A kids dentist, or a pediatric dentist, can be thought of as the caretaker of your child’s pearly whites. These dentists are specially trained not only in the intricacies of dentistry, but also on how to deal with children while they are examining their teeth. Unlike adults, children do not often sit patiently and quietly through a dental examination. Some children throw tantrums, and this is often too much for the parent to handle. Here is where, a well trained, experienced and sympathetic pediatric dentist comes in handy!

Are Pediatric Dentists Specially Trained?

Yes, they are. Pediatric dentist undergo special training so that they are able to look after a child’s teeth right from his kiddy years up to his adolescent years. The two types of training that they have to undergo are:

• About 4 years at a dental college
• After that, two more years of resident dentist training, which helps them deal with children of all ages - from infants to teens

When Should You Take Your Child to a Pediatric Dentist?

Ideally, you should take your child to a pediatric dentist sometime before six months from the date your child gets his first milk tooth. The earlier you take him to the dentist, the better it is. When children start growing up, they consume junk food in huge quantities and if they do not learn the importance of flossing and brushing their teeth well, they will face the problem of cavities and tooth loss. So, take your child to a renowned kids dentist as early as you can because prevention is always better than cure!

Just spend some time finding the best pediatric dentist for your child. You can do so by asking family and friends, referral from your dentist or checking the local dental association.

What are the Functions Of A Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric dentists look after your child’s overall dental health and hygiene. They instill good dental care practices in your child from an early age. Today, the world is becoming more and more obsessed with image and people are spending huge amounts on elaborate dental procedures. If you take your child to a pediatric dentist from an early age, you won’t have to worry about opting for all these expensive procedures.

A kids dentist performs several crucial functions which include:

• Making your child aware of the importance of dental health- This is a very important function as the sooner your child becomes aware of how important it is to brush daily and floss after every meal, the sooner he will be able to look after his teeth in a suitable and appropriate manner. A pediatric dentist is specially trained to use the right child-friendly terminology. Also, with the help of colorful diagrams and models- which dentists usually have in their offices- your child will be better equipped to understand the importance of proper dental hygiene and care.
• Monitoring the state of your child’s teeth- By regularly examining your child’s teeth, the dentist will be able to point out any issues which need to be taken care of in advance, saving you a lot of trouble, time and money.
• Suggesting precautionary measures- The dentist will suggest the necessary precautionary measures that your child needs to take in order to maintain his pearly whites. Dentists also advise parents on issues like thumb-sucking, using the pacifier too much and smoking, which all have negative effects on the condition of their child’s teeth.
• Intervening- Dentists discuss with parents any negative aspects of the state of their child’s teeth like if the child has a bad bite or a teeth grinding problem and suggests things like nighttime mouth guard to deal with the issue.

Thus, a kids dentist is your best bet for ensuring that your children won’t have to pay exorbitant amounts for dental related expenses later on in life!