As an experienced kids dentist serving Manly, Wynnum and Wakerley, we can recommend five ways in which you can better prepare your child for their first dentist visit to ensure a smooth and comfortable experience.

1. Start brushing and flossing early

We understand how difficult it can be creating a routine with a toddler or youngster but the earlier you can introduce them to the sensation of a toothbrush in their mouth, the better. As a Manly kid’s dentist, we suggest the easiest way is to use a soft bristled toothbrush at a set time every day for just a few seconds at a time which you can then build up until you have a daily routine of brushing for at least a minute morning and night. Show them when you floss, and make up a fun song when you want to floss their teeth - we go with ‘ This is the way you floss your teeth, floss your teeth, floss your teeth, this is the way you floss your teeth early in the morning (or night)

2. Make it tasty

A child’s senses will be heightened during the early days of their brushing encounter with the sensation of bristles on their gums and teeth being foreign and unusual. To help them get used to this, a toothpaste that has a pleasant and appealing flavour can make a huge difference in keeping the toothbrush in for longer. Our experienced kids dentists recommend strawberry, bubblegum or even watermelon as flavours that work the best.

3. Avoid surprises

Visiting any medical focused practice can be an uncomfortable experience, especially one that is sterile, filled with stainless steel tools and strange people putting their hands in your mouth! To avoid throwing your child in the deep end, we highly recommend informing them of what will be taking place, what to expect, why you are doing it and importantly, that it’s a safe space for them. Better yet, one of our kids dentists in Manly can suggest children’s books that show what visiting the dentist is like. We have some in the waiting room to use as well!

4. Act it out at home

Making a game of what their first dental experience will be like is a great way to prepare them before visiting our children’s dentist in Manly. As a parent, you can pretend to be the dentist whereby you seat them on the sofa and talk them through the special appointment they are about to undertake. Make it fun and make sure to incorporate a toothbrush and floss!

5. Use praise & positive reinforcement

After each brushing session, make sure to praise and positively reinforce your child so that they feel proud and excited to care for their teeth. Pretend that their teeth are so bright your eyes are hurting or you need your sunglasses!

There are six ways that you can strengthen your toddler’s enamel to give them the right foundation for healthy teeth.

1. Avoid sugary foods and drinks

2. Make brushing and flossing a regular routine

3. Introduce them to calcium-rich foods

4. Avoid citrus or highly acidic foods

5. Rinse mouths with water after meals or sweet treats

6. Use fluoridated toothpaste where possible

Yes, though our practice is in Manly, we’re ideally located as kid’s dentists for Wynnum, and also if you’re based in neighbouring suburbs. It is easy to visit us if you’re looking for a kid’s dentist in Wakerley as well!

We’re so fortunate to be able to support the oral health of many families within the area. As a preventative dental practice, we highly recommend keeping your children’s 6 monthly routine examination and cleans. At this appointment, we not only ensure that we’re removing plaque and calculus, polishing their teeth and flossing between their teeth, we’re also on the look out for any early signs of decay. This means that we can partner with you and your child to start their preventative care journey early!

Often we will identify some signs of vulnerable fissures or grooves, usually on new adult teeth. When this occurs, we recommend a preventative treatment called fissure seals. These seals are thin coatings of white or clear dental material applied to the grooves or fissures of teeth. Molars are the most common teeth that have fissure sealants applied to them. They protect the tooth fissures from tooth decay by keeping food and plaque out of the fissures, effectively ‘sealing off’ these areas. However not all fissures require sealing, our dentists will discuss which teeth may benefit from this procedure and why before proceeding with treatment.

The first permanent molar teeth come through around 6 years of age. The ability of children at this age to effectively clean the fissures of these teeth is limited, therefore sealing these teeth can greatly reduce the risk of tooth decay. Overtime fissure sealants may require replacing as children get older.

Applying a fissure sealant doesn’t usually require any drilling or invasive removal of parts of the tooth, and therefore no anaesthetic which means no needles! After the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, a gel is applied for a few seconds, then the tooth is washed, dried, and reviewed in preparation for the sealant to be applied. The sealant then flows into the fissures of the tooth and is set with a blue light. We then check the bite to ensure it all feels ok, and you’re set to go!

This treatment is often identified at your child’s routine examination, and can usually be completed at the same appointment – which as we know if s bonus for busy families! Dr Simone Faoro is our resident child whisperer dentist – she is kind, compassionate, gentle and a mum herself – so she knows all too well the demands on families busy schedules.