With a focus on ensuring every child enjoys a calm and positive experience, our paediatric dental care program has stemmed from our passion for working with children. A key goal in achieving this calming atmosphere is to work together with our littlest patients and their parents to generate an educational, yet fun and positive relationship.
When visiting our surgery, our skilled team of professionals will ensure that your child is treated with the utmost care and will maintain a comfortable and safe environment for the duration of their treatment.
Our staff are passionate about prevention and education and guide children to understand the importance of oral hygiene and dental health. In this vein, we recommend that daily routines at home are supplemented by professional check-ups and routine cleans. For the most effective outcome, we suggest visiting your dentist twice per year.
At home, we recommend parents guide their children by practicing proper oral hygiene techniques, including daily brushing and flossing.
At Sydney City Dentist, our knowledge and expertise combined with our state-of-the-art facilities provide your children with a great head start. We would love to work with you to ensure your child establishes a strong start to ensure a lifetime of beautifully healthy smiles.
Ideally, we would love to see your child as soon as their milk teeth come in. The idea here is to familiarise him/her to the surgery environment and our team here at Sydney City Dentist as soon as possible.
This first visit will be very important for your child as a negative or unhappy experience can make future visitations difficult for all involved. It is therefore vital that we get the first encounter right!
At Sydney City Dentist, families are our priority. We know how important it is for you to be comfortable with entrusting your children to our care. Feelings of apprehension with the unknown can cause discomfort and we take pride in working closely with our littlest patients to ensure that their experience is a relaxing and happy one.
We are passionate about active and engaging communication to ensure that your child feels safe and at ease in our surgery and that you have peace-of-mind knowing that they are being looked after.
Although these feelings of unease and anxiousness are natural for children upon their first visit, at Sydney City Dentist, our experienced team can help your child to develop a healthy perception of the dental environment. We aim to achieve this through promoting a friendly atmosphere and by utilising effective communication.
A trip to the dentist can sometimes be intimidating. We realise that nothing sets a child’s mind at ease more readily than friendly dentists and staff.
We therefore pride ourselves on taking the time to build a strong rapport with your child. Ensuring that our youngest patients are relaxed and happy, means that they are ultimately more cooperative and in turn, treatment results are vastly improved.
Part of this preparation process involves familiarising your child with our surroundings and of course our big, comfortable dental chair. With our years of experience working with infants, toddlers, young children and teenagers, we know how to manage those situations that may cause discomfort. We ensure an effective bond is created effectively from the outset so that your little ones feel at ease and in order to minimise any resistance to participation in treatment services.
If your child is experiencing anxiety about their upcoming dental treatment, it is important to let them know exactly what they can expect when they arrive. Keeping a little one guessing will surely increase tensions and nervousness.
Our dental team will ensure that every effort is made to guide children through each stage of their appointment. This includes techniques to mentally and physically prepare them prior to each step in their treatment. Gentle verbal cues and small reassurances are often all that is needed to keep little patients calm.
The dentist-patient communication process therefore can be made a smooth one but utilising simple yet effective communication strategies. It is in this vein that we can assist in managing any anxiety or nervousness about visiting a dentist.
It is not uncommon for children to experience dental problems at an early age. The sooner your child can be brought in for their first dental visit, the earlier preventative measures can begin.
It is internationally accepted and recommended that your child’s first dental visit occur within the first 12 months of life. As some baby teeth are required until a child is at least 12 years old, it is vital that any issues are detected early on.
Because baby teeth are needed for such vital jobs such as chewing, learning to speak, jaw muscle development and strong self image, early examination ensures that your child receives the best possible start to support them into their adult years.
It is possible that young children will not want their teeth brushed initially, but it is important to persist! Some simple enticements can include;
Let your child select their own toothbrush perhaps featuring their favourite characters or colours in order to give them a sense of control over their brushing.
Battery operated brushes can add an element of fun.
Ensure your child can brush their own teeth – be there simply for support!
Be sure to have a stool and mirror available so that your child can see and be proud of their results.
There are some terrific children’s books available on brushing teeth.
Make brushing time family time and have everyone brush their teeth together!
Firstly, try not to worry as this is quite a common occurrence. Generally, no treatment is required however extraction may be necessary if your child’s teeth do not fall out on their own. Bear in mind that some teeth may also erupt early or later (up to a few months) as children tend to have varying patterns of growth.
Teething can cause discomfort and upset for children and they can become irritable when their teeth begin to erupt. Symptoms can include tender and sore gums, dribbling (more so than normal), flushed cheeks and changes in their eating habits. In an effort to relieve discomfort, some children will also look to placing their fingers or other objects in their mouths.
Teething gels or a cool teething ring are recommended in order to relieve discomfort. High temperatures and other symptoms are not generally a normal side effect of teething, however in the unlikely event that fever occurs, medical treatment should be sought.
Children should use toothbrushes that have been designed with little mouths in mind. Brushes with soft, rounded bristles are important for gentle cleaning. Electric toothbrushes are also effective and often assist children in brushing effectively on their own. This generally comes down to patient preference, although the excitement of an electric toothbrush for a child can often motivate them to brush more frequently and elicit added enthusiasm at brushing time. Be sure to swap over to a new brush every three months.
It is recommended that parents assist their children with teeth brushing twice per day. Because young children do not have the dexterity to always brush effectively, they should be helped with their brushing until the age of nine.
When a child is two years old, it is recommended that fluoridated toothpaste be introduced. Prior to this time, parents should use a soft-bristled toothbrush and water to clean their child’s teeth. When using toothpaste, only a small pea-sized amount should be used with children encouraged to spit out and not swallow any excess paste after brushing.
At Sydney City Dentist, we are committed to ensuring your child develops a positive attitude towards dental hygiene and maintaining a healthy smile.
Our experienced team therefore (incorporating oral health therapists, dentists and hygienists) are dedicated to providing the finest paediatric dental health care within our child-friendly, comfortable and professional surgery atmosphere.
For more information regarding the CDBS, we encourage you to visit the government website for up-to-date facts and eligibility information…
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/child-dental-benefits-schedule