Child Friendly Dentistry/Paediatric Dentistry:

It is very important for your children to visit the dentist as soon as the first milk teeth arrive. Going to the dentist at an early age helps to prevent any fears of the dentist, and encourages the development of good oral hygiene habits. At AT Dental Health, we recommend that your child sees one of our friendly dentists after the age of 1, and continues to visit for regular routine checkups every 6 months. This allows our dentists to monitor the growth of both the baby teeth and, as they get replaced, the adult teeth as well. You and your child can also learn techniques for keeping the teeth clean and healthy.

Childhood tooth decay can happen as early as 6 months of age. This usually occurs due to excessive drinking of milk from the bottle, especially if your child goes to bed with a bottle in their mouth. Our dentists recommend weaning your child off the bottle, and introducing solid foods as soon as your child is ready. We also recommend drinking as much water as possible, instead of soft drinks or fruit juices that all contain high amounts of sugars and acids.

Tooth decay in baby teeth usually occurs very suddenly and progresses very quickly when compared to adult teeth. It is a common misconception that baby teeth are disposable due to the fact that they will eventually be replaced by adult teeth, and therefore require less care. The reality is that baby teeth are extremely important for the development of the adult teeth, and the growing jaws and face. A baby tooth that is lost early may result in tooth crowding in the adult teeth, growth abnormalities in the jaw, face, neck, and even the rest of the body, speech deficiencies, breathing problems, and many other issues. Along the way, a rotting tooth can also cause severe pain to your child.