Children's Dental Treatments
Caring for your child’s teeth from an early age is important as it will help them to develop good habits such as cleaning them at the right times and by brushing them correctly.
Even though children will naturally lose their ‘milk’ teeth, by visiting our practice on a regular basis for check-ups our dentists will be able to detect any indications of possible future problems before their permanent teeth grow through.
As soon as baby teeth arrive from six months old, they help children to learn how to chew and develop their speech. At The Wimbledon Dentist our dentists will be able to monitor the progress of your child’s teeth as well as teach them how to brush their teeth. We will also recommend the right toothbrush and toothpaste to use and advise parents or guardians to ensure their children brush at least twice a day.
Settling in
A child visiting a dental surgery for the first time can be an unsettling experience so we encourage parents and guardians to bring their children at an early age to become familiar with our dentists as well as the practice environment. Our staff are trained to work with children and have the experience to help your child feel as relaxed as they can be before their check-ups.
The first dental appointment
We believe that it is so very important that your little one starts off on the right foot with the dental profession, and so we are determined that they only should have positive and fun experiences at the dentist. This is the key to them building a trust and confidence with attending, and also ensuring that the vital health messages about brushing and sugar gets through repeatedly from an early age. We recommend that where at all possible the whole family attends together on the child's first visit. Perhaps mum and dad sit in the chair that day too! They get the all-important sticker or present for letting the dentist "count" their teeth and get to stick their tongue out at everyone as well as seeing their own teeth on the computer screen courtesy of our little intraoral camera. We of course gently begin their dental education but your child should remember only a fun and friendly visit, with the aim being that they never have dental disease such as tooth decay or gum problems as children or grownups.
Please note that It is our treasured policy to never ever force a child to do anything while at our surgery. We will always use our experience to recommend another way, even if it means doing something else or coming back another day.
We recommend that if your child has problems cleaning effectively or simply has never been properly shown what to do and how, that they should see our hygienist Ewa, who has a special interest in treating children of all ages. Perhaps they need one-on-one oral hygiene advice and plaque-disclosing demonstration followed by a gentle polish. Or perhaps they will respond better to someone other the mum and dad telling them to clean better or longer! These sessions are short and gentle and children seem to really get benefit from them.
Please see our Hygiene Treatment section or the fee list for more on what's involved with Junior Smile and Young Smile hygiene sessions.
