Children and the dentist
Mom's tips: Easy steps for keeping your children’s teeth healthy
Going to the dentist
Other fabulous ideas and practices

Mom's tips: Easy steps for keeping your children’s teeth healthy
“I am one of the lucky ones when it comes to my teeth, I had a mom that took us to the dentist twice a year until we moved out of home. As a result I had good strong teeth with small fillings rather than large holes. My downfall was not carrying on the ‘tradition’ and 15 years later I have had root canal and other interesting procedures to fix what I neglected,” says Lauren Edmunds. “Thank goodness I have now been to my dentist, I really don’t want to be kissing my husband at the age of 40 with false teeth, I’ll leave that until I am around 80 if I can help it.”

Easy things you can do to help your children’s teeth

1. Before your child start getting teeth, rub tooth paste over the gums every night. This takes the harmful plague off the gums that will build up and affect the teeth that have not yet appeared.
2. Brush twice a day. If they don’t brush their teeth just rub some toothpaste over the teeth and rinse. This will at least take some of the harmful plague off.
3. Have a drink of water before going to bed, even better, rinse your mouth with water. If you are not going to brush at night, at least the water will take off the food and liquids that have accumulated.
4. Teach your kids to brush slowly, gently and in small circles. This takes the plague off without damaging the teeth.
5. Teach your kids to floss. This is the best thing you can do for your children’s teeth.

 Going to the dentist
“It’s absolutely normal and understandable that children might show signs of anxiety with their first visit to the dentist,” says Dr Coetsee. “We advise patients to bring children along when they visit their dentist/oral hygienist for their regular check-ups. From an early age the child gets used to the routine of going to the dentist and will show less signs of anxiety or fear, when it’s their turn.”

1. Take your four-year old to a good, patient friendly dentist for their first visit. Before you make an appointment ask them how they handle a four-year old first visit. You don’t have to go to a children’s practice, just choose one that understands you. A good practice will explain to your child what everything is about and introduce them to this world. They might even give them a toothbrush to take home. Mostly, nothing is done in the first session, though the hygienist may clean their teeth gently.
2. Start by taking your children to your appointments, then at around four years they can have their first oral check-up. Then twice a year is the optimal approach to visiting the dentist. Go to the oral hygienist first for a good clean and she can refer you to the dentist if she sees any cavities.
3. Don’t pass your fears onto your children. Give them the facts about looking after teeth and you’ll have a more willing child the next time you announce that it is dentist time again.
4. Start talking about dentists and how to look after teeth well before the appointment. Give them the facts as they are, not as you see them.

For more information, see some of the links below about our children and dentistry. This information is very useful in understanding procedures and approaches to children in the field of dentistry.

Other fabulous ideas and practices
de Necker Inc
My-dentist.co.za

de Necker Inc
This information is the view of the author and is in no way an endorsement by infomom. Our premise is to get you the most up to date and exciting information on all the topics we offer up. But make up your own mind.

de Necker Inc is a high tech, very affordable, meticulously clean and patient friendly practice. Their practice looks more like an art gallery and you will feel very comfortable throughout your experience with them. They are a metal free practice with an in-house laboratory for fast and accurate work. There are five dentists and three oral hygienists and coupling this with their specialised equipment they have more time to spend with you if you need it.

Some fun and savvy approaches they are taking ...
Having experienced de Necker Inc. myself and having had the privilege of being shown around the practise, I give you my personal thoughts and observations. For direct access to them, see their contact details at the end.
Some fantastic ideas and practices include: being able to watch what is happening in your mouth while you are in the chair, the injections are administered using a machine called The Wand which is so far from the old Frankenstein-like-syringe that you almost welcome it. Operations are done in an ozone friendly environment to encourage the healing of wounds and they use lazer treatment to seal the wounds. Their Panarax machine can take a full 360° picture of your mouth so that they can see everything that is going on, especially in the hard to get to areas. Their CEREC machine cuts an in lay in less than 20 minutes, while you wait. They offer an almost complete dental solution so that you seldom get referred away.
Their view on children’s dentistry is clear and embracing. Take a look here for more and answers to questions such as:

• When do the permanent teeth erupt/when does my child lose his first milk tooth?
• Should I give my child fluoride supplements?
• When is the ideal age to consider having braces done?

In addition to all of this, they take a more holistic view on health through dentistry and are able to assist you with Tempero Mandibular Joint disorders. The TMJ is situated in front of the ear and is part of the lower jaw articulating into the glenoid fossa. If you are experiencing symptoms such as: clicking joint, earache and clogginess, sleep disorders, depression which does not react to medication, cronic tiredness etc, you may want to ask your dentist to check your TMJ.
I have chosen to write about this dental practice because they have successfully achieved repeat appointments with my very South-African-Male husband and my two six-year-olds are more than willing to go again, even after one of them had to have 3 cavities filled. I am very happy to say that I have found my dentist, to find yours go to
We welcome any comments and alternate views, to add to this article. If you are a practise and would like to advertise or choose one of our other options.