Dental health is an important component in taking good care of overall health. The key to excellent dental health is prevention, and it starts at a very young age. In other words, you have to address those milk tooth cavities (ฟันน้ำนมผุ, term in Thai) before they get worse. Parents must teach their children good dental habits, but most of all, they should have their children seen by a pediatric dentist at least twice a year. By doing so, the child will receive professional dental care and any underlying issues can be addressed before they get bigger.

What is a pediatric dentist?

A pediatric dentist is someone specializing in the dental care of children and teens. The dental condition of children and teens undergoes many growth cycles. A pediatric dentist is knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled in handling children’s dental health concerns. There are many benefits offered by a pediatric dentist. If you are a parent and have not considered bringing your child to a pediatric dentist, now is the best time to do so. You and your kids will experience these benefits:

· Calm and happy patients

Not everyone is comfortable with dental visits. In fact, some adults don’t even like the idea of going to the dentist. What more for children? Children feel fear and anxiety every time they visit a dental clinic. It is good to know that there are pediatric dentists and that they are trained to handle younger patients. They know and understand child psychology and do everything they can to create a calm and happy atmosphere. Their goal is to make sure the patients are comfortable during their appointments. They make dental visits a happy experience for the kids and their parents. So the next time the parents and their child visit the dentist, the feelings of fear and anxiety because of the unknown can be reduced, if not totally eliminated.

· Specialized training

Pediatric dentists have undergone extensive training in working with younger patients, especially the teeth and jaws. It is specialized training that a general dentist doesn’t undergo. Because of their area of specialization, they are more suited to providing a calm, safe, and comfortable environment for pediatric patients. When the kids are happy with their dental visits, so do their parents.

· Pediatric dentists raise awareness of habits that lead to oral health issues in children

Children have habits that lead to various oral health issues, and, most of the time, parents are not aware of them. Hence, a significant part of a pediatric dentist’s job is to educate and create awareness for both parents and their children. By creating awareness, these dental issues can be prevented, and if they are already present, they can be dealt with right away.

If your child sees a general dentist, now is the best time to switch to a pediatric dentist. The benefits mentioned above can play a huge part in preventing various forms of dental problems in children, which plays a huge role in achieving a beautiful smile by the time children reach adulthood.