent minor problems developing into major hassles.

• A dental visit should be a fun visit with "ride" in the dental chair.
• If you suspect that your child has a problem that will require treatment, avoid using
  words such as 'drill', 'needle' or 'it won't hurt'.
• Play dentist with your child at home.
• Get your child to lie on a bed, so you can get a good look at their teeth and they get used
  to lying down while their teeth are checked.
• Make dental visits at a time when your child is unlikely to be tired or hungry, for example
  just after morning tea.

The Decay Factory

Foods that stay in your mouth for long periods of time, such as sucking on hard lollies or sipping juice, give the bacteria (plaque) in your mouth more time to produce the acids that causes tooth decay.