Childsmile

Childsmile

Childsmile is a national programme designed to improve the oral health of children in Scotland and reduce inequalities both in dental health and access to dental services.

At Tarbert Dental, Childsmile is delivered by our extended duty dental nurse Kirsty MacFarlane.

Kirsty will provide help in caring for your child’s teeth from birth to 18 by helping you through the key stages in your child's oral health development.

Aim to register your baby with a dentist soon after birth or at least as soon as the first tooth appears.
From then on, take your child to the dental practice every six months, or as advised by your dental team.
Taking your baby to the dental practice as early as possible helps them to get used to the sights, sounds and smells of a dental practice.
We would advise attending for the first Childsmile visit at around 6 months. At this visit the Childsmile nurse will help you introduce tooth brushing, demonstrating how and when to carry this out. They will advise on weaning and healthy snacks, avoiding sugars and the best drinks for baby.
We would recommend seeing the childsmile nurse in conjunction with the dentist 6 monthly or more if advised by your dentist.
From age two we would recommend your child has fluoride varnish applied bi-annually.
Fluoride varnish provides extra protection against tooth decay when used in addition to brushing. Fluoride varnish is a pale yellow gel that sets quickly when applied to children’s teeth using a soft brush. The varnish sets quickly, has a pleasant taste and a fruity smell.
Scientific studies have shown that fluoride varnish gives added protection to teeth against decay when used in addition to brushing teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste.
Childsmile leaflets are available in practice or by following the link below, this link will also allow you to download leaflets in various language formats. http://www.child-smile.org.uk/