D is for Dentist

This isn't a particular funny or newsworthy post. Nor is it sponsored though you can say thanks when I save you thousands in dentist bills. 

Mark's been hearing horror stories from friends about their little ones' teeth, from major extractions to fillings galore. I was tasked with making an appointment for Emma at the dentist so off we went. 

Firstly if you're looking for a kiddie friendly one,  Candice is great. She puts them at ease immediately, lets them touch her equipment, shows them what the things do and explains everything (happy to share her contact details with you)

Emma was a star. I took her about eight months back but nothing was really done. It was more of an introduction - getting her used to the chair, saying 'aaah', etc. This time round her teeth were checked for cavities and polished. Emma allowed it all. It could have been that the first tool Candice gave her was the little mirror which she sat staring at herself in and singing into it like a mic. But who knows. 

The good news is Emma does not have my teeth. She's got real pearlers and apparently we've done well so far with brushing. 

A few things we need to be aware of, and here's where I share with you:

The fluoride in toothpaste isn't good for little ones and teeth can actually demineralise. We got a toothpaste from the dentist called X Gel which is safe to swallow and doesn't contain fluoride

Also there's a mousse called GC Tooth Mousse, which is a topical creme with bio-available calcium and phosphate and when smeared along the gums, it builds teeth back up and reintroduces calcium 

Fizzers, suckers (and any other 'sucky' sweets), and fruit juices aren't good for little teeth. If they really want a sweet then give them a chocolate. Not a slab, of course, a chomp, a tex or something along those lines. If you're blessed with a kidlet who doesn't like sweet things, all the better 

Xylitol chewing gum is actually good for kids (of course this depends on the age of the child and your personal preference). As adults we're able to 'clean' our teeth after a meal, wiping our tongue along the gums or with toothpicks. Kids don't. Chewing on xylitol gum will remove sugar and food. This doesn't include chappies or sugary bubble gum. Just so you know 

We were shown how to floss and need to start doing it ASAP. If you know your flosses, it's the one you use to clean bridges

As soon as their milk teeth are out they can visit the dentist. We'll be booking an appointment for Ben soon 

It takes 6 months for a cavity to become a hole, hence the dentist twice a year. If we had left it longer, chances are there would have been some drilling and screams

So there you go. You probably knew all of this but I thought I'd share it anyway 

ps please excuse any typos. This was typed on my iPhone