CHILD DENTAL CARE
Treating children in dentistry is based on understanding the Childs psychology. The actual dental procedures are the same or even simpler than treating adults. The key is to make the child respond to the dentist in a relaxed environment to minimize the fear a child has from the dentist.
Wrapping & holding children down is an out dated practice and is found to produce many problems:
• Raise the alertness and fear of the child patient towards the dentist.
• The child becomes ignorant towards his/her dental health due the psychological trauma induced.
• As the child grows into an adult the fear of going to the dentist remains preventing the patient to seek dental treatment even in extreme cases.
The key to child dental treatment is to prepare and accommodate the child to receive dental treatment by introducing the child to the dental office, equipment and materials used by the dentist. This may require more than one visit depending on the child. A common mistake that occurs time & time again is that the parents pressurize the dentist to treat their child due to time restraints and unwillingness of the parents to revisit the dentist.
Parents play an important role in the dental treatment of the child. Many people would wonder how? Well, this starts even before visiting the dentist. What explaining to the child that he/she is going to do at the dentist prepares the child, parents must not threaten the child with the dentist and explain in simple terms that the child understands about what is going to happen at the dental clinic.
For example: “We are going to see our dentist tomorrow to count your teeth and take pictures of your teeth. He might even give you a present for being a good patient. Me & your father visited the dentists it was really fun...etc” and
You must not mention horror stories or negative words that might put negative ideas in the child's mind, otherwise the child will be afraid of going and will expect the worst.
For example: ”If you don't eat we will take you to the dentist…”
Not all children can be treated in the normal dental setup and may require special environment for treatment like: General anesthesia or sedation. However the dentist would prefer to keep these options as a last resort.
Monitor your child dental care through regulars supervised brushing and topical fluoride application which can be done at the dental office (gels & sealants).

Tooth Brushing
All children need to brush their teeth at least two times a day. At night before bedtime, and in the morning after breakfast. By disturbing and removing the plaque formation twice a day, parents can minimize or eliminate their children's potential for decay. For younger children a parent should brush their teeth using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. As the child gets older and you see they have the dexterity and patience to properly take care of their teeth, you may give over the task. But do periodically monitor their care. Toothbrushes should be the proper size, smaller is better than bigger, and always use a soft nylon brush in a circular manner. This will prevent toothbrush abrasion, excessive wear of the enamel at the gum line. Also a toothbrush should be replaced when it is worn, bristles splayed, or after more serious colds, infection, Strep throat, etc.
Infants - teeth should be wiped off with a gauze or washcloth with minimal toothpaste.
Toddlers - parents should brush their teeth twice a day with a very small amount of toothpaste. They should be encouraged to take some responsibility and "help" brush.
3-6 year olds - let them brush, supervise them, and do the final brushing to make sure all surfaces of the teeth are cleaned. Also you need to floss their teeth as they get older as the posterior teeth get closer and tighter over time. Make sure they can rinse their mouth so toothpaste doesn't get swallowed.
6 and older - continue supervision until you are sure they can brush and floss properly.
In general, make brushing fun and a game for young children. Brushing away the pasta, crackers, etc., gives them the understanding that brushing is to remove food from the teeth.