Preventive Care
Our goal is for children to have healthy teeth and mouths for the whole of their lives, starting with good dental habits at an early age. To achieve this, we assess your child’s individual risk factors and provide preventive advice adapted to their needs. For toddlers and young children this may include early guidance on when and how to brush and nutritional advice to minimise decay risk in the future. Preventative treatment may then extend to include fissure sealants and mouthguards in older children.
Restoring primary teeth is important as they are necessary for proper chewing, speech and aesthetics. They are also important in guiding permanent teeth into the correct position. Untreated tooth decay may progress resulting in pain and infection which can in turn affect the development and position of underlying adult teeth. It is also associated with higher oral bacterial counts which can lead to further decay risk in both primary and permanent teeth. Early extraction of primary teeth because of advanced decay may result in space loss, dental crowding and future orthodontic problems. Prevention of severe crowding due to early tooth loss, including placement of space maintainers, is a common part of specialist paediatric dental care.
