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A few more tips for all the Yummy Mummies out there. And the Dads too, of course!

What should I use to brush my baby’s teeth?

While baby is still very young and only has one or two little baby teeth, a muslin type of cloth can be used to clean the teeth.

As they get older and a few more teeth start to appear, it is a good idea to buy them a nice toothbrush. I would advise the following when looking for a new toothbrush:

• A bright coloured toothbrush, themed if possible as this makes tooth brushing a fun activity.
• The toothbrush must have a small head so that it is easy to manoeuvre around baby’s mouth
• Make sure the toothbrush has soft bristles so it is not too harsh on baby’s gums when brushing
• A toothbrush with a chunky handle and easy to grip, makes it is easy on baby’s dexterity. If it easy to grip the toothbrush, he will be brushing his own teeth in no time!
• There are different toothbrushes for all age groups, so check the label on the toothbrush to make sure it is the correct age range
• Don’t forget to change the toothbrush after 3 months

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Are electrical toothbrushes any good for children?

I would only advise buying an electrical toothbrush for a slightly older child, older than 8 years old, who has already been brushing their teeth on their own for a little while. I still advise parents to supervise the brushing, just to be sure that the electrical toothbrush is being used effectively. While electrical toothbrushes are fun and bring enjoyment to tooth brushing, if used incorrectly, they can lead to gum irritation and possible future decay.

What is the best position for me to be in to brush my baby’s teeth?

I would advise kneeling in front of your baby. Place the toothbrush in their hand once they are old enough to grip the toothbrush. Then use your hand to guide the tooth brush over the teeth.

How do I brush my baby’s teeth?

I always advise using a systematic routine approach for tooth brushing, for both adults and children. Pick your routine for brushing the teeth and stick with the same routine every time you brush your baby's teeth. Brush in a small circular motions, doing 2 small circles per tooth. I advise starting on the top right, on the outside of the teeth, then working your way round to the left. Then brush from the top left to the top right along the inside of the teeth. Then the lower right to the lower left along the outside, followed by working from the lower left to the lower right along the inside. As baby gets older, actually tell him what you are doing, thus getting him used to the routine as you brush his teeth. This helps for when he has to brush his teeth on his own.

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How do I avoid decay in my baby’s teeth?

• Regular brushing, twice a day, to help remove plaque from the teeth
• Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste (check the concentration is suitable for your child)
• A good diet which is free of sugary foods
• Avoiding sugary drinks, especially in baby’s bottle.
• If you are in an area where there is no fluoride in the water, it may be an idea for baby to take fluoride supplements. This is something you would need to discuss with your dentist.

At the Covent Garden Dental Spa, children are seen for FREE if their parent is a Member of the Dental Spa. You would only need to pay for initial consultation of £34.50, and then after that, all the 6 monthly check-ups and kidi-polishes are free of charge. All children’s treatments are 50% discounted.

To read more about 'Talking Baby Teeth', please click on this link.

To find out more about becoming a Member of the Dental Spa and all the benefits of being a member, please click here.

 

 

 

I had the pleasure of organising a good friend’s baby welcome this past weekend. Initially, it was going to be an ‘all girls only’ affair. You know the kind where ‘ladies do what ladies do behind closed doors’ at baby showers and baby welcomes. Sorry, I will not be revealing the intricate details on today’s blog…..

But my girlfriend, for whom we were organising the baby welcome managed to convince me that her partner had to come, so I ended up organising a baby welcome with a twist. This Baby Welcome had men on the guest list! This was a first for me (and for most I would suppose). The challenge was now to figure out how we could orchestrate the proceedings, as all those lovely baby welcome games – you know the kind that ladies play behind closed doors at baby welcomes, were off the agenda.

Needless to say, it was a lovely afternoon, and her little 4 month old baby boy smiled through most of the party. Other than the couple of times he needed a nappy change of course. The little chap had 5 other babies taking part in the celebrations, all of a similar age.

I found myself multitasking. Aunty Flo, cum baby welcome host, cum party organiser, cum DENTIST! Hold on, this is my day off, it is a Saturday afternoon, glass of champagne in hand, and here I am doing my week day job - talking teeth!

Baby teeth were the hot topic of conversation for the afternoon. Below is a list of Q's and A’s  with some common questions I found myself answering at the party and also to my patients at the Covent Garden Dental Spa.

 

Q. When should I expect baby to start teething?

Anything from between 4 to 7 months. If your baby is an early developer, their teeth may come through at the age of 3 months, and a slower developer may take a whole year before his teeth come through. The first tooth to break through is normally always a lower incisor.

Q. When do I know when baby has started teething?

You may notice increased salivation before you start to see any teeth breaking through. Your baby may become irritable and clingy, and have disturbed sleep.  You may find baby wants to start biting into anything they can put their hands on - the biting massages and eases the discomfort of teething.

Q. What can I do to alleviate the discomfort caused by teething?

The conventional plastic teething ring can help. In older babies who are now eating solids, gnawing on hard foods such as a frozen banana pieces can help alleviate the discomfort of teething. Close monitoring is advised to avoid the risk of choking. Using your clean finger to gently massage the area where the tooth is coming through can help to sooth the pain. Pain relief medication may be used, such as Calpol, but please consult with your Paediatrician before giving baby and medicines.

Q. At what age will my baby have a full set of baby teeth?

Expect your baby to get their full set of 20 baby teeth by the age of 2.5 to 3 years. They will keep this set of teeth until all their adult teeth start coming through, which is normally age 6 years.                                                            

Q. At what age should I bring my baby for his/her 1^st check up?

I normally advise parents to bring their baby in for the first dental check up from anything between 12 months and 18 months of age. This is more to ensure that baby's teeth are developing as they should do.

Q. Will baby be OK at the dentist on their first appointment?

The first appointment should be a fun experience, this will make baby enjoy visiting the dentist in the future and hopefully, as an adult too. At the Covent Garden Dental Spa, we do our best to make sure that baby's visit is as fun as possible. Rides on our 'magic chair', and giving toothbrushes, stickers and fun tooth brushing charts, all in an effort to make it enjoyable for baby.  Some parents use bribery tactics too. A promise to the Travel Museum, which is a 5 minute walk from us, is always a great trick. This will motivate baby to cooperate at the appointment, I have witnessed it working!                    

Click here to read more about our Covent Garden Dental Spa Membership.

Q. How often should baby come in for a check up?

I advise for baby to attend twice yearly. This is my chance to ensure that baby's teeth are developing as they should be, ensure good tooth brushing technique and a good diet. Most importantly, to check that none of the baby teeth have developed decay.

Q What things should I look out for as indicator that there may be something wrong?

If baby has no teeth by 18 months, it is a good idea to visit the dentist. If you see any signs of decay - dark spots on baby's teeth, or worry that the adult teeth may not be coming through straight, then it is a good idea to visit the dentist. If baby is not cooperating with the daily tooth brushing routine, it is a good idea to bring her in, I am sure a little gentle persuasion on my part may help to resolve this problem.

 

Q. At what age should regular brushing begin?

It is a good idea to start the occasional brushing as soon as you see a tooth coming through, this just helps baby get used to having his teeth brushed from a young age. Regular and routine brushing should commence by the age of 2. Once in the morning and once just after their last drink before they go to bed. By the time baby is coming in for their second appointment, I, as the dentist, will teach baby good tooth bushing techniques. I also give baby a chart, where he has to fill in a smiley face every time he brushes his teeth. This makes tooth brushing more fun and interactive.

Q. Until what age should I supervise tooth brushing?

I advise parent to supervise tooth brushing at least until the age of 7. That is the age that they are able to brush their teeth on their own, and also gives you, as the parent, the chance to make sure there are no problems with the teeth.

 

Q. Is there any particular type of toothpaste I should use?

There are several toothpastes on the market. Always look for a toothpaste with flouride in it. Fluoride helps to reduce decay. Check the level of flouride in the toothpaste,

Up until the age of 3 years, the toothpaste should not contain more than 550ppm (parts per million) of fluoride.

From age 3 to 6, I usually advise they use a baby toothpaste with flouride concentrations of up to 1000ppm. 

Always use a small amount of toothpaste, it should be no bigger than a quarter the size of a pea. Encourage baby to spit, this can be difficult if they are very young, hence the reason for using a lower concentration flouride toothpaste when they are younger. Ingestion of very small amounts of baby toothpastes with small levels of flouride is not harmful. It only becomes a problem if baby swallows a large amount of toothpaste. Under correct parental supervision, this should not happen.

At the Covent Garden Dental Spa, we do a free check up and kidi-polishes for all children under the age of 18.

Terms of our Kidi’s Benefits

One parent has to be a Member of the Dental Spa

A one off registration fee of £34.50

All childrens's treatments are discounted by 50%