Dental Clinic in Mississauga for Your Children

Newborns & Infants

Baby teeth begin to show up between 6 and 9 months of age. These teeth help your child eat and speak as well as help the adult teeth to come in straight. It is important to keep these small teeth cleaned because infants can get cavities just like everyone else. After feeding your infant, be sure to clean his or her mouth and teeth with a small toothbrush, piece of gauze, or a wet facecloth.

Your child’s first visit should be scheduled around 1 year or when the first teeth appear.

Toddlers & Preschoolers

This is a great age to help your child build good oral hygiene habits that will help protect their foundational teeth. Help your toddlers brush their teeth twice per day with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Make sure your child spits out the toothpaste and doesn’t swallow it. To help prevent cavities, limit sugary foods or drinks and brush your child’s teeth immediately after eating them. Begin flossing when your child’s teeth touch, and change his toothbrush every 1 to 3 months or right after an illness. Let your child watch you brush your teeth to teach by example.

Children & Adolescents

Between ages 6 and 8 your child’s first teeth will start to fall out and the permanent teeth will begin to fill in. By the age of 13, most of the permanent teeth, excluding the wisdom teeth, should be in place. Be sure your child brushes as least twice per day and flosses once. Reduce sugar intake to prevent tooth decay. Limit snacking and help your child eat a healthy and balanced diet. We also recommend that you have your child wear a mouthguard to protect their teeth during sports.

Teens

Continuing good habits is the best way for teens to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Whether they’re wearing braces or not they need to remember to:

• Brush twice and floss once per day
• Reduce intake of sugary foods 
• Limit snacking and eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Wear a mouthguard to protect teeth when playing sports

Some issues that will affect your teen’s oral health include:

• Eating disorders – vomiting associated with certain eating disorders causes tooth decay, gum disease, and loss of tooth enamel. Your dentist can treat teeth, but if you think your teen has an eating disorder talk to your physician. 
• Grills and tooth jewels – composed of metalwork and glass crystals respectively, grills and tooth jewels can cause inflammation of the gums so talk to your dentist to learn the safest choices about proper cleaning and care. 
• Oral piercings – these can produce infections, uncontrollable bleeding, and nerve damage. Metal jewellery can chip or crack teeth and cause gum damage. 
• Smoking – smoking can stain teeth and gums, contribute to bad breath, and increase your teen’s risk of developing oral cancer and gum disease. 
• Wisdom teeth – they usually appear between ages 17 and 21 but can cause pain and other problems as early as 13. Your dentist can tell if they need to be removed or not.

Brushing & Oral Care

Regular visits to your dental clinic in Mississauga, daily brushing and flossing, and a healthy diet can help your teeth last a lifetime. Talk to your children to make sure they understand this. At a regular dental appointment your teeth and gums will be examined to make sure they’re in good shape. Your family dentist in Mississauga will also be able to spot early signs of health problems and demonstrate how to properly brush and floss. Professional teeth cleanings will remove any debris that can contribute to cavities and gum disease.

You and your children need to brush at least twice a day, making sure all exposed surfaces are cleaned. Use a gentle, massaging motion for 2 or 3 minutes. We recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush that is changed every 3 months. Floss once a day to clean between your teeth and below the gum line where your toothbrush can’t reach. A healthy oral well being always starts off with excellent maintenance habbits.

Nutrition & Children

To help protect your children’s teeth, make sure they eat healthy meals and snacks that include:

• Foods from all food groups
• Cheese, yogurt, and milk to strengthen teeth
• Cutting down on sugar to reduce chances of tooth decay

Growing children and teens often eat between meals. You can ensure they have enough energy and healthy teeth with smart snacking that includes: 

• Limiting the times per day your child eats or drinks sugars
• Avoiding sugary treats, like hard candy or lollipops that stay in the mouth a long time
• Avoiding soft, sticky sweets that can get stuck between teeth
• Serving sweets for dessert while there is still plenty of saliva in your child’s mouth to wash away the sugars
• Drinking tap water between meals
• Serving vegetables, fruit, and cheese for snacks
• Having children brush their teeth at least twice a day and before going to bed

Tooth Decay in Children

Tooth decay is an infectious disease, and all children are at risk. Tooth decay is: 

• The second most common cause of school absenteeism
• Five times more common than asthma in children age 5 to 17
• Can be transmitted by sharing a spoon with young children or licking their pacifier
• Preventable in almost all cases

In order to prevent tooth decay in your children of all ages, we recommend:

• Wiping infants’ gums gently with a clean wet cloth after each feeding
• Giving your baby a bottle or sippy cup with water only at naptime 
• Brushing your baby’s teeth before feeding if he or she falls asleep during feeding
• Lifting your baby’s lip and watch for changes in colour, lines, or spots on your child’s teeth
• Asking your dentist before using fluoridated toothpaste for your children from birth to 3 years of age
• Using only a small amount (a portion the size of a green pea) of fluoridated toothpaste children from 3 to 6 years of age
• Flossing at least once a day when your child’s teeth are touching
• Changing your child’s toothbrush every 1 to 3 months or immediately after an illness
• Preventing the spread of germs that cause tooth decay by not sharing spoons, cups, food, toothbrushes, etc.
• Visiting your dentist by the age of one year, or when the first teeth appear, and taking your child to the dentist for regular checkups to make sure there are no problems.

Contact us today to book an appointment at our family dental clinic in Mississauga!