Children's Dentistry: Dental Care from First Tooth to Teenager
Looking for a children's dentist? At Deepcar Dental Care, children are welcome from any age. The NHS advises a first visit when the first milk teeth appear, and we usually suggest a first visit by 3: a look and a chat, with no treatment. For parents of babies to teenagers, this page covers care at each age, preventing tooth decay, relaxed visits and what a child's new patient examination costs.
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Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
What is children's dentistry?
Children's dentistry is dental care for babies, children and teenagers, from the first milk tooth to the adult teeth. The clinical field is known as paediatric dentistry.
At Deepcar Dental Care, children's dentistry is part of routine dental care at our practice, and children are seen by our dentists.
A child's first teeth are the milk teeth, also called the primary dentition. Eruption, the point when a tooth comes through the gum, happens first for the milk teeth and again for the adult teeth from the early school years. Each stage, set out in the age table below, changes what a child's teeth need at home and at the dentist.
When should you first bring your child to the dentist?
NHS guidance is to take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear, or before they are 12 months old. Children are welcome at Deepcar Dental Care from any age, so you can follow the NHS advice and come when the first teeth appear. We usually suggest a first visit by 3.
A child's first visit at the practice is just a look and a chat, with no treatment. The NHS explains that early visits help a child get familiar with the dentist and let the dentist spot problems early. Our guide to your child's first dental visit explains how to prepare.
Early visits matter because tooth decay in children starts young. In the 2024 national survey of 5-year-olds in England, 22.4% had experienced decay that had reached the dentine, the layer under the enamel. NHS England data show that 21,162 children aged 5 to 9 were admitted to hospital because of tooth decay in 2024/25, making it the most common reason for hospital admission in that age group.
What does dental care look like at each age?
In children's dentistry, care changes with age, from a smear of fluoride toothpaste on the first tooth to at least 1,350ppm from age 7. The table sets out what NHS guidance and the Delivering Better Oral Health toolkit, used by dental teams in England, say for each stage.
| Age | What is happening in the mouth | Toothpaste and brushing at home |
|---|---|---|
| Babies and toddlers (birth to 3) | First milk teeth usually appear at around 6 months; most children have all their milk teeth by 2 to 3 | From the first milk tooth, a parent or carer brushes twice a day with a smear of toothpaste containing at least 1,000ppm fluoride |
| Young children (3 to 6) | A full set of 20 milk teeth; between 5 and 6 the milk teeth start to fall out, and the first adult back teeth usually come through at about 6 or 7 | A pea-sized amount of toothpaste with 1,000 to 1,500ppm fluoride, twice a day; the child brushes while an adult supervises; spit out, don't rinse |
| School age (7 to 10) | Adult teeth keep growing in as the milk teeth fall out | Toothpaste with 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride, twice a day; keep helping until you are sure the child brushes well alone |
| Older children and teenagers (11 to 18) | Most children have lost all their milk teeth and have a full set of 28 adult teeth between 12 and 14; wisdom teeth, which not everyone gets, normally come later, between about 17 and 21, and take the total to 32 | Toothpaste with 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride, twice a day; spit out, don't rinse |
Fluoride strength is printed on the toothpaste box in parts per million (ppm). These are general figures for children in England; a dentist may advise differently for a child with a higher risk of decay.
Book your child's appointment online or call 0114 288 2121.
How is tooth decay prevented in children?
In children's dentistry, preventing tooth decay starts at home: brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and having sugary food and drink less often.
Where it is needed, our dentists prescribe high-fluoride toothpaste. Delivering Better Oral Health indicates the 2,800ppm strength for patients aged 10 and over who are at high risk of decay. For younger children at higher risk, it advises toothpaste with 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride.
National guidance for children also describes two preventive treatments a dental professional can apply. The NHS says that from age 3, children should be offered fluoride varnish at least twice a year, and Delivering Better Oral Health reports that twice-yearly applications reduce decay. Fissure sealants are a thin plastic coating on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The NHS says they protect the teeth from decay, last up to 4 years and can be applied as the adult back teeth come through.
Our guide to tooth decay in children covers the early signs and how decay is treated, and our page on how fluoride protects teeth explains how much fluoride a child needs.
How can you help your child feel relaxed at the dentist?
Helping a child feel relaxed at the dentist starts with early, positive visits. The NHS advises parents to be positive about dental visits and to make the trip fun.
At Deepcar Dental Care, topical numbing gel is applied before every injection.
Dental anxiety in children can run deeper for some. A University of Sheffield research project reports that a resource for anxious 9 to 16 year olds, based on cognitive behavioural therapy and worked through with the dentist and a parent or carer, has been shown to reduce fear of the dentist when used over a series of visits. The resource aims to help children feel comfortable talking about their worries and to put them in control, for example by letting them choose from a list of activities what will help them cope.
Sedation is not an option for children at the practice: children are not treated under sedation, and the minimum age for sedation is 18. If you feel anxious about dental treatment yourself, there is a separate page for you.
What does a child's new patient examination cost?
The current fee list prices a Child's New Patient Examination including X-Rays from £39. Prices on the fee list are shown as 'from' fees.
For general dentistry as a whole, you can see what it costs.
Frequently asked questions
Why do milk teeth need looking after if they fall out?
Milk teeth need looking after because a child relies on them for years. NHS guidance for parents explains that they help children chew and smile, support clear speech and hold the space the adult teeth grow into. Untreated decay in milk teeth can cause painful toothache and infection.
What should you do if your child knocks out a tooth?
Never put a knocked-out baby tooth back: the NHS warns it could damage the adult tooth underneath. Hold an adult tooth by the crown only, rinse it in milk if dirty and try to put it back, or keep it in milk or saliva. Either way, see a dentist urgently: reimplanting knocked-out teeth is among the practice's urgent dental treatments.
How often should a child have a dental check-up?
NICE guidance is that children and teenagers should have a dental check-up every 3 to 12 months, and never more than a year apart. The dentist chooses the interval from the child's oral health and risk of future problems. Children have a shorter maximum interval than adults because decay can progress faster in children, especially in milk teeth.
Do sweets and juice still cause decay if my child brushes?
Yes, sugar can still cause decay. The NHS says decay is not just about the amount of sugar, but how long and how often teeth are in contact with it. Give sweet foods or fruit juice only at mealtimes. Lollipops and sweet drinks in a formula bottle are particularly damaging, and the acid in juice and squash can harm teeth.
What should you do if your child has toothache?
See a dentist if toothache lasts over 2 days or painkillers do not help. Go too if there is a high temperature, pain when biting, red gums, a bad taste or swelling. Use children's paracetamol or ibuprofen at the packet dose; no aspirin under 16. Swelling around the eye or neck, or trouble breathing, swallowing or speaking, means A&E.
Can teenagers have their teeth whitened?
Teeth whitening at Deepcar Dental Care starts at age 18, so under-18s are not treated. General Dental Council guidance on the law restricts professional whitening products to adults, unless the treatment is wholly to treat or prevent disease. Turning 18 is not the only condition: whitening is also not suitable with active decay or gum disease, among other exclusions.
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You can book a dental appointment for your kids online through the booking portal or by calling 0114 288 2121. The practice is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday.
Deepcar Dental Care is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, with free parking directly outside. The practice is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible. Children can join at any age by registering with us, and you can read what patients say about Deepcar Dental Care before you book.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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