Going to the dentist can make kids nervous at first, but bringing your child to the dentist early also acclimates your child to our environment, reducing anxiety and fear, which can make for plenty of stress-free visits in the future. It is our goal to introduce children to the dental environment and encourage them to enjoy taking care of their oral health.
Children should visit the dentist no later than six months after the first tooth erupts, or before the child’s first birthday. Taking your child to the dentist at a young age is the best way to ensure good oral health habits start early. Decay can occur as soon as teeth appear, so practicing good oral care at home with your children is very important to prevent cavities and other dental problems.
Corio, Norlane and Lara children’s dentistry appointment inclusions
Education
Our children’s dentists educate the child using models and child-friendly terminology; emphasising the importance of keeping teeth strong and healthy. In addition, we advise parents on disease prevention, trauma prevention, good eating habits, and other aspects of the home hygiene routine.
Prevention
Helping children and parents establish sound eating and oral care habits reduces the chances of future tooth decay. In addition to providing check ups and dental cleanings, our children’s dentists can also apply dental sealants and topical fluoride to young teeth, advise parents on thumb-sucking/pacifier use/diet, and provide good demonstrations of brushing and flossing.
Monitoring growth
By continuously tracking growth and development, we are able to help anticipate dental issues and intervene if required.
Taking advantage of a child’s growth spurt can be extremely advantageous in correcting things like narrow arches, cross bites, deep bites or protrusive teeth. The dentists can also assess and make recommendations for children who have large tonsils which can contribute to poor sleep quality.
Dr David Yu and Dr Sharmaine Tee are trained in myofunctional pre-orthodontics. They closely monitor the facial and jaw growth of children from as young as 2 years old. Habits like thumb sucking, pacifiers and mouth breathing can interfere with healthy growth as well as sleep. Our dentists are able to make assessments and provide exercises as well as appliances such as the MyoMunchee and Myobrace to get your child’s development back on track. This can reduce or even eliminate the need for complex orthodontic treatment in the future. Ensuring healthy facial growth and healthy sleep will also make sure your child is on the right path to an overall healthy development.
The dentists at Healthview Dental are providers of Invisalign, offering children and parents an alternative to braces.
If you have questions or concerns about dentistry for your children, please contact our children’s dentists in Corio. We can also help parents with dental examinations, dentures and other general and cosmetic dentistry, available across Norlane, Lara and throughout Geelong.