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A child should have their first dental visit no later than their first birthday. This is supported by the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Canadian Academy of Paediatric Dentistry.

The age one dental visit is a crucial milestone in your child’s oral health. It helps to foster good oral health habits that can be lifelong. It is also important for several reasons: Firstly, it allows us (the paediatric dentist) to assess your child’s oral health and identify any potential problems early on. This may include determining your child’s risk for cavities, monitoring your child’s growth and development, assessing for dental cavities, as well as, other oral health issues.

Secondly, the age one visit is an opportunity to provide anticipatory guidance to you (the parent) about proper oral hygiene practices (e.g. tips for cleaning your child or baby’s teeth and gums), nutritional advice, guidance on the use of fluoride and other preventive measures.

Finally, the age one visit is a stepping stone to building a lifelong positive and comfortable relationship with your child’s dentist at BKD. At every visit, we will connect with your child in a fun and engaging way to help to alleviate any discomfort or apprehension about going to the dentist! The earlier this dental home is established, the more comfortable your child will be at future dental visits.

Preventive care should begin as soon as your child is born. Our focus at Beach Kids Dentistry is to promote good oral habits. Research has shown that the earlier a child visits the dentist, the greater the chance of a cavity-free childhood.

At your child’s dental appointment, we will evaluate your child’s dental and dietary history, as well as your child’s risk for tooth decay. We will then work with you and your child to develop a personalized oral hygiene plan based on their risk for cavities.

Preventive services include the age one visit, routine cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants on primary and permanent teeth and early orthodontic evaluations.

We are also happy to fabricate mouthguards to prevent traumatic and sports-related injuries.

At Beach Kids Dentistry we understand that children with special health care needs are unique. We understand that children with special needs may require more attention during their dental visits.

We strive to find the right approach so that they can receive the same exceptional care as any other child. Our pediatric dentists and our hygienists have extensive experience with neurodivergent children, children with Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome. It is our mission to provide exemplary dental care to this incredibly special population.

Dental radiographs may be indicated for your child after a thorough review of their dental and medical history and a clinical examination.

A child’s dentition develops more rapidly than an adult’s and baby teeth are more susceptible to dental cavities. Due to these differences, your child may require dental radiographs more often. The frequency within which we take dental radiographs is dependent on your child’s cavity risk. A patient that is viewed as high risk may need radiographs every six months whereas a child that is at low risk for dental cavities may not need radiographs as often.

Although we want to ensure that we are monitoring your child’s oral health, we are also mindful of the exposure of patients to radiation. You can be assured that we have appropriate safeguards such as lead aprons, thyroid collars and digital intraoral radiography.

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a colorless liquid composed of silver, fluoride, and ammonia. SDF has been used for decades in other parts of the world to arrest dental caries. It has recently gained popularity in the United States and Canada as a minimally invasive treatment option for cavities.

In a paediatric dental setting, SDF can be applied topically to the affected area of a cavity using a small brush or cotton swab. The solution is allowed to sit for at least one minute to penetrate the tooth surface and kill the bacteria responsible for causing the cavity. SDF also helps to harden the remaining tooth structure, preventing progression of dental decay.

Our paediatric dentists may suggest the use of SDF as part of your child’s cavity management plan. SDF is particularly beneficial for children who may be anxious about undergoing dental work or who have medical conditions that make traditional cavity treatments difficult or risky.

However, SDF does have some limitations. Upon application, it will blacken the areas of the teeth that are affected by decay which may limit where SDF can be applied. Additionally, while SDF can halt the progression of cavities, it cannot repair the damage that has already been done to the tooth. For this reason, patients with larger or more advanced cavities may still require more extensive treatments such as fillings or crowns.

Overall, SDF can be a valuable tool for treating early stage cavities or preventing the spread of decay.

Restorative care is an essential part of paediatric dentistry, as it helps to repair and restore teeth that have been damaged by decay or trauma. At our paediatric dental clinic, we offer a variety of restorative services to help children restore function to damaged teeth such as (white) porcelain crowns, stainless steel crowns, and white fillings.

White crowns are made of a tooth-colored material and stainless steel crowns, on the other hand, are made of a durable metal alloy. These crowns are used to restore teeth with extensive decay or damage from trauma. They are durable enough to withstand the rigors of daily use.

White fillings, also known as composite fillings, are used to restore small to medium-sized cavities in teeth. The filling material is a tooth-colored resin that is carefully applied to the cavity and shaped to match the natural contours of the tooth. White fillings are an excellent choice for children who need a filling but want to maintain the appearance of their natural teeth.

At our paediatric dental clinic, we are committed to providing high-quality restorative care to our patients. We understand the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and helping children develop good oral hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

Early loss of a tooth may occur during childhood due to trauma or dental decay and may cause drifting of adjacent teeth into the space of the lost tooth. A space maintainer is an appliance that is cemented onto the teeth to hold the space left by the lost tooth. This will prevent space loss, stabilize the surrounding teeth and minimize future orthodontic problems.

Our team at Beach Kids Dentistry absolutely loves working with kids! We understand that each child is unique and we strive to tailor our approach to meet their specific needs.

While some children only require a nurturing and supportive environment to feel comfortable during dental treatment, others may need additional support. To help reduce anxiety and improve cooperation during dental procedures, we utilize nitrous oxide sedation at our clinic.

Nitrous oxide (e.g. laughing gas) is a commonly used anxiolytic agent in paediatric dentistry. It is a colorless and odorless gas that is inhaled through a small mask placed over a child’s nose. Nitrous oxide may help to relax a child, reduce anxiety, and improve cooperation during dental procedures.
Your child remains awake and responsive during a nitrous oxide sedation, but is in a state of relaxation. One advantage of nitrous oxide sedation is its rapid onset and recovery, allowing your child to recover quickly and resume normal activities after the procedure.

Overall, nitrous oxide can be a useful tool for managing anxiety and facilitating cooperation in children. It can also be beneficial in the management of pain and works well for children whose gag reflex interferes with dental treatment.

Oral sedation can be a useful in helping a child feel more comfortable and relaxed during dental treatment. It involves the use of an oral sedative in conjunction with nitrous oxide sedation to help children feel calm and relaxed while still being able to communicate and respond to instructions.

The type and dosage of medication used for oral sedation will vary depending on the child’s age, weight, medical history, temperament and the length and complexity of the dental procedure.).
It is important to note that oral sedation is not appropriate for all children or all dental procedures. Your child’s dentist will carefully evaluate your child’s medical history and the nature of the dental work to determine if oral sedation is a safe and appropriate option.

Overall, oral sedation can be a helpful to a child that is extremely anxious or requires extensive dental treatment.

General anesthesia is a medical procedure that induces a deep sleep-like state in your child to allow dental procedures to be carried out without pain or discomfort. It is usually indicated when a child requires extensive treatment, for extremely fearful or anxious children and children with special health care needs.

The advantage of general anaesthesia is that your child will be asleep throughout the dental procedure and will have no memory of the procedure. All treatment will be completed in one appointment.

At Beach Kids Dentistry, we offer general anaesthesia in an office setting, as well as in a hospital (Michael Garron Hospital) setting. Our medical anaesthesiologists hold staff appointments at Michael Garron Hospital and are committed to the highest standard of care to children undergoing surgery.

The Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) anaesthesia team are affiliated with the University of Toronto and participates in the education of future anaesthesiologists at the University of Toronto residency program. Furthermore, they are involved in the education of medical students, dentists with training in anaesthesia/sedation, and emergency room physicians.

We understand that dental emergencies can be a source of stress and anxiety for parents.
First and foremost, if your child experiences a dental emergency, don’t panic. We are here to help. Please contact our office as soon as possible, and we will do everything we can to see your child as quickly as possible.

For more information, please visit our Emergencies page.