Preventive Care

A lifetime of good dental health is set up from an early age. That’s why at Kids Dental Sydney we focus on prevention and early intervention.

We provide the following preventive dental services:

Regular Dental Check Ups

At the dental check-up, Dr Pai will complete a thorough comprehensive oral assessment to check your child’s teeth, gums, bite and surrounding structures for any potential problems. She will also educate you and your child about oral health care and diet and answer any questions. It is also likely that your child’s teeth will be professionally cleaned, fluoride applied if appropriate and x-rays taken if necessary, at this visit.

Regular dental visits help your child stay cavity-free. We recommend dental check-ups at least twice a year for most children. Some children however, may need more frequent dental visits because of their increased risk of tooth decay or other chalky teeth problems. Dr Pai will advise you on the best appointment schedule for your child.

Chalky teeth and tooth decay are not the only reasons for a dental visit. Dr Pai will provide an ongoing assessment of changes in your child’s oral health and may identify orthodontic problems and suggest treatments to minimise more extensive treatments in the future.

Fissure Sealants

The chewing surfaces of the back teeth have natural pits and fissures that can be deep and narrow. The bristles of a tooth brush are often too large to clean out all the food particles that are stuck within these deep and narrow fissures. The food particles attract bacteria forming a sticky coating called plaque. Acids produced by the bacteria in the plaque eat into the enamel causing tooth decay. Fissures are 5 times more likely to develop tooth decay.

A Fissure sealant is a white resin based protective coating that is applied into the fissures of a cleaned tooth. The sealant acts as a physical barrier on the tooth surfaces and avoids food and bacteria from getting stuck in the pits and fissures.

The application of fissure sealants is easy to do and young children seem to tolerate this simple procedure well. Fissure sealants should be routinely applied to the first permanent molars. Research has shown that fissure sealants can prevent formation of cavities significantly.

On average sealants usually last for 5 years or longer. However regular visits are recommended to ensure that the sealant is intact. In order to prolong the life of your child’s sealant, avoid hard sticky chewy lollies (fantails, Gummy bears, etc).

Orthodontic Exams

Orthodontic exams are conducted during your child’s regular check-up and aimed to identify and correct possible issues thereby minimising the need for extensive future orthodontic treatment.

Dental X-Rays

Dental x-rays (radiographs) are a vital and necessary part of your child’s dental diagnostic process. Without them, certain dental conditions can and will be missed.

Radiographs help the dentist spot signs of tooth decay that may not be visible to the naked eye. Early diagnosis means we can treat the tooth before it gets worse. In addition to detecting cavities radiograph’s may also be needed to survey erupting teeth, evaluate the results of an injury, plan orthodontic treatment and detect bone diseases.

Dental x-rays are perfectly safe and the amount of radiation received from a dental x-ray is extremely small. Equipment used at Kids Dental Sydney filters out unnecessary x-rays and restricts the x-ray to the area of interest. High-speed films also assure that your child receives a minimal amount of radiation exposure.

Mouth Guards

Sports mouth guards are used to protect your child’s teeth, gums and oral soft tissues from injury and trauma. Approximately 25% of dental injuries in children are sports-related.

To avoid long-term damage caused by sports injury, it is important to wear a professionally made mouth guard. If your child plays high-impact sport such as soccer, rugby, basketball a mouth guard is strongly recommended. Custom made mouth guards fit comfortably and are made from materials that can absorb possible forces experienced during sports.

FAQS

The following steps will help your child be part of the cavity-free generation:

  • Seek regular check-ups 
  • Professional cleaning and Fluoride application
  • X-rays to be taken as appropriate
  • Beware of frequent snacking 
  • Brush effectively twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
  • Floss once a day
  • Have sealants applied when appropriate
  • Access to fluoride from drinking tap water and fluoride products.

The technical term for teeth grinding is Bruxism. It is natural for babies and children to grind their teeth typically whist asleep. Therefore, if you hear teeth grinding noises you should not be overly concerned. However, teeth grinding can also be triggered by several other factors including a misaligned bite or subconscious pain relief originating from the teeth or ears. If in doubt please contact us. In general, if bruxism continues after 14 years of age a night guard is needed to protect teeth and prevent them from getting worn down.

Two rows of teeth are usually due to the permanent incisor erupting behind the baby tooth before the baby tooth has fallen out. Usually the baby tooth falls out within a few weeks of eruption of the permanent tooth. However, if the baby tooth is still retained and firm the paediatric dentist should assess it.