Children's dentistry

Signs you might need it

• An early look at the teeth, from about age three, before anything is wrong.
• A baby tooth that looks dark, has a chip or a hole, or that catches food.
• Pain, a swelling on the gum, or a tooth that was knocked in a fall.
• Questions about thumb-sucking, a bottle at night, or how the adult teeth are coming through.

What happens, step by step

1. A short first visit

   Your child sits in the chair, often on your lap for the youngest. The doctor counts the teeth and looks for early decay and for how the teeth are coming through. If nothing is wrong, that is the visit.

2. Cleaning, and protection where it helps

   A gentle clean, and fluoride on the teeth where the doctor thinks it will help.

3. Small repairs where they are needed

   A small filling, or a sealant on the grooves of a back tooth, where it will stop decay from starting or spreading. Anything that needs more than one appointment is explained to you beforehand, and nothing is done on the day without your consent.

4. Advice for home

   Brushing with the right amount of fluoride toothpaste, what to do about sweets and drinks, and when to come back.

How it feels afterwards

A child may be tired or clingy after a visit, which is normal. If a tooth was numbed, keep an eye that they do not chew their lip or cheek while it is still numb. Where treatment needs it, the area is numbed with a local anaesthetic before we start, and you can ask us to pause at any point.

What decides the cost

A fee is only worked out once the doctor has examined you. It depends on:

• Whether the visit is a check-up only, or treatment is needed.
• What kind of treatment, and on how many teeth.
• Whether a CBCT scan is taken.
• The cost is told to you in writing before anything is done.