Is your little one seeing a children’s dentist as often as they should? The NHS recommends that children see a dentist when their first milk teeth appear and then attend routine checkups after this, but last year it was revealed that over 6.5 million children in England have not been seen by an NHS dentist for at least a year. So, as you fasten up their school shoes and pack their book bag, make sure that you are also making arrangements for their next dental appointment this September.
Children’s First Appointment
It’s important to take care of your children's teeth from the moment that they come through. So, if your little one’s first milk teeth have started to show, make sure that you keep an eye on them and bring them to see our children’s dentist as soon as they have fully erupted.
During this first visit to our dental practice you will get to know our team and they will be able to let you know how well your child’s baby teeth are developing. This mainly means checking for any alignment issues or tooth breakages, but also covers any issues with the development of your childs’ mouth. Once we have a good picture of your little ones' overall condition we will be able to tell you how the teeth should grow and make you aware of any issues to keep an eye on over the coming weeks and months.
This early visit will give both you and your dentist a good understanding of your child’s predicted development and also offers the perfect opportunity for your baby to get used to visiting our practice. By becoming familiar with our dentists and our practice at a young age, children are less likely to become anxious ahead of future visits to the dentist, which makes attending important follow-up appointments much easier.
Regular Checkups With a Children’s Dentist
As they grow, their teeth, gums, and jaw will all play important roles in your child’s development. As well as influencing the shape of their lower face, these factors all contribute to the development of speech and can also affect their ability to eat and drink - which is why our dentists will need to monitor your child’s oral health throughout their early years.
If any alignment or spacing issues are found then our team will see to it that any necessary interventions are done at the right time. Whether this includes braces, Invisalign treatments, or even emergency treatment to address any time-sensitive damage, we will discuss the best treatment options with you and help you and your child to make the best decision for their needs.
Another unfortunate reality facing the parents of young children is that cavities and tooth decay are common issues for children with developing mouths. Baby teeth, also called milk teeth, are much more susceptible to decay than permanent adult teeth due to their composition, and whilst people of any age can suffer from tooth decay it develops much faster in baby teeth. So, if you start to notice any brown spots when brushing their teeth at night, or they start to complain of any pain, be sure to make our team aware of this potential problem.
Finally, taking your kids to routine appointments helps to develop their perception of visiting a children’s dentist as an important biannual event. This is particularly pertinent if they have any issues with their teeth as we will advise them to attend more regular appointments, but even if they don’t have any issues they should know how important it is to let us monitor their teeth, as well as to care for their teeth and gums at home.
Childrens’ Dentistry at Riverside
We know how much you want the best for your children - but with the current provision for dentistry on the NHS, you may not be able to get it from public care providers. In the UK last year the average waiting time for dental procedures including extractions was a year and a half for children, with some children waiting over two years for dental surgery on the NHS.
These waiting lists don’t take into account the long time that children often spend waiting to be registered as a patient and limited appointment availability means that many parents are now looking at private care instead.
If this is the case for you, we invite you to book your children in for an appointment at our dental practice today. At Riverside Dental Spa, we offer affordable and accessible care with no long waits that guarantees your children receive the care that they need when they need it. All of our children’s exams and treatments are offered at half price to keep our excellent care at affordable prices for all, so don’t let this become a source of stress for your family - book the whole family in for a checkup with our online appointment system.
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Catch any issues as they develop and give your child the best possible start to a lifetime of smiles with our half price treatments and affordable dental plans to help you spread the cost.
