Apple Dental encourages parents to bring their children in for regular six-monthly visits, but it can also be useful to carry out regular checks at home so you are aware of any problems that might pop up and which may need closer attention.

What to look for?

There are a few signs that your child could have a build up of calculus or bacteria, which leads to tooth decay or gum disease. Things to watch out for include:

• Red or swollen gums,
• White lines around the gum line,
• Bleeding gums when brushing teeth.

If you have concerns about your child because they have one or more of these symptoms, please come in and see us and we can instruct you and your child on how to improve and maintain their dental hygiene. Most importantly, if you see any brown or yellow spots that don’t brush off your child’s teeth, please make an urgent appointment as these could be lesions or cavities in the teeth that require immediate treatment.

Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy In Between Check-ups

There are a number of ways to keep your child’s teeth healthy. In young babies and toddlers it’s very important they go to bed without a bottle as the sugars in milk and juices will remain on their teeth during sleep and can cause bacteria build-up. If your child will not go to bed without a bottle, try filling it with water only. You should also begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth emerges, which is usually around six months of age. In older children, make sure that their sugary treats are kept to a minimum (look out for hidden sugar in ‘healthy’ snacks) and get them into the habit of brushing their teeth each morning and night. Older children should start flossing regularly and make sure that they continue to attend their regular dental check-ups.

Motivate Your Kids to Maintain Their Oral Health

We know it’s not always easy to motivate kids to brush their teeth but making it as much fun as possible and getting your child involved can help. Getting them to choose their own child-sized toothbrush will give them a vested interest in using it! The same goes for toothpaste as allowing them to pick a flavour that appeals to them will help motivate them to brush.

If your child uses an electric toothbrush then it will probably have a built-in timer that will tell them when their two minutes is up. If they use a manual toothbrush then buy them their own special timer to keep in the bathroom. Technique is important, so try guiding their hand as they brush, so they can feel the correct movements, or let them have a go at brushing your teeth so they can practice. Brush your teeth at the same time so they can copy you.

Download Our Brushing and Flossing Chart

Our downloadable brushing and flossing chart can be filled in by your kid each time they brush. Just buy them some special stickers or gold stars. Agree a suitable reward once they have successfully completed a month.

If you need any further advice, we have many dentists available to help you.