How to Encourage Children to brush their teeth?

Maintaining healthy teeth starts at home. Prevention is key! This is why it is important to teach children from a young age to have good oral hygiene habits. If you are struggling to encourage your child to perform oral hygiene habits than these tips may help!

1.       Fun and Entertaining YouTube Video: Showing your child some fun and entertaining YouTube videos on how to brush teeth and possibly of their favourite cartoon character brushing their teeth will surely encourage them to do so as well.

2.       Become a Good Example: Children tend to mimic what their parents do, so it is important that you show your child that you also brush your teeth 2 times a day. Perhaps, you can brush your teeth together.

3.       Education: Instead of just telling them to brush their teeth, try to also explain why brushing their teeth is important. You can refer to bacteria growing in the mouth as ‘little monsters’ that will try to eat away their tooth!

4.       Choosing a Toothbrush: Involve your child in the process of choosing a toothbrush. If they like the toothbrush they have, they will be more excited to use it daily.

5.       Monitor: Always watch over your child as they are brushing their teeth and try to correct their technique. Overtime they will become more experienced and this will lay down the foundation a life time of good oral hygiene.

We hope this helps! Good luck and if you have any more questions or are concerned about your child’s oral hygiene, call us on (02) 9558 8988 to book an appointment with one of our friendly dentists!

Tongue and Lip Tie: Frequently Asked Questions

If my child has a lip tie, what are the chances that they also have a tongue tie?

• There is a very high chance that your child may also have a tongue tie 

• This does not mean that both the tongue tie and lip tie need to be treated.

• Treatment will depend on the signs and symptoms

What is better, using a laser or scissors for tongue tie release?

•  In the hands of an experienced clinician it should not matter what method is used to release the tongue/lip tie

• Both procedures will produce excellent results if done correctly

What do you do after the tongue/lip tie procedure?

• The Dentist will inform parents about certain exercises (e.g. stretches) that they should perform on the child.

• This will prevent reattachment and promote healing. 

• They can be done while the child is awake or asleep 

• The child should also be brought in for a review appointment to assess that everything is going to plan and healing well.  

Can a tongue tie cause speech problems?

• Not everyone who has a tongue tie will have speech problems - it is usually case based. That being said, it is very common though. 

• The most affected letters are CH, TH, SH, S, L and R sounds 

• There is an improvement in speech following tongue tie release

When can I expect to see Improvements in breastfeeding?

• Typically you will see an improvement straight away following release, however it could take as long as a week to show

• We recommend that you also seek assistance from a lactation nurse after the procedure

• At Pain Free Dentist Sydney we can recommend a lactation nurse for you if you do not have one already

Are stitches necessary following a tongue or lip tie release?

• For children stitches are not necessary however for adult tongue tie release they may be needed.

• It all depends on the degree of tongue tie that will be released. You will be informed whether or not you will need stitches at your initial consultation  

We hope that this has helped answer some of your questions! If you have any other questions in regards to tongue or lip ties, please do not hesitate to call us on (02) 9558 8988.

Adult Tongue Tie

You are probably aware of what a tongue tie is if you have read our previous blog posts. It is essentially a condition that you are born with where your tongue has limited movement due to a shortened piece of skin which connects the underside of your tongue to the floor of the mouth. This is usually an issue that is apparent in infants; however it is also prevalent in the adult population. Many adults have gone through life with an un-diagnosed tongue tie. This may seem as an irrelevant issue; however you would be surprised to know just how many different symptoms it could cause ranging from social to sleeping and dental problems such as:

• Inability to open mouth widely which affects pronunciation of certain letters and inability to speak clearly when talking fast or loud.

• Pain or clicking in one or both jaw joints

• Headaches or migraines.

• Chronic neck, back and shoulder pain.

• Increased risk for developing gum inflammation and cavities.

• Mouth breathing leading to frequently dry mouth.

• Sleep apnea which affects the quality of your sleep. You may be waking up tired often and have an increased need to take afternoon naps.

• Crooked teeth

 A good way to test whether or not your tongue is tied is by opening your mouth to it's full extent and then extending the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. If you are unable to do this, then there is a possibility that you are tongue tied and you should probably book an appointment with your Dentist for a full examination. 

Treatment of the adult tongue involves a procedure using a laser where the piece of skin restricting the tongue movement is released. At Pain Free Dentist Sydney, in the hands of our experienced clinician you are guaranteed to have a pain free experience. Post operative care involves performing a range of simple exercises for a period of time to prevent re-attachment and scaring. 

If you have any questions in regards to adult tongue ties or suspect that you may have this condition feel free to call us on (02) 9558 8988 to book a consultation appointment.