We have Lego walls in all our waiting rooms to entertain children while they are waiting and after appointments, we always remember to give children the all-important sticker! Both Practices also have baby changing facilities.
At St John’s Road and East Craigs, children get routine check-ups free through the NHS. During these check-ups, we make sure that all their teeth are healthy, assess how well they keep their mouth clean and we will keep you in the loop if we believe your child would benefit from treatment such as orthodontics.
It’s wise to introduce your child to the dentist as soon as their very first tooth appears (usually when they are around six months old). Even if there are no teeth for us to examine at this stage, early visits will help your child feel relaxed about attending dental appointments. You can also pick up plenty of helpful advice for your child about toothbrushing and diet as prevention, not treatment, is our aim.
For children, we are very committed to the NHS Childsmile scheme which focuses on practical preventative advice and can include the application of fluoride varnish to strengthen teeth for 2 to 5 year olds. For more info, please visit www.child-smile.org.uk
Where appropriate, we apply fissure sealants to your child’s permanent teeth as they emerge (usually starting around age six to seven). This is a white coating (which covers the narrow grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth) to stop bacteria from entering and help prevent tooth decay. In addition, fluoride varnishes can be painted onto young teeth to help strengthen enamel and make them more resistant to decay.