Level 17, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Holistic Children's Dentistry in Sydney: Healthy Teeth, Breathing and Jaw Development From the First Tooth

Holistic children's dentistry at Sydney Holistic Dental Centre looks after your child's teeth and gums while paying close attention to the things that shape a growing face: breathing, tongue posture, sleep, diet and habits. Our oral health therapists, who hold dual qualifications in children's dentistry, provide check-ups, cleaning, fissure sealants, fillings on baby and adult teeth, mouthguards, Myobrace and myofunctional therapy for children and teenagers up to 18, in a calm CBD clinic where no child is rushed.

CHILDREN'S APPOINTMENT

Image of dentist and child patient

Overview

Around 42 percent of Australian children aged 5 to 10 have had decay in their baby teeth and 27 percent have untreated decay [1]; early visits and diet guidance prevent most of it.

We like to meet children by their first birthday for a parent conversation and a gentle look, with regular check-ups from around age three.

Mouth breathing, snoring and crowded baby teeth are signs of a narrow jaw and small airway; treating them early guides growth in the right direction [2][3].

Fissure sealants on adult molars substantially reduce decay and are placed by our oral health therapists [4].

Eligible families can use the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (Medicare) for check-ups, cleans, sealants and fillings at SHDC.

Call (02) 9221 5800 to book a children's appointment at 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

What we do for children

Service

Ages

Notes

First visit and parent guidance

0 to 3

Cleaning first teeth, teething, feeding, dummies and thumbs, breathing

Check-ups and cleaning

3 to 18

Gentle, paced to the child; photographs where helpful

Diet and decay prevention

All ages

Sugar frequency, drinks, snacks, hydroxyapatite toothpaste; see fluoride-free prevention

Fissure sealants

6 and 12 (first and second adult molars)

BPA-free materials

Fillings on baby and adult teeth

All ages

Tooth-coloured composite; never amalgam

Extraction of baby teeth

As needed

Usually to guide eruption of adult teeth

Mouthguards

Sport-playing children

Custom-fitted

Breathing, tongue and jaw assessment

From 3

Tongue-tie, mouth breathing, snoring, crowding; see tongue-tie

Myobrace and myofunctional therapy

5 to 12

Habit correction and arch development; see holistic orthodontics

Invisalign for teens

12 plus

Once adult teeth are through

Why breathing matters as much as brushing

A child who breathes through the mouth, snores, grinds, wakes tired or has crowded baby teeth is showing signs that the upper jaw is not growing wide enough. The tongue should rest on the palate and spread it; when it sits low, the palate stays narrow and the nasal airway and the space behind the tongue are small. Research links short tongue frenulums and mouth breathing with sleep-disordered breathing in children, and widening a narrow palate improves airway measures [2][3].

This is why every SHDC children's visit includes questions about sleep and breathing, and a look at tongue mobility and jaw width. Catching these patterns at age five or six lets growth do most of the work; waiting until the teenage years means straightening teeth in jaws that have already finished growing.

Is my child a mouth breather?

Preventing decay without fear

Decay in children is driven by how often sugar hits the teeth. Water and milk between meals, sweet foods kept to mealtimes, and twice-daily brushing by a parent until around age eight prevent most of it. Fissure sealants protect the deep grooves of adult molars where most childhood decay starts [4].

Our approach to fluoride is case by case. We suggest hydroxyapatite toothpaste for families who prefer to avoid fluoride, and we discuss a targeted fluoride varnish only where a specific tooth is at high risk. You decide. Read our fluoride-free prevention page →

Making the visit easy

Children set the pace. First visits are often a ride in the chair, a count of the teeth and a sticker. We use plain language, show every instrument first, and stop whenever a child asks. Parents are welcome in the room. For anxious children, playing dentist at home beforehand helps; for treatment that needs more support, we discuss options including nitrous oxide.

Who treats your child

Our oral health therapists Ngan Lam, Emily Vong and Stephanie Hall hold Bachelor of Oral Health degrees with dual qualifications in children's dentistry, which means they provide examinations, cleaning, sealants, fillings and extractions of baby teeth for children, supported by our dentists for complex care, orthodontics and jaw development. Meet the team →

Child Dental Benefits Schedule at SHDC

Eligible children aged 0 to 17 whose family receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or another qualifying payment can claim check-ups, x-rays, cleaning, sealants, fillings and extractions through Medicare's Child Dental Benefits Schedule. The cap is over $1,000 per child across two calendar years and is indexed each January. Ask our reception to check your child's eligibility.

Book a children's dental visit in Sydney

Sydney Holistic Dental Centre, Level 17, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney CBD, near St James and Martin Place stations.

Call (02) 9221 5800 or send an enquiry.

SEND AN ENQUIRY

Frequently asked questions

When should my child first see a dentist?

Ideally by the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth, for a parent conversation and a gentle look. Regular check-ups then run from around age three, or earlier if you have concerns.

How do I clean a baby's teeth?

Wipe the first teeth with a soft cloth after feeds. Introduce a soft baby toothbrush as the molars arrive, with a smear of toothpaste, and brush twice a day. Start cleaning between teeth once they touch.

Is my child a mouth breather?

Signs include lips apart at rest, snoring, dry lips, dark circles under the eyes, restless sleep, bedwetting past the usual age and crowded teeth. If you notice several, book an assessment.

Are fillings in baby teeth necessary?

Often, yes. Baby molars stay until age 10 to 12 and hold space for adult teeth; untreated decay causes pain, infection and early loss. Small lesions can sometimes be arrested with diet change and sealing; your oral health therapist will advise.

Do you see children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

Yes. Eligible services are bulk-billed up to the cap; any treatment outside the schedule is quoted first.

Does my child need braces?

Not always. Where crowding stems from breathing and tongue habits, early Myobrace and myofunctional therapy can reduce or avoid later orthodontics. We assess growth at each visit and advise on timing.

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia's children: dental health (National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14). Canberra: AIHW.

Villa MP, Evangelisti M, Barreto M, Cecili M, Kaditis A. Short lingual frenulum as a risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing in school-age children. Sleep Medicine. 2020;66:119-123.

Camacho M, Chang ET, Song SA, et al. Rapid maxillary expansion for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Laryngoscope. 2017;127(7):1712-1719.

Ahovuo-Saloranta A, Forss H, Walsh T, Nordblad A, Mäkelä M, Worthington HV. Pit and fissure sealants for preventing dental decay in permanent teeth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2017;(7):CD001830.