Baby or ‘primary’ teeth are very important to a child’s health and development. Here’s why:

• Health and nutrition – Teeth are needed for chewing. Dental pain from cavities can lead to nutritional deficiencies if a child is not able to properly chew their food. If cavities are left untreated, there is a great risk of an infection, leading to a dental abscess. It is important to take your child to the dentist from a young age to prevent tooth decay.
• Healthy permanent teeth – The permanent teeth develop very close to the roots of the baby teeth. Baby teeth are much smaller and cavities can spread very quickly. If cavities are left untreated, the baby tooth can develop an infection or abscess which can hinder tooth development, or cause damage to the permanent tooth underneath.
• Tooth alignment and position – Primary teeth save space for the adult teeth, if the baby tooth is lost early due to tooth decay, the adjacent teeth tend to move into that space. The permanent tooth then has less room to grow and can become impacted (stuck). Unfortunately, children can wait up to six months to see a specialist for certain dental treatments on the NHS. In this case, there is much better access to Paediatric Specialists in private practice.

Dr Ayesha Patel – specialist in paediatric dentistry, BDS, MFDS RCS(Edin), PG Cert Dental Ed, MPaed Dent RCPS(Glas). Dr Patel is experienced in managing dental trauma, dental anomalies and providing paediatric endodontic treatment for children. She regularly presents nationally and internationally on subjects related to paediatric dentistry.

When Your Child Needs to See a Specialist Children’s Dentist

A specialist in paediatric dentistry has had three years additional training in treating children and deals solely with the oral healthcare of children, from infancy through the teenage years.

They can:

• Treat dental injuries including fractured, displaced or knocked out teeth In these cases, we recommend early dental assessment to be able to provide the best treatment to enhance the long-term prognosis of traumatised teeth.
• Manage anxious children Including the use of inhalation sedation
• Monitor dental development and identify dental abnormalities Identifying children who have extra teeth, missing teeth or different bites is important. They may benefit from early brace treatment which can be done at various stages of childhood. This can sometimes negate the need for extensive brace treatment during the teenage years.
• Provide a tailor-made prevention programme
• Provide a fully comprehensive service Including oral health examinations, fluoride treatments, fillings, preformed metal crowns and root canal treatment for children.

Dental Rooms Children’s Tea Party

Meet David Wood OBE, called “The National Children’s Dramatist” by The Times! Bring your child for a magical afternoon of:

• Games
• Story telling
• Fun toothbrushing workshops
• Goodie bags to take home
• Tasty treats

Our wonderful new specialist in paediatric dentistry, Dr Ayesha Patel, will be on hand to meet you and your child and answer any of your questions.

Dental Rooms
1 Ridgway, Wimbledon Village SW19 4RS
020 8946 2426
www.dentalrooms.co.uk