Children at the Dentist

When Should the First Visit Be?

When the first teeth appear, and by their first birthday. First teeth usually come through at around six months, though anywhere from a few months to a year is normal, and all twenty baby teeth are usually through by about two and a half. Early visits get children used to the sights, sounds and smells of the practice while there's nothing to do, so the dentist becomes a familiar place rather than a frightening one. They also let us spot early signs of decay and give you advice while habits are forming.

Lots of parents wait until there's a problem, and then the first visit is a hard one. Starting early is the easiest way to avoid that.

What Happens at the First Visit?

A gentle look at your child's teeth and gums, often on your lap, with a small mirror. For a baby or toddler that might be all it is, and that's fine. We keep it short, relaxed and positive, and we never force anything. We'll talk through brushing, which toothpaste to use, teething, dummies and bottles, and what to do about snacks and drinks, and answer anything you're unsure about.

From around age two, children can also have fluoride varnish painted onto their teeth as part of Scotland's Childsmile programme, usually twice a year. It takes a minute and strengthens the enamel against decay. X-rays are only taken when they're needed. As your child gets older, dental examinations include a look at how the adult teeth are coming through and whether their bite is developing well.

Brushing at Home

• Brush twice a day, including last thing at night, for about two minutes
• Use a fluoride toothpaste. Check the tube: at least 1,000 ppm fluoride for young children, and family toothpaste at 1,350 to 1,500 ppm from around age seven, or earlier if we advise it
• Under 3s: a smear of fluoride toothpaste
• From age 3: a pea-sized amount
• Spit, don't rinse, so the fluoride keeps working
• Help with brushing until about age 7, and keep an eye on it after that. Children don't have the dexterity to brush well on their own before then
• Use a small-headed, soft brush, and replace it every three months

Make it a routine rather than a battle: brush at the same times each day, let them have a go first and then you finish, and brush your own teeth alongside them. Standing behind them with their head tilted back against you makes it easier to reach the back teeth.

Food and Drink

• Keep sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes. It's how often sugar is eaten, not how much, that does the damage, because every sugary snack gives the bacteria in plaque another chance to produce acid
• Water and plain milk are the only drinks teeth need between meals
• Avoid sugary drinks in bottles, and never at bedtime
• Move from a bottle to a free-flow cup from around six months, and aim to stop bottles by age one
• Fruit juice and smoothies count as sugary, even with no added sugar. Keep them to mealtimes and dilute them
• Dried fruit, chewy sweets and biscuits stick to teeth. Cheese, vegetables and plain yoghurt are kinder snacks
• Check the labels on children's snacks sold as healthy. Many are mostly sugar

NHS Care for Children in Scotland

NHS dental care is free for children in Scotland, and for everyone under 26, including dental examinations, fluoride varnish, fillings and any other treatment they need. At St Vincent Smile, children and teenagers are seen on the NHS with no waiting list. To register, request a call back and choose NHS place, or message us on WhatsApp, and we'll book your child's first NHS examination. Bring their CHI number if you know it. You can choose to be seen privately instead: a private child examination is £38.

Children also receive fluoride varnish as part of Scotland's Childsmile programme, which provides free toothbrushes and toothpaste for young children through health visitors and nurseries too. Our NHS dentistry page explains what NHS care covers and how adults can join our waiting list.

Helping Visits Go Smoothly

• Book a time when your child is usually fresh and fed, rather than nap time or the end of a long day
• Talk about the dentist positively, and avoid words like "hurt" or "needle", even in reassurance. "The dentist is going to count your teeth" is enough
• Bring them along to your own dental examination first, so the practice feels familiar
• Let them bring a comfort toy, and sit on your lap if they'd rather
• Praise them afterwards, whatever happened. A visit where they only sat in the chair is still a good visit
• Tell us about any worries or additional needs when you book, so we can plan the visit around them

If your child is nervous, we go at their pace, keep visits short and explain everything in a way they understand. Nothing is forced, and a visit that ends early is better than one they remember badly.

When to Come in Sooner

Don't wait for the next dental examination if you notice any of these:

• White, brown or dark spots on the teeth, especially along the gum line of the front teeth
• Toothache, or sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet things
• Swollen or bleeding gums, or a spot on the gum
• A knock to a tooth, even if it looks fine. We check the tooth and the adult tooth developing underneath
• A knocked-out baby tooth, which should not be put back. A knocked-out adult tooth should be kept in milk, or put back, and your child seen within the hour
• Thumb or dummy sucking that carries on as the adult teeth come through
• Adult teeth coming through behind the baby teeth, or a baby tooth that's wobbly for months without falling out

We keep same-day emergency appointments for knocks and accidents. Call us on 0141 248 1183, and see our dental emergencies guide for what to do first.

Teenagers, Sports and Braces

We see teenagers too, with dental examinations, hygiene advice and an eye on wisdom teeth as they approach their late teens. Adult teeth start to come through from around age six, and most are in place by twelve or thirteen, which is when crowding and bite problems become clear. If your child needs braces, we'll explain the options and refer them to an orthodontist when that's the right route.

If your child plays contact sports, including football, rugby and hockey, a custom-made mouthguard, £190, protects their teeth far better than a shop-bought one, and needs replacing as their mouth grows. Fizzy and energy drinks are a big cause of erosion and decay in teenagers, so it's worth talking to them about keeping these for occasional treats.

Questions

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