Healthy habits start young, which is why bringing your child in for dental check-ups when their first tooth emerges is critical for a path to healthy teeth when they grow older.

Here at Welling Dental Studio, our small and personable team of dentists and dental nurses love to work with kids and their parents, to ensure that the future is bright for their dental health and happiness.

Nurturing your child’s dental health and confidence

One of the most important steps in your child’s oral health development is making sure they start their childhood with a positive outlook towards visits to dentists. We understand that this doesn’t happen overnight – new sights, smells and people can be a little daunting when you’re small!

Your child’s first few visits will get them used to what the dental practice is like and give them the chance to get to know their dentist.

Frequently asked questions

Why are early children’s dentist appointments so important?

Your child’s formative years will determine the way they feel about many different things in their lives as they grow older – one such example is the dentist.

Bringing them in to visit when their first tooth has erupted will acquaint them with their surroundings, so that dentist appointments become second nature to them. Often, during their first couple of check-ups, children don’t tend to open their mouths for long enough for us to examine them – which is completely normal as you might imagine!

These early appointments are more about setting up their confidence for later appointments. We can also show both parents and their children the best brushing techniques and dietary choices so that kids can take pride in their dental health and eventually become caretakers of their own dental well-being.

What do you check for when examining my child’s mouth?

• Check-ups will involve:
• Ensuring your child’s teeth are developing correctly.
• Looking for any instances of crowding or bite problems that could result in tooth wear or injury.
• Identifying signs of decay.
• Identifying if they may need sealants to prevent further decay.
• Advising on the use of fluoride toothpaste if appropriate.

My child is terrified of the dentist – can you help?

We completely understand that it can feel scary and alien for your child to step foot into the dentist’s clinic, particularly if they’ve had a bad experience at the dentist in the past.

We would encourage parents to let us know of any worries their child has about attending so that we can be extra patient and hyper-aware of their needs.

It may be a case of using fun and exciting demonstrations to educate them about teeth, using some of the gadgets and technology we have at the practice. Or we might need to wait until a little while before they feel confident about letting the dentist examine them – it’s all about going at a pace you and your child feel comfortable with.

For older patients over 5, we can provide sedation to help them relax in the dentist’s chair if their nerves are particularly severe.