Your Child at the Dentist

How Do I Register My Child with an Edinburgh Dentist?

At Comely Bank Dental in Edinburgh, we register children under the NHS when a parent or guardian is on one of our dental plans, and NHS dental treatment for children in Scotland is free. We don't have a waiting list, so as a patient you can register your child and book their first visit straight away. We see children from Comely Bank, Stockbridge and across north Edinburgh.

To register, call us on 0131 332 3971, email info@comelybankdental.co.uk or book online. We'll take a few details, including your child's date of birth and any health conditions or medicines, and find an appointment that suits you.

If you're a patient too, we can book your appointments back to back so you're both seen on the same visit. Adults are seen privately; children of our dental plan members stay under the NHS.

When Should My Child First See a Dentist?

Bring your child when their first tooth appears, or by their first birthday at the latest. Most babies get their first tooth at around six months, though anything from a few months to just after the first birthday is normal.

It can seem early, but there are good reasons:

• Your child gets used to the sights and sounds of a dental practice long before they might need treatment.
• We can spot early signs of decay, which can start soon after teeth come through.
• You get practical advice on brushing, toothpaste, bottles and diet at the point it's most useful.

After that, most children are seen at least once a year, and more often if they're at higher risk of decay.

What Happens at the First Visit?

A first visit is short and relaxed. With a baby or toddler, you'll usually sit facing us with your child on your lap, so they can lie back with their head on our knees while we look. We'll:

• count the teeth and check they're coming through as expected
• look at the gums, tongue and the rest of the mouth
• check for early signs of decay, such as chalky white patches near the gum
• talk to you about brushing, toothpaste, feeding and habits like dummies or thumb-sucking

Older children get a chance to explore first: a ride up and down in the chair, a look at the light and the mirror, counting their own teeth. We tell them what we're going to do in simple words, show them, then do it. Nothing is rushed, and if your child isn't ready to open wide on the first visit, that's fine. Getting comfortable is the main goal.

Looking After Baby Teeth at Home

Baby teeth matter. They help your child eat and speak clearly, and they hold space for the adult teeth underneath. Decay in baby teeth can cause pain and infection and can mean teeth have to be taken out.

• Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears, twice a day, with the last brush just before bed.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste. A smear for children under three, and a pea-sized amount from three. Check the label for at least 1,000 ppm fluoride; family toothpastes of 1,350 to 1,500 ppm are suitable for children too.
• Spit, don't rinse. Leaving a little toothpaste on the teeth helps it keep working.
• Help with brushing until around age seven. Most children can't brush thoroughly on their own until then, so brush for them or check afterwards.
• Keep sugar to mealtimes. Water and plain milk are the safest drinks between meals.
• Avoid bottles in bed. Milk or juice sitting on the teeth overnight is a common cause of early decay. From around six months, introduce a free-flowing cup, and aim to move away from bottles around the first birthday.

Teething: What Helps?

Teething can make babies grumpy, dribbly and keen to chew everything. Red cheeks, sore gums and disturbed sleep are common. Things that can help:

• a clean, chilled (not frozen) teething ring
• gently rubbing the gum with a clean finger
• sugar-free pain relief suitable for your baby's age; a pharmacist can advise
• for babies over six months, pieces of soft fruit or vegetable to chew, with you watching closely

Avoid amber teething necklaces, which carry a risk of choking and strangulation. A slightly raised temperature can come with teething, but a high temperature, diarrhoea or a baby who seems unwell shouldn't be put down to teething; speak to your GP or call NHS 24 on 111.

Fluoride Varnish and Fissure Sealants

These are two of the most effective ways to protect children's teeth, and both are quick and painless.

Fluoride varnish is a high-strength fluoride painted onto the teeth with a small brush. It sets when it meets saliva and strengthens enamel against decay. It's recommended at least twice a year for children from the age of two. Afterwards your child should avoid hard food and brushing for a few hours so it has time to work.

Fissure sealants are a thin protective coating flowed into the deep grooves on the biting surfaces of back teeth, where food and bacteria collect. They're most often placed on the first adult molars, which arrive around age six, and the second molars, which arrive around age twelve. Nothing is drilled: the tooth is cleaned and prepared, the sealant is painted on and set with a light. We check them at each visit and top them up if they wear.

What Is Childsmile?

Childsmile is Scotland's national programme for improving children's oral health, funded by the Scottish Government. You may already have come across it without realising:

• Free toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste for young children, handed out through health visitors, nurseries and dental practices
• Supervised toothbrushing in nurseries and in some primary schools
• Fluoride varnish applied in nurseries and schools in targeted areas
• Support for families to register their child with a dentist early and keep attending

In dental practices, Childsmile shapes the preventive care children receive on the NHS, including advice on brushing and diet and regular fluoride varnish. The aim is simple: fewer children with decay, and dental visits that are about prevention rather than treatment.

How Can I Help a Nervous Child?

Some children take to the dentist straight away; others need time. You can help a lot before you arrive:

• Keep the language simple and neutral. 'The dentist will count your teeth' works better than 'it won't hurt', which plants the idea that it might.
• Don't pass on your own worries. If you're anxious about the dentist yourself, try not to talk about bad experiences in front of your child.
• Let them watch you. Bringing your child along to your own dental examination first shows them there's nothing to worry about.
• Play dentists at home. Counting each other's teeth with a toothbrush and a mirror makes the real thing familiar.
• Skip bribes and threats. Praise for trying works better than a treat promised in advance, and the dentist should never be a punishment.

At the practice we go at your child's pace and won't push a child who isn't ready. If a child needs treatment that can't be managed comfortably in the chair, we can refer them to NHS children's dental services, which can offer extra support. Our children's dentistry page has more.

Orthodontic Checks: Watching the Bite Develop

At each dental examination we keep an eye on how your child's teeth and jaws are developing. Most children have a mix of baby and adult teeth between about six and twelve, and some crowding or gaps along the way is normal.

Things we look out for include:

• crowding, or adult teeth coming through out of position
• a crossbite, where upper teeth bite inside the lower ones
• top front teeth that stick out a long way and are more prone to knocks
• long-standing thumb, finger or dummy habits affecting the bite
• baby teeth lost very early, or hanging on too long

Most orthodontic assessment happens from around nine to twelve, though some problems are worth catching earlier. If your child would benefit from braces, we'll explain the options, including whether they're likely to qualify for NHS orthodontic treatment, which depends on the degree of need and usually means a referral. For suitable teenagers, Invisalign with Dr Jonathan Wardell is a private alternative.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.