Gentle and unrushed
A calm approach that puts anxious children and worried parents at ease, with the same unhurried care we give our nervous patients of every age.
Family Care
Children's dentistry, gentle care without the fear
Calm, gentle dental care for children, from a first wobbly visit to everyday check-ups and prevention. No rushing. No fear language. Just a friendly team helping your child feel at ease.
The Treatment
An easy, unhurried first visit
Bringing a child to the dentist should be easy and unhurried. At Day Night Dental we keep children's appointments short, gentle and low-pressure. The aim of an early visit is simple: get your child used to the chair, the lights and the team, so the dentist feels like a normal part of growing up rather than something to worry about.
Early visits matter for three plain reasons. They build good habits while teeth are still coming through. They let us spot small problems before they grow. And they help children feel relaxed, which makes every future visit easier. We focus on prevention first: gentle check-ups, fluoride, fissure sealants when they help, and clear advice on brushing and diet. If decay does turn up, gentle restorative care such as tooth-coloured fillings is there when it is needed, with numbing gel on the gum before any injection and treatment spread over more than one visit if your child needs time. The goal, though, is to keep your child away from the drill in the first place.
You will find us at 80 Hutcheson Street in Merchant City, an easy buggy push from Argyle Street and Queen Street stations and the St Enoch subway, so families reach us from right across Glasgow. Appointments fit around the school run, after work and the weekend, and you can register your child as a patient online in a few minutes. And if your child has an accident and knocks or breaks a tooth, we are open day and night, every day, for emergencies too.
Is This You?
Worried a dental visit will be a battle?
Plenty of parents put off a first dental visit because they expect tears, a struggle, or a child who clings to the chair. A bad early experience can stick, and it is hard to undo.
We take the opposite approach: unhurried visits, simple friendly words, and nothing done before it is explained. Often a first visit is just a look, a count of the teeth and a friendly chat, so the dentist becomes a normal part of growing up rather than something to dread.
Why Patients Choose It
Why families choose our team
Prevention-led care
We focus on prevention to support your child's dental health and avoid treatment where we can.
Early detection
We catch decay, bite and alignment issues early, so small things are dealt with while they are still small.
Habits that stick
Good brushing and eating habits built early tend to stay with your child for life.
Appointments that fit
Morning, after-school and weekend visits, so dental care fits around school and work rather than the other way round.
Emergency care for children
If your child has a knock, a fall or sudden toothache, we hold same-day emergency slots every day and aim to see them quickly.
How It Works
What a check-up looks like
01
A friendly welcome
We meet your child, keep the language simple and let them settle. There is no pressure to climb straight into the chair.
02
A gentle look
The dentist counts the teeth and checks the gums, the bite and how the jaw is developing. For little ones, this can happen on your lap.
03
A decay and development check
We look for any early signs of decay and keep an eye on how adult teeth are coming through.
04
Prevention
Where it helps, we apply fluoride varnish or talk through fissure sealants. We will always explain what we are doing first.
05
Brushing and diet advice
We show you and your child what good brushing looks like and talk through everyday food and drink, in plain terms you can actually use at home.
06
A plan and a next date
We agree a recall interval that suits your child and answer any questions before you leave.
At home
Aftercare and home care
A few simple habits at home do most of the work in keeping your child's teeth healthy.
Every day
- Brush twice a day, last thing at night and at one other time, for a couple of minutes, using a fluoride toothpaste.
- For children under three, use a small smear of fluoride toothpaste. From age three, use a pea-sized amount. Our team will confirm the right toothpaste and amount for your child.
- Supervise brushing until at least age seven, and for longer if your child still needs help to brush well.
- Encourage spitting out rather than rinsing, so the fluoride stays on the teeth and keeps working.
Food and drink
- Keep sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes and avoid frequent snacking through the day.
- Offer water or plain milk between meals. Avoid fizzy and sugary drinks, and avoid leaving a child with a bottle of anything sugary.
- Watch the hidden sugars in things like dried fruit and fruit juice between meals.
After fluoride varnish
- Leave brushing until the next day, and follow any eating and drinking guidance we give you, so the varnish has time to work.
- A little temporary staining can show on the teeth. It is harmless and brushes off.
Fissure sealants
- Sealants need no special care at home. We simply check them at routine visits and top them up if needed.
Honest considerations
What to keep in mind
Prevention is not a guarantee. Fluoride and sealants lower the risk of decay, but they do not remove it. Daily brushing and sensible eating still do most of the work.
Sealants can wear or chip. They are not permanent. We check them at each visit and top them up if part has come away, so they keep protecting the grooves.
Some children need a little longer. If your child is anxious, we go at their pace and may spread things over more than one visit. Building trust early is more useful than pushing through in one go.
Baby teeth still need looking after. They hold space for adult teeth, help with eating and speech, and decay in them can be painful. Looking after them now makes the adult teeth easier later.
Thumb-sucking and dummy use are normal in early childhood. If they continue past the early years they can affect how the teeth and bite develop, so we will mention it gently at a check-up if needed.
A few children need more support than a check-up can give. If we ever see something that needs a different setting or extra help, we will say so plainly, explain the options, and arrange a referral to a more specialised service where that is the right route.
Common Questions
Children's dentistry questions, answered
When should my child first visit the dentist?
As soon as their first tooth appears, and by their first birthday at the latest. Early visits are mostly about getting your child comfortable. The sooner the dentist feels normal, the easier every later visit tends to be.
How often should my child have a check-up?
It depends on the child. Some need a check every few months, others are fine at six months to a year. We will suggest an interval based on your child's teeth and risk of decay, rather than applying one rule to everyone.
Is dental care free for children in Scotland?
NHS dental examinations are free for everyone in Scotland. NHS dental treatment is free if you are under 26, pregnant or have given birth in the last 12 months, or qualify for a low-income exemption. Scotland also runs Childsmile, a national programme that supports children's oral health from toddlerhood, with free fluoride varnish applications from around age two and supervised toothbrushing in nurseries and some primary schools. If you are not sure what applies to your child, ask when you get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.
Are baby teeth really that important if they fall out anyway?
Yes. Baby teeth help your child eat and speak, and they hold space for the adult teeth coming behind them. Decay in a baby tooth can still cause pain and infection, so they are well worth looking after.
My child is nervous about the dentist. How can you help?
We keep things calm, gentle and unrushed. We use simple, friendly language and a "tell, show, do" approach, so your child knows what is happening before anything is done. We are happy to go slowly and build trust over a few visits if that is what your child needs.
What are fissure sealants and does my child need them?
A fissure sealant is a thin protective coating painted onto the grooves of the back adult molars, where decay often starts. Applying it is quick and does not hurt. Whether your child needs them depends on their teeth, and we will talk it through with you at a check-up.
Does fluoride varnish hurt?
No. It is simply painted onto the teeth and takes moments. There are no injections and nothing to be afraid of. We just ask you to hold off brushing until the next day so it can do its job.
What happens if my child needs a filling?
We take it gently and at your child's pace, with the same tell, show, do approach as a check-up. Numbing gel goes on the gum first, so the area is already sleepy before any injection, and many children are surprised by how uneventful it is. We use tooth-coloured fillings, and if your child needs a bit more time we are happy to spread treatment over more than one visit rather than rush it.
My child's new adult teeth have chalky white or creamy patches. Should I worry?
Patchy, chalky or creamy marks on newly arrived adult teeth are common, and are often a condition called molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), where parts of the enamel form softer than usual. Affected teeth can be more sensitive and more prone to decay, so it is worth pointing them out at a check-up. We will keep a closer eye on those teeth and protect them where needed.
What should I do if my child knocks out or breaks a tooth?
For a knocked-out adult tooth, pick it up by the crown (the white part), not the root. If it is clean, gently slot it back into the socket and have your child bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place. If you cannot, keep it in a cup of milk rather than water. A knocked-out baby tooth is different: never push it back in, as this can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Either way, call us straight away, because acting quickly gives an adult tooth the best chance of being saved.
My child has toothache in the middle of the night. What should we do?
Give age-appropriate pain relief, following the instructions on the packet, and never give aspirin to children under 16. A cold compress held against the cheek can ease swelling, and keeping their head slightly raised can make lying down more comfortable. Avoid anything very hot, very cold or sweet. Then call us, any time, day or night, and we will tell you whether your child needs to be seen straight away or can safely wait until morning.
How do I register my child as a patient?
You can register your child, or the whole family, through the register-as-a-patient page on our website, or simply call us and we will sort it over the phone. Registering takes a few minutes, and you can book a first visit at the same time.
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