Children’s dentist in Edgware

Toothi London is a family-friendly private practice in Edgware that sees children from their first tooth onwards. A child examination for ages 5–15 is £30, and children aged 0–4 are seen free when a parent or guardian attends the practice. We are open seven days, so most families can book a weekend check-up without missing school. Most children only need a short, relaxed visit to get used to the chair, the light and the mirror.

Our children’s prices are published on our fees page and are the same every time you visit. There are no hidden extras for a routine check-up. If your child needs an x-ray or any treatment, we explain why and tell you the price before anything is done.

Many parents book their own check-up on the same day as their child’s. Seeing a parent sit calmly in the chair is one of the simplest ways to show a child there is nothing to worry about. Any further treatment your child might need is quoted in writing after assessment.

UK guidance is to bring your child to the dentist as soon as their first milk teeth appear, and certainly by their first birthday. That may feel early, but the first visits are mostly about getting familiar. We look at the teeth and gums, check how the teeth are coming through, and give you practical advice on brushing and diet.

Starting early means the dental chair becomes a normal part of life rather than something new and unfamiliar at age five. It also means small problems, such as early decay on the front teeth from bottle feeding, can be spotted while they are easy to manage.

After that, most children are seen every six to twelve months. Your dentist will suggest an interval that suits your child’s teeth and their risk of decay.

• ✓  Babies and toddlers (0–2). Your child usually sits on your lap while the dentist takes a quick look. Bring a favourite toy and book a time that avoids nap time. Visits are short.
• ✓  Pre-school (3–4). Talk about the visit in a matter-of-fact way beforehand. Picture books about going to the dentist help. Avoid words like “hurt” or “needle”, even to reassure. We use simple, friendly language in the room.
• ✓  Primary school (5–11). Children can usually sit in the chair on their own and enjoy the light, the moving chair and counting their teeth. This is a good age to start teaching them to brush properly themselves, with you finishing off.
• ✓  Older children (12–15). Adult teeth are mostly through. We keep an eye on how the bite is developing and talk about sports mouthguards, fizzy drinks and good habits they can keep for life.

If your child is anxious, tell us when you book. A calm, unhurried first appointment makes a real difference. Our page for nervous patients explains how we approach worried patients of any age.

Most check-ups are short. If anything needs treatment, we explain the options in plain English and you decide what happens next.

Good habits at home do more for a child’s teeth than anything we do in the surgery. NHS guidance on brushing and fluoride toothpaste is a sensible baseline:

• ✓  Brush twice a day. Last thing at night and one other time. Brush for about two minutes.
• ✓  Use fluoride toothpaste. Under-threes: a smear of toothpaste with at least 1,000ppm fluoride. Ages 3–6: a pea-sized amount with more than 1,000ppm. Check the label.
• ✓  Spit, don’t rinse. Encourage your child to spit out the excess but not rinse with water, so the fluoride stays on the teeth.
• ✓  Help until about age seven. Most children need an adult to brush or supervise until they are seven or so.
• ✓  Keep sugar to mealtimes. How often sugar is eaten matters more than how much. Sweets, juice and sugary snacks between meals give decay more chances to start.
• ✓  Water and milk between meals. Avoid putting juice or squash in a bottle or beaker, and avoid bedtime bottles of anything except water once teeth are through.

If you are worried about a dark mark or a hole in a tooth, book a check-up.

Yes. Toothi is open seven days: Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9am–6pm, Thursday 9am–12pm, Saturday 9am–5pm and Sunday 10am–5pm. Saturday and Sunday appointments mean children don’t need to miss lessons and parents don’t need to take time off work. See our page on weekend dental appointments for more.

We are at 1 Handel Parade, Whitchurch Lane, a short trip from Edgware station on the Northern line. Families visit us from Edgware, Burnt Oak, Canons Park and Stanmore. You can book online any time at a slot that suits you.

Falls and bumps are common, especially with toddlers learning to walk and children playing sport. Stay calm, comfort your child and look at the mouth.

• ✓  A knocked milk tooth. Do not try to put a baby tooth back in its socket, as this can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Keep the tooth if you find it and call us.
• ✓  A knocked-out adult tooth. Time matters. Hold it by the crown, not the root, rinse briefly if dirty and, if you can, put it back in the socket. Otherwise keep it in milk and come straight in.
• ✓  A chipped or loose tooth. Call us for the soonest appointment. Keep any broken pieces.

Our emergency dentist page explains how urgent appointments work. Call 020 3148 2444 as early as you can and we will find you the soonest appointment.

When to get urgent help: if your child has had a significant blow to the head, lost consciousness, has a jaw that may be broken, has swelling spreading across the face or affecting breathing, swallowing or the eye, or has a high temperature, go to A&E or call 999. Out of hours, call NHS 111.