We’re often asked by parents “Is it OK to put my baby to bed with a bottle?” Whilst this can be calming to an overtired or distressed child, the bacteria in the mouth thrive on the sugar that is found in liquids such as milk, formula and juice. Couple that with the decreased flow in saliva when sleeping and we increase our chances of tooth decay in the baby teeth. “But [...]
In our lifetime, we have two sets of teeth. Baby teeth (milk teeth or deciduous teeth) are the first set of teeth to appear in your child’s early life. The second set are the adult teeth (permanent teeth). There are 20 baby teeth altogether and they begin to erupt around 6-8 months and continue to progressively erupt up to 3 years of age. Children lose their baby teeth which are replaced by adult teeth typically starting at [...]
Did you know that the first dental visit is recommended to take place by the age of one but on average, children have their first visit at the age of four? First dental visits and care from a regular dentist are important factors in looking after the health of your child’s teeth and mouth. The best time to book you baby in for their first dental visit is when their first tooth [...]
Most of the time parents are happy just to get their kids to fall asleep, but have you ever noticed your child grinding their teeth? Teeth grinding, commonly known as “bruxism” is a problem that can lead to dental complications in adults. Bruxism is characterised by clenching and grinding of the teeth. But, is it bad for babies and children to be grinding their teeth? What are the causes of teeth grinding? [...]
Many parents ask us what impact thumb sucking will have on their child and how they can help to stop it so we thought we’d share some insights we have. Firstly, thumb sucking is a very natural thing that many children do from an early age…and we mean very early. There is plenty of evidence that shows babies in utero sucking their thumb! Why do they do it? Thumb or finger sucking [...]
ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Any child who has suffered a Dental Injury that has resulted in facial swelling or trauma. We would recommend going straight to The Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department for medical attention. The Emergency Department at The Royal Children’s Hospital provides urgent medical care to children and adolescents. The Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Emergency Department entrance is via Entry 2 from Flemington Road, [...]
How does tooth decay develop? Tooth decay is a diet-related disease that damages the teeth. Teeth are covered in plaque, a sticky film that contains bacteria. When we eat and drink, the bacteria produce acids that break down the outer layer of the tooth (enamel). This is how decay develops. Dental decay can be found on both baby and adult teeth. Areas that are at a higher risk of collecting plaque and [...]
What are the 6 year old molars? The first adult molar erupts between 6-7 years of age, commonly termed the “6 year old molar” or “first molars” and they represent new growth, meaning they don’t replace any baby teeth. These first molars help to determine the shape of the lower face and affect the position and health of the other permanent teeth. They sit right behind the last baby tooth. As they [...]
Sucking in babies, whether this is thumb, finger or dummy, is part of normal, healthy development. In the very early stages of life, dummy sucking is not a concern, however if it continues, it can cause changes to the teeth and jaws. What are some of the problems we see with prolonged dummy sucking? Many of the kids we see with prolonged dummy habits often do have issues with their teeth and [...]
Molar teeth have deep, fine grooves (also known as fissures) and pits on their chewing surfaces. These grooves can be very difficult to keep clean and often, even the toothbrush bristles are too thick to brush the base of the groove. That means, even if your oral hygiene is impeccable, some areas are just impossible to clean thoroughly! This leads to an unwanted collection of plaque and food debris. If plaque and food particles are not [...]