Pediatric Dentist: What a Paediatric Dentist Does

Pediatric and paediatric are two spellings of the same word; pediatric is the American form and the one most people search, paediatric the Indian and British one. In India the specialty is Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, sometimes called pedodontics, and the degree is an MDS taken after the BDS. See our guide to the types of dentists for the other branches.

Paediatric dentists care for milk teeth and growing permanent teeth. That covers decay in children, protective sealants and fluoride, treatment of damaged milk teeth, and guidance on habits such as thumb sucking. They are trained in managing children who are nervous or find it hard to sit still.

Useful starting points are the guides on a child's first dental visit, primary teeth and fluoride treatment for children. An overview of care is on the kids dentistry page, and the local page is paediatric dentist in Lucknow.

A general dentist can examine children, clean their teeth, apply fluoride and sealants and fill cavities, and for most healthy children that is enough. A paediatric dentist is a good choice when a child is very young, very anxious, has special needs or a medical condition, has several cavities, or needs a nerve treatment in a milk tooth, as in the guide to pulpectomy.

A swollen face, fever, or trouble swallowing or breathing in a child with a toothache needs same-day care, and a hospital emergency if breathing or swallowing is affected.

Ask for the degree, an MDS in Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, and the State Dental Council registration number. Registration is public record. A dentist who simply treats many children is not a paediatric specialist unless they hold the MDS.