Children’s Dentistry Services in Eltham

Our dental experts at Eltham Dental Clinic are specially trained and qualified to offer top-quality services to patients of all ages to help them live a comfortable and cavity-free life. For all of your children’s dental needs, be sure to visit the friendly professionals at Eltham Dental Clinic today.

It is recommended that children visit the dentist every six months for teeth cleaning in order to remove any plaque or calculus. This is very important, as children are still learning and may not be brushing their teeth properly, and if the plaque builds up it may lead to gingivitis and tooth decay. After the cleaning, the dentist will also treat the teeth with fluoride treatment to help strengthen them against tooth decay.

We recommend that your child first visits the dentist around 3 to 4 years of age to develop a positive attitude and experience towards the dentist. If you notice anything you think is out of the ordinary before this time it’s better to be safe than sorry, so book an appointment straight away. Prevention is better than cure and early dental visits will help protect your child from tooth decay. We recommend that children see the dentist for check-up every six months, to monitor growth and to detect any issues early.

At Eltham Dental Clinic, we believe that a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums start at a very early age. Our experts use improved technology and the latest techniques to help parents raise cavity-free children for a more comfortable and enjoyable life. Our goal as dental professionals is to help save you money and stress by instilling good oral hygiene habits at a young age.

The first teeth begin to break through the gums at about six months of age. Usually, the first two teeth to erupt and appear are the two bottom central incisors (the two bottom front teeth). Next, the top four front teeth emerge. After that, other teeth slowly begin to fill in, usually in pairs — one on each side of the upper or lower jaw — until all 20 teeth (10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower jaw) have come in by the time the child is 2 ½ to 3 years old.

Reduce the risk of tooth decay in your child’s new teeth. Never allow your infant or toddler to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices or sweetened liquid, and never dip a pacifier in sugar or honey. If your infant or toddler needs a comforter between regular feedings or at a bedtime, give the child a clean pacifier recommended by our dentists or paediatrician.

Before they have tooth we recommend you wipe your child's gums with a wet washcloth or a clean gauze pad each day. Begin brushing your child's teeth with a little water as soon as the first tooth appears. We recommend you brush your child's teeth until they can tie their own shoes (around 7 years) and supervise tooth brushing to make sure that children use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and avoid swallowing it. Children should also be taught to spit out remaining toothpaste and rinse with water after brushing.

Our qualified family dentists at Eltham Dental Clinic examine the health and condition of your child’s teeth, gums, soft tissues, head and neck, and continue to monitor the growth of the jaw and the development of their teeth. It may be recommended to take x-rays to detect cavities developing between the teeth in order to prevent future pain and expense.

An OPG may be necessary to view the child’s entire mouth and jaw. An OPG shows the whole jaw and will allow the dentist to asses if there are any permanent teeth missing, abnormal growths, extra teeth or other oral issues that may pose a problem. Our highly trained dentists will also check to see if the child requires any orthodontic treatment and help evaluate any oral habits such as thumb sucking.

A fissure (or pit) sealant is a thin, resin film that is applied to the biting surfaces of molars and premolars, creating a protective barrier which prevents food and bacteria getting into these areas. This safe and painless technique thereby protects children’s teeth and helps prevent dental decay.

We recommend fissure sealant treatment when your child’s first permanent teeth come through, usually at the age of 6-7 years and for the remainder of teeth to be sealed as they appear thereafter, usually between 11-14 years.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a relatively new child dental program which began January of 2014 and replaced the Medicare Teen Dental Plan. The CDBS helps to provide eligible children and teenagers aged two to 17 with up to $1,000 in dental expenses over two consecutive calendar years. If you have more questions about the CDBS, be sure to give our team a call today.