CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY
Wayside Dental provides paediatric dentistry in Harpenden, St Albans and Hertfordshire
We make coming to the dentist fun and comfortable for children of all ages. We want you to bring your children from an early age, so they learn how and why to take care of their teeth and never worry about visiting us. We can also monitor their teeth for any early signs of decay and for orthodontics.
Oral health plays a crucial role in the overall well-being of a child, and it’s never too early to start cultivating good dental habits. Children having teeth extracted under general anaesthetic is best avoided by regular visits to the dentist and one of our jobs at Wayside is to motivate kids to look after their teeth.
Paediatric or children’s dentistry should first and foremost focus on promoting healthy oral hygiene practices from an early age and ensuring all dental needs are met.
WHAT WE OFFER YOUR CHILD
Our team at Wayside offers an enhanced level of children’s dental care in Harpenden
- Training: our Wayside Paediatric dentists in Hertfordshire understand the unique dental needs of children. This knowledge enables us to address issues specific to children, such as tooth decay and oral development problems.
- Comfortable and Child-friendly Environment: at Wayside we go the extra mile to create a child-friendly atmosphere. Our waiting room has a children’s entertainment area that includes games on ipads. Our surgeries are equipped with ceiling mounted televisions to keep your child entertained while they have any treatment. We have the Wand for pain-free anaesthesia and dental lasers for drill-free fillings.
- Early Detection and Prevention: regular visits to our paediatric dentist allow for early detection of potential dental problems. Catching issues early can prevent them from worsening, reducing the need for treatments later on.
- Educational Approach: our dentists take the time to educate both children and parents about proper dental hygiene techniques, nutrition, and habits that can impact oral health. This educational approach empowers parents and children to take better care of their teeth at home.
- Dental Sealants and Fluoride Treatments: our dentists can recommend this if your child has a high level of decay to help protect their teeth from decay. Sealants act as a barrier against bacteria, while fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks.
- Growth and Development Monitoring: our paediatric dentists will monitor the development of the teeth and jaws, identifying potential orthodontic issues early on. Timely intervention can reduce the complexity of orthodontic treatments in the future.
Tips for Teaching Children to Brush Properly
At Wayside Dental Practice, we make teaching children how to brush their teeth properly, our number one priority. Here are some tips to use at home:
- Start Early: As soon as the first tooth emerges, begin gently cleaning it with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush. Gradually transition to a child-sized toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste around the age of two.
- Make it Fun: Turn brushing into a fun and enjoyable activity. Use colourful toothbrushes, flavoured toothpaste, and even play their favourite song as a timer for brushing duration. Toothbrushes with timers in them are available to buy.
- Lead by Example: Children often imitate their parents’ behaviours. Brush your teeth together as a family, showing them the proper techniques and emphasising the importance of oral hygiene.
- Use Positive Reinforcement: Praise and reward your child for their efforts in brushing. Positive reinforcement helps create a positive association with dental care.
How the latest technology makes dentistry more comfortable for your child
Gentle Laser Fillings
The Waterlase Laser is excellent for children’s cavities. It combines focused light with a stream of water to gently ablate tooth tissue to prepare a tooth for a filling. Dental lasers have been around for over 40 years and many paediatric dentists (particularly in the US and Europe), have now realised how beneficial they are for treating children, because they’re so gentle and replace the scalpel and the drill for many treatments.
- The laser works without heat or vibration, so doesn’t damage any of the healthy tooth or cause micro-fractures- we want these precious teeth to last a long time!
- There’s no noise of a high-speed drill (because it won’t be used)– just the sound of popping corn as the water molecules burst, causing the ablation.
- The laser is anti-microbial, so kills any residual bacteria, and even more miraculously, it promotes healing by recharging unhealthy cells and enticing healing cells to come and bathe in the light.
- For children, this translates to shorter, more pleasant appointments and faster recovery times because of the healing effect of the laser.
- If your child is interested in lasers and physics, our dentist will tell them all about how they harness the energy from the electro-magnetic spectrum to do these wonderful things.
The Wand Pain-Free Anaesthesia
We’ve been using the Wand at Wayside for over 20 years and still marvel at the remarkable results it produces. It delivers anaesthetic in a controlled way, so you or your child don’t feel a thing. Most of the discomfort is from sudden pressure, which the Wand avoids. It’s also very targeted, meaning the amount and the time of numbness is greatly reduced.
How it was invented is quite interesting- a chap in the US spent hours in his garage injecting himself in different parts of his mouth at different pressures to find the optimal pressure for pain free delivery. Now that’s commitment!
EMS Airflow cleaning for children
Children who wear fixed braces often find them difficult to clean, so we recommend that they see our dental hygienist for advice on this and for occasional cleaning. Our hygienists provide excellent oral health instruction and use EMS Airflow for hygiene appointments.
There’s no better way to clean your child’s teeth and braces than with Airflow. It gently disrupts biofilm on the surfaces of the teeth, thus interrupting the colonisation of bacteria. It’s a fine spray of powder and water which can easily reach all areas including around the brace and under the gumline. It’s so gentle, it can be used again and again, with no damage to the enamel. It’s also comfortable as the water is set at the same temperature as your mouth.
What does a check-up cost for children?
Check-ups for children aged 5 and under are free of charge. We have an Oral Care Plan for children aged 6-17 and the cost of this (correct for 2023) is £9 per month. The Oral Care Plan leaflet explaining what is covered can be found here. You can also pay as you go.
If you are looking for a family friendly dentist in Harpenden, St Albans, contact us today to arrange a consultation or book online.
