Pediatric Dentistry in Calgary

Early childhood is a great time to teach good habits and lay the foundation for lifelong oral hygiene. Your child’s first tooth will appear between the ages of six and nine months, and their baby teeth will continue to emerge until about three years old. Gently massaging your child’s gums, applying a small cool spoon, or letting your child chew on a teething ring that has been placed in the fridge are all great ways to help reduce the gum irritation associated with teething.

To help protect your child’s teeth and gums, and promote healthy dental habits you should:

• Limit sugary drinks. Sugary drinks, like juice and milk, should only be served at meal times. Letting your child constantly sip on sugary drinks allows the sugar to stay on their teeth, causing tooth decay. If your child wants a drink between meal times, you should fill their bottle or sippy cup with water.
• Brush your child’s teeth after they eat sticky or sugary foods. After eating sticky or sugary foods, you should brush your child’s teeth and rinse their mouth out with water.
• Floss. If your child’s teeth are touching you should floss between them at least once per day.
• Change your child’s toothbrush. You should change your child’s toothbrush every one to three months. You should also replace your child’s toothbrush immediately after they have been ill. You should never share toothbrushes.
• Set a good example. Letting your child watch you brush your teeth is a great way to encourage them to do so as well. Children are excellent imitators and will learn from your good habits.

Children under the age of three should have their teeth brushed for them twice a day by an adult and should not use toothpaste. You should only brush with fluoride toothpaste before the age of three if it is recommended by their dentist, and even then you should only use a minimal amount. A dab of toothpaste approximately the size of a grain of rice is sufficient.

Children between the ages of three and six can brush their own teeth with adult assistance. Your child only needs a small amount of toothpaste, a portion about the size of a pea, and you should encourage your child to spit out the toothpaste as opposed to swallowing it.

Children begin to get their permanent teeth between the ages of six and eight, and most children will have all of their permanent teeth (aside from their wisdom teeth) by the age of thirteen. To help prevent gum disease and tooth decay your child should:

• Brush their teeth at least twice per day, and floss once per day.
• Have their sugar intake limited. The bacteria in our mouths feed on sugar, forming plaque and causing tooth decay.
• Avoid snacking. Whenever we eat we leave behind food residue on our teeth. Snacking or grazing allows food residue to remain on the teeth for prolonged periods of time, which can cause tooth decay and gum disease. If your child must have a snack, they should brush their teeth once they have finished eating.
• Wear a mouthguard while playing sports.

For more information about children’s dental health, or to request a dental exam and cleaning for your child, please contact us.