By Dr Elizabeth Crake
Family life in Wimbledon Village has a lovely rhythm, the morning school run down the High Street, a weekend wander on the Common, a coffee and a treat from a cafe you pass every day. Good dental health doesn't ask you to change any of that. It simply fits a few easy habits into the life you already lead. Here are our most practical, everyday tips for keeping every smile in the family healthy.
Build brushing into the family routine
The single most effective thing any family can do is brush properly, twice a day, every day. The NHS recommends brushing last thing at night and on one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste, and spitting out rather than rinsing afterwards, so the fluoride keeps working. With busy mornings, pinning brushing to fixed anchors helps it stick:
- Morning: brush after breakfast, before the walk to school, not in the rush out the door.
- Night: make it the very last thing before bed, so nothing sugary follows it.
- Supervise younger children until around age seven, when they can manage on their own.
- Two minutes is the target, a song or timer turns it into a game for little ones.
For children, NHS dental care is free, and good habits set in early last a lifetime. Our general and family dentistry team is always happy to show younger patients exactly how to brush at their next visit.
Treats, cafes and the High Street
Wimbledon Village is full of tempting spots, and there's no need to ban treats, the trick is timing rather than total avoidance. Teeth cope far better with sugar eaten in one go with a meal than with sugar sipped or nibbled steadily through the afternoon. Every time sugar hits the teeth, the enamel softens before saliva repairs it, so frequency is what really drives decay.
- Keep treats to mealtimes rather than grazing between them.
- Choose water or milk over juices and fizzy drinks day to day; an ice cream after a Common walk is fine as an occasional treat.
- Finish with water after something sweet or sticky to help wash acids away.
- Wait before brushing, leave about an hour after acidic food or drink so you're not brushing softened enamel.
Wimbledon sits in one of London's hardest-water areas. That's actually good news in one way, tap water is sugar-free and helps rinse the mouth, so a refillable bottle for the Common or the park is one of the easiest wins for your children's teeth. The flip side is that hard water means plaque mineralises into tartar faster, and tartar can only be removed professionally. That's why we suggest regular hygienist visits for the whole family, on top of good brushing at home.
A simple check-up routine for the whole family
Regular check-ups are where small problems get caught while they're still small, a tiny filling instead of a root canal, early gum inflammation instead of gum disease. The NHS sets check-up intervals individually, anywhere from 3 to 24 months depending on each person's risk, but the table below is a useful starting point for a healthy Wimbledon family.
| Family member | Check-up | Hygiene |
|---|---|---|
| Children (under 18) | Every 6–12 months (NHS care free) | As advised; child hygiene £80 |
| Teenagers | Every 6–12 months | Every 6–12 months |
| Adults (low risk) | Every 12 months | Every 6–12 months |
| Adults (higher risk) | Every 6 months | Every 3–6 months |
A new patient exam includes X-rays and an oral cancer screening; contact us for current new-patient fees. Our returning-patient check-ups are £80, and children's check-ups are £55–£60. A standard hygiene clean is £90, premium Airflow stain removal £120, and a combined exam-plus-hygiene package £175. We also offer membership plans to spread the cost of routine care, contact us for details.
Book a family check-up on the High Street
Friendly, unhurried appointments for everyone from toddlers to grandparents with Dr Elizabeth Crake and the team at The Dental Lounges Wimbledon, right on Wimbledon Village High Street.
Book an appointment Family dentistryMake the most of an active Wimbledon lifestyle
The Common is one of the best things about raising a family here. A few dental points are worth keeping in mind for sporty families:
- Hydrate with water, not sports drinks, many are surprisingly acidic and sugary, and sipping them through a match bathes teeth in acid.
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sports like rugby or hockey; a custom-made guard protects against knocked or broken teeth.
- Know who to call if a tooth is knocked out or broken, our emergency dentist service can see urgent cases quickly, and fast action saves teeth.
Fitting dental care around school and work
The best routine is the one you'll actually keep, so we make appointments easy to slot into a busy week. Being on the High Street means you can pop in around the school run or on the way back from the Common. Booking the whole family back-to-back saves a second trip, and morning slots tend to suit younger children who are fresher earlier in the day. If straightening teeth is on your mind for a teen or for yourself, Invisalign is a discreet option we're happy to talk through at a routine visit.
Whenever you're ready, our team in the heart of Wimbledon Village would be glad to welcome your whole family.
Frequently asked questions
The NHS advises a check-up interval set by your dentist, which can range from 3 to 24 months depending on risk. For most adults and children in good health, every 6 to 12 months is typical. Children and anyone prone to decay are usually seen more often, so your routine is tailored to each member of the family.
It's less about the amount of sugar and more about how often teeth are exposed to it. An occasional treat with a meal is far gentler on enamel than sugary drinks or snacks sipped through the day. Keeping treats to mealtimes and finishing with water lets saliva recover, which protects against decay.
Yes, drinking tap water is one of the best things for teeth, because it has no sugar and helps wash away food and acids. Wimbledon sits in a hard-water area, which means more mineral build-up and tartar over time, so regular hygiene visits are worthwhile alongside good brushing at home.
