Children's Dentistry | Happy Kids Dental

Dental Decay

Understanding Risk Categories for Dental Decay in Children: A Guide for Parents As a parent, one of your top priorities is ensuring the health and well-being of your child, which includes their dental health. Dental decay, also known as dental caries or cavities, is one of the most common health problems affecting children worldwide. It’s not just about toothaches; dental decay can have far-reaching effects on a child’s overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Understanding the risk categories for dental decay can empower you as a parent to take proactive steps in preventing this common yet preventable condition. What is Dental Decay? Dental decay occurs when the enamel, the Read More…

How does thumb sucking affect the teeth?

Along with their favourite blankets, teddy bears and nap time, thumb-sucking can be one of the most comforting activities of childhood. Between 75% and 85% of infants suck their thumbs, so chances are there’s a thumb-sucker in your family. In most cases, this is nothing to worry about, but it’s still important to pay careful attention as this behaviour can affect your child’s oral health. Most children stop thumb-sucking on their own between the ages of two and four, however, some children continue sucking beyond the preschool years. If your child is still thumb sucking when the permanent teeth start to appear – around the age of 6 – you Read More…

Is your child a teeth-grinder?

You tiptoe into your sleeping child’s room for one last goodnight kiss, and expect to hear the sound of peaceful, quiet breathing. Except instead you hear their teeth grinding together whilst they’re looking distressed and you’re not sure what to do or if this is even a problem. Why is your child clenching their teeth? No one really knows why this happens exactly, although studies have been conducted to try and get to the bottom of it. Some believe it’s a response to the pain of another condition, such as an earache or teething; the clenching and grinding may help ease the pain. It could even be that the child’s jaw Read More…

All you need to know about… Brushing!

When and how often should my child brush/floss their teeth? It’s hard getting your child to brush their teeth – there are so many other more important & interesting things for them to do… or so they think. However, you know how important it is that they brush their teeth well, on a regular basis. One question we hear a lot from parents is how often should our children brush and floss, so here’s what we recommend. When should they start brushing their teeth? Teeth should be brushed as soon as they’ve popped up, and the earlier you start them in the habit of brushing, the earlier you can get Read More…

Dr Zoi advising a patient about teething

All you need to know about… Teething!

How do I know when my child is teething ? Your baby’s first teeth usually start erupting at around 6 months old, however, there is a large variation in the age at which they can erupt, from birth to over 1 year old. Signs of teething will commonly start just before the first teeth erupt. Sometimes, baby teeth can erupt with no signs of pain or discomfort, however, often parents can notice: A sore, red gum or blue lump where the tooth is about to erupt Flushed cheeks Drooling Coughing or gagging Biting on hands/ hard objects Crying and irritability Refusing to feed Unusual night waking Rubbing the cheek/ face Read More…

The Importance of Gum Health for Your Child

Ensuring your child has a healthy mouth and healthy teeth starts before the first teeth erupt into the mouth. Healthy oral health habits will prevent or reduce the risk of dental caries (tooth decay) in children and should begin with keeping your child’s gums healthy from birth. Although your child is only consuming breast milk, formula milk or water for the first few months, and these are all incredibly important sources of nutrients and health for your child, milk still contains natural sugars which can influence the bacteria in the mouth towards tooth decay. Keeping the gums clean Cleaning the gums twice a day is sufficient whilst your baby is Read More…

6 Strategies to Calm Nervous Children Before their Dentist Appointments

When recalling your own childhood fears about dentistry, it’s easy to understand how and why children are anxious about their visit to the dentist. This is all the more reason to find and implement calming strategies for kids to help them cope with their visit to a dentist. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes may perhaps prompt childhood memories of your own; remembering your own experiences can help you get on a child’s level about the potential for anxiety. Children worry about separation from their parent(s) and being in the presence of a relative stranger. There is also the fear of certain procedures, (such as injections and drilling amongst Read More…

A Child’s First Visit to the Dentist

A child’s first visit to the dentist should happen at a younger age, paediatric dentists recommend taking him or her within 6 months of the first tooth coming in (erupting), or by about 12 months at the latest. How to prepare your child for a first visit to a dentist? If possible, schedule morning appointments so young children are alert and fresh. Talk you your child about first visit to the dentist in a positive manner. We recommend talking to your child about their dental visit in a fun and exciting manner prior to the appointment. Prepare a preschooler or older child for the visit by giving him or her Read More…

15 Books to read to your child before going to the dentist

At Happy Kids Dental we recommend that your child visits us by the time they get their first tooth, or by their first birthday, whichever comes first. There are a few ways how you can prepare your child for the first visit, read about them here. Reading to your child about going to the dentist and taking care of teeth will help them prepare for their visit, reduce any anxiety they may have about an unfamiliar situation, and boost confidence. Here are some of our favourite books that we recommend to parents, and kids. Those books will help your child become aware of the experience at the dentist and be Read More…

Cartoons About Dentists for Children

A child’s first visit to the dentist should happen at a younger age. Read more about the first visit to the dentist here. Showing your child cartoons about the experience at the dentist, can help them to become aware of the experience and become prepared for it. With that in mind, we thought it would be fun to look at some cartoon dentists that might be a bit better way to show your children dentistry for the first time. Show your children these fun cartoons about dentists and they might be looking forward to visit us! Peppa Pig – The Dentist This is a funny cartoon about the dentist. It Read More…

Category: Children’s Dentistry