Why it matters

Why children need a dedicated dentist

Baby teeth are often dismissed as "they'll fall out anyway" — but they guide the developing permanent teeth below. A baby tooth lost too early can push adult teeth out of position and cause crowding.

Pediatric dentistry isn't just treatment; it's the art of introducing kids to the dentist through play so they grow up without dental anxiety. We guide parents through every step too.

Patient
Play-based
Never forced
Reward-ending
By age

Care by age stage

Each stage has its own priorities — the right step at the right time.

0-3 years

Infancy

The first tooth appears around 6 months. All 20 baby teeth are in by 24 months. Bottle decay is the major risk — nothing but water at night.

  • First meet-and-greet
  • Bottle decay prevention
  • Teething comfort
3-6 years

Pre-school

Full baby dentition. The child starts brushing but parent follow-up is essential. Thumb-sucking and pacifier habits monitored. Fluoride varnish begins.

  • Fluoride varnish
  • Brushing coaching
  • Habit monitoring
6-12 years

School age — mixed dentition

Baby teeth exfoliate, adult teeth erupt. Fissure sealants protect new molars. An early orthodontic screening around age 7 is highly recommended.

  • Fissure sealants
  • Ortho screening
  • Sports mouthguard
12-14 years

Pre-adolescence

All permanent teeth are through, except third molars. The best time for orthodontic treatment. Hygiene responsibility shifts fully to the teen — 6-monthly check-ups still required.

  • Orthodontic planning
  • Professional cleaning
  • Independent hygiene
Services

Our services

From prevention to emergency care — for every need your child has.

Periodic check-ups

Every 6 months. Early cavity detection, hygiene review, eruption tracking.

Fluoride varnish

Gel application to strengthen enamel. Every 6 months from age 3.

Fissure sealants

A flowable resin fills the deep grooves of molars. Prevents about 80% of cavities.

Cavity treatment

Colourful filling options for baby teeth. Letting kids choose the colour makes the visit fun.

Pulpotomy

Root-canal therapy on a baby tooth, keeping it in place until the adult successor arrives.

Space maintainers

A fixed or removable appliance holds the gap left by a lost baby tooth until the adult tooth erupts.

Trauma / emergency

Same-day response for chipped, broken or knocked-out teeth. Within 30 minutes an avulsed tooth can often be saved.

Orthodontic screening

Jaw growth is assessed at age 7. Early intervention often reduces or eliminates later braces.

First visit

First visit: meeting, playing, trust

The first appointment is not treatment — it's a relaxed meet-and-greet.

1

It starts at home

Avoid words like "doctor", "needle" or "pain" in the run-up. Let them bring a favourite toy.

2

Meeting through play

Sit in the chair, meet the mirror, try the little air puffer. The child befriends the equipment first.

3

A gentle look

Parent right next to the chair. We count teeth as a game — no force, no surprises.

4

Ending with a treat

A little gift, a sticker, a scorecard. Your child leaves asking "when can we come back?"

Our approach

Calming anxiety — our approach

At Dentomed we use the Tell-Show-Do method — explain, demonstrate, then perform.

1

Tell

Everything we'll do is explained in words the child understands. No surprises.

2

Show

We demonstrate on the child's fingernail — they hear the sound, feel the "tickle".

3

Do

We only proceed when the child is ready. When they say "stop" we really stop — that's how trust is built.

Parent guide

Parent guide — at-home care

Beyond the clinic, the daily routine makes the biggest difference.

Brushing by age

Ages 0-3: rice-grain of fluoride toothpaste · 3-6: pea-sized · 6+: thin strip. Parents assist until age 8.

Night routine

After the last brushing, nothing but water — even milk causes cavities. Bottle at bedtime is the single biggest risk.

Sugar & acid

Packaged juices and sodas are the worst. Swap for water, milk, fresh fruit. Snack on crunchy fruit, not candy.

Habits

Thumb-sucking past age 4 starts to shape the jaw — it should stop before age 6. Pacifiers until age 2, then goodbye.

Be the model

Kids imitate parents. Brush together. Dental anxiety often comes from the family — set a positive example.

Emergency: knocked-out tooth

If a permanent tooth is out, place it in milk and call us immediately. Reimplanted within 30 minutes, it can be saved.

Important

Bottle decay — the biggest threat

One of the most common and costly misconceptions. Easy to prevent.

  • Never put baby to sleep with a bottle of anything but plain water
  • Stop the bottle around 12-14 months (with paediatrician's approval)
  • During the day, never use a bottle of non-water to soothe
  • Don't dip pacifiers in sugar, honey or molasses
  • Don't add sugar to baby food
  • After every feed, wipe teeth and gums with a damp cloth or soft brush
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What parents ask us most.

As soon as the first tooth erupts — usually between 6 and 12 months. Not for treatment, but for introduction. Starting early means your child will view the dentist as a friend, not a fear.

Yes, they do. Baby teeth guide the adult teeth into position. An untreated cavity causes pain, abscesses and misalignment of the permanent teeth. "It'll fall out" thinking leads to much bigger orthodontic problems later.

In the right dose, fluoride is completely safe — and it's the global gold standard for children's dental care. A clinical fluoride varnish every 6 months is recommended from age 3 up. At-home fluoride toothpaste amount is age-dosed.

They're a flowable resin applied to the deep natural grooves of molars. By blocking food debris they prevent about 80% of childhood cavities. Applied as soon as the permanent molars erupt (around ages 6-7 and 12-13). Takes 10-15 minutes, painless.

Avoid loaded words at home — "doctor", "needle", "pain". Don't create a fear vocabulary. The first visit should be a meet-and-greet only. If you're anxious, your child will feel it — stay calm. At Dentomed we use the Tell-Show-Do method — never forced.

Past age 4 it starts to affect front-tooth positions and palate shape. Ideally it stops before age 6. Forcing doesn't work — positive reinforcement (reward chart, awareness talks) does. In persistent cases a pediatric dentist can fit a custom appliance.

Yes, from age 3 up. As parent assistance fades, an electric brush actually cleans better. Head size should match the child's age. A manual brush used with correct technique works too — the key is 2 minutes covering every surface.

For contact sports — basketball, football, boxing, skiing — absolutely. A blow to the mouth can chip or knock out a permanent tooth. A custom-fit mouthguard made by a dentist is far more comfortable than an off-the-shelf one.

Ready to plan your new smile?

Send us your x-ray or a photo of your smile — we reply within 24 hours with a personal treatment plan.