Your baby’s first teeth are important. Growing phases that are vital to your child’s future oral health depend on proper care of them. Pediatric dentistry for children gives parents an oral care path for their children to lead them toward excellent dental hygiene habits as they mature.

The team at Marina Dentists loves treating kids. If you are looking for a children’s dentist in Auckland, you are at the right place. We understand that creating early proactive oral health habits in a child’s development reinforces a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Children’s First Visit To Kids Dentist 

We believe that it is of vital importance that children have a friendly and relaxed introduction to dental treatment and feel comfortable from the very first visit. By providing a happy environment, our team hopes to eliminate any dental anxiety or fears children may have.

A vital step in developing healthy habits is teaching your child about the importance of regular dental care. Our team will share the latest available methods for keeping your child’s oral hygiene up to scratch to create a healthy mindset.  Your child’s first dental visit should occur soon after the first tooth shows up, and no later than the child’s first birthday. Starting your child’s teeth and mouth examinations early can uncover any issues that may impact speech and other oral issues.

When should my children get their first teeth?

Ultimately, each child is different and has a unique physiology. Thus, the pace at which the first tooth grows will differ. However, generally speaking, baby teeth tend to come in between the range of four and 12 months of age.

When your child’s teeth do come through it is important that the child is not experiencing excessive discomfort or any obvious developmental problems with their teeth. 

When should my child start losing baby teeth?

As a rule, your child’s teeth are supposed to start falling out around 5-6 years old. However, since each child is different, it could be earlier or later. The loss of your child’s baby teeth will be followed by the outburst of their first permanent molars, which are followed by the remainder of your child’s adult teeth.

Preventing Tooth Decay

Did you know the two most significant factors of tooth decay are dental plaque and diet? If your child is not cleaning their teeth properly, dental plaque will form on their teeth and gums, which can cause serious effects on their health. Starchy, refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and biscuits can be as harmful to your child’s teeth as sugar. Starches from white flour can remain in your mouth for longer periods and break down into simple sugars.

How are they dangerous to teeth? Bacteria break down the sugars and turn them into acid causing tooth decay. This is why it is important to brush teeth after each meal. Dental decay is a tooth infection, and preventative measures will help to avoid cavities and dental treatment.

Importance of Baby Teeth

It may seem like baby teeth are not that important in the grand scale of your life, however, they have 4 very important functions, and it is very important that they are kept in place until they are lost naturally.

Primary teeth:

- Maintain good nutrition by allowing your child to chew properly

- Involved in speech development

- Help adult teeth grow properly by creating space for them

- Provide healthy smiles which helps children gain self-esteem among peers

Adolescents

Adolescents have special oral care requirements, and of course, self-image is very important to them. Tooth decay, plaque or poorly positioned teeth and jaw can have a lasting impact on their self-esteem. For teens, we can provide a sensitive, professional, and caring method of restoring and using preventive materials, as well as teach preventive dental health care. We can also provide information on wisdom teeth, teeth whitening, teeth straightening, or correction techniques.

Tips for ensuring better oral health of your children

Pediatric dental care safeguards your child’s teeth and keeps them free from decay and other dental diseases.

It is important to purchase toothbrushes and toothpaste manufactured specifically for your child’s age.

• Brush your teeth after every meal.
• Floss at least once a day.
• Don’t use mouthwash immediately after brushing your teeth, as it can remove any protectants that are already in the toothpaste.
• Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice per day minimum.

You should supervise or help your children brush their teeth until they are at least eight years old.