staceyobu Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 she'd just been eating chocolate chip cookies and I was trying to make sure I was getting all the chocolate off. I kept thinking I still saw some. Then, I realized it was tiny holes in her molars. She has holes in several teeth. Small, but definitely there. I am absolutely freaking out. We've never taken her to a dentist. :001_huh: I brush her teeth well. She does love to drink milk, but never takes it to bed or anything like that. I mean, she's not sucking on lollipops or chewing gum or anything all day. I'm freaking out. Absolutely freaking out. I've been reading about dental work on young kids and I think I want to throw up now. Has anyone else had this happen??? Oh, and chocolate chip cookies before bed is not a regular thing around here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 she'd just been eating chocolate chip cookies and I was trying to make sure I was getting all the chocolate off. I kept thinking I still saw some. Then, I realized it was tiny holes in her molars. She has holes in several teeth. Small, but definitely there. I am absolutely freaking out. We've never taken her to a dentist. :001_huh: I brush her teeth well. She does love to drink milk, but never takes it to bed or anything like that. I mean, she's not sucking on lollipops or chewing gum or anything all day. I'm freaking out. Absolutely freaking out. I've been reading about dental work on young kids and I think I want to throw up now. Has anyone else had this happen??? Oh, and chocolate chip cookies before bed is not a regular thing around here... Don't stress. She is just 4. Call Monday and make an appt. and deal with it. She will be fine. A lot of times baby teeth are bad but the adult teeth come in fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 DD had horrible teeth. By the time I took her to the pediatric dentist at 3 she looked like she had "baby bottle rot". They did 1-3 cavities at a time, explained everything to her nicely and sometimes used laughing gas. Dental work wasn't a big deal at all. The first pediatric dentist that I took her to was a man and did not explain anything to her. She did not cooperate for the exam and he said we would have to strap her to a papoose board. No way! I took her to the children's hospital where they have a ton of young women and an open fun atmosphere and she was so cooperative. No problem at all. She even needed several caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 DD had horrible teeth. By the time I took her to the pediatric dentist at 3 she looked like she had "baby bottle rot". They did 1-3 cavities at a time, explained everything to her nicely and sometimes used laughing gas. Dental work wasn't a big deal at all. The first pediatric dentist that I took her to was a man and did not explain anything to her. She did not cooperate for the exam and he said we would have to strap her to a papoose board. No way! I took her to the children's hospital where they have a ton of young women and an open fun atmosphere and she was so cooperative. No problem at all. She even needed several caps. Kids teeth are all different. My ds9 has a major sweet tooth and I am TERRIBLE about nighttime brushings....and yet he has PERFECT teeth. Shrug. One never knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Kids teeth are all different. My ds9 has a major sweet tooth and I am TERRIBLE about nighttime brushings....and yet he has PERFECT teeth. Shrug. One never knows. Yes I know. Her best friend had donuts for breakfast and a sippy cup at bedtime until she was 4 and had never had a cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I think alot has to do with the strength of her teeth. My DH came to US from India when he was 23. He had NEVER been to a dentist. The plaque was so bad they had to use laser treatments to remove it but...no cavities. He has never had one. He has teeth like rocks! As do most of the Indians I know. So it must be a genetic component. Some people have softer teeth more prone to cavities. Nothing to be done about it except deal with the issues as they arise. BTW there are some FANTASTIC pediatric dentists in the US. My daughter went to one where everything was kid sized, everything was flavored for kids, everything was kid friendly. She had to have 4 teeth removed there (because they refused to fall out even when adult teeth were in) and she absolutely loved the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 You might try using something like SmartRinse by Listerine. The child swishes it around in their mouth after brushing. It can reverse some dental decay by building up the teeth. I would still make an appointment with the dentist though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 My girls just went through major dental work. Actually, the 6yo still has one more appointment to go. We finally found an excellent pediatric dentist over 90 miles away (dh drops the kids off with my mil on his way to work and she takes them). I'm terrified of dentists, so it was very important to me to have a good one for the kids. Both girls have had several teeth done without novacaine and no complaints- that's how good the dentist is! And they actually look forward to their appointments!! They did get numbed when they each had a pulpotomy, but they hated the needle more than the work. My daughters just have crummy teeth. Also, the dentist has forbidden us to use battery powered toothbrushes. She says they give a false sense of security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 My kids both developed holes in their baby teeth despite daily brushing, never taking juice or milk to bed, etc, etc. I was just horrified. But our family dentist referred us to the pediatric dentist to whom he takes his own son, and she was wonderful. Not cheap. But kind, gentle, and no-nonsense with the kids. My daughter was given Versed because of her age (4 or 5 at the time) and her level of anxiety, and that helped her a lot. My son was treated more "as an adult" (I think he was seven), but took it all calmly and they did a great job of making it all a peaceful and pain-free experience for him. My daughter has actually been *less* worried about going to the dentist since all of this happened than she was before. While I thought we were being careful before, I've come to realize that my kids' teeth are much more delicate than mine, and we do have to be especially diligent in caring for them. That said, we have had few problems since then, and their adult teeth seem to be coming in strong. So we're just training them to be extra-especially careful with their teeth (above and beyond), and things seem to be okay. Don't panic. Do find an excellent *pediatric* dentist. Someone who is compassionate and competent. Ask around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kiddies Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Just because you see holes doesn't mean that they are cavaties btw. THe tops of your teeth naturally have grooves in them so you may just have seen some chocolate stuck in the grooves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iammommy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Relax. Find a good pediatric dentist and all will be fine. Don't stress like tis in front of your dd. She'll pick up on it and be anxious. She's still young, and this doesn't mean she's in for a lifetime of bad teeth, really. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 We have a fantastic no-coercion pediatric dentist. They're out there, and it pays to ask around. Both of mine had some decay in their baby teeth. My oldest ended up with one small filling, but all other spots were controlled with a combination of topical fluoride varnish (every 2 months for about a year) and using xylitol products at home. Xylitol gum is the best because it yields the longest exposure, but we also use xylitol/fluoride toothpaste (Squigle). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 When my son was 4, he had to have 4 teeth filled and 2 pulled. Yeah. :( The hygentist found the first one in October of 2006 and we had to wait 3 months to get into a pediatric dentist - by then, the tooth was rotted to the nerve! That fast!!It was a nightmare. Our choices were to sedate him or to have him put in this papoose thing and basically "held down." We didn't want him put to sleep for fear of risks so they put him in the papoose. I cried my eyes out - he still remembers it. Luckily, thanks to the wonderful dental hygentist weuse (and likely the fact that he hasn't had cavities since), he is still okay with the dentist. Thank God! We cut out chocolate milk and he now rinses with Act cavity protection for kids EVERY night before bed. We just pray his big boy teeth are better than his baby ones were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Kids teeth are all different. My ds9 has a major sweet tooth and I am TERRIBLE about nighttime brushings....and yet he has PERFECT teeth. Shrug. One never knows. That was me as a kid! My poor brother, OTOH, brushed, flossed, and did everything he was supposed to all the time and had tons & tons of cavities as a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I would just make an appt for her and see what the dentist can do. I would advise having biannual exams from here on. I see you have a two-year old as well. You'll probably want to schedule her within the year as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Just because you see holes doesn't mean that they are cavaties btw. THe tops of your teeth naturally have grooves in them so you may just have seen some chocolate stuck in the grooves. In my experience, the difference between natural grooves in teeth and *holes* caused by decay was pretty obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaruss Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Our youngest ds baby teeth were very soft and he had a lot of dental issues when he was 2-3 yrs old!! We took him to a pediatric dentist whom he adored!! He still looks forward to going to see "Dr Joe"!! He had to have some baby teeth pulled and a couple crowned so that he would be able to talk correctly. His adult teeth that have been coming in are very strong and healthy!! Woo hoo!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaruss Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Our youngest ds baby teeth were very soft and he had a lot of dental issues when he was 2-3 yrs old!! We took him to a pediatric dentist whom he adored!! He still looks forward to going to see "Dr Joe"!! Dr Joe did an excellent job explaining that it was not our fault and no matter how much brushing would not have prevented his problems! He had to have some baby teeth pulled and a couple crowned so that he would be able to talk correctly. His adult teeth that have been coming in are very strong and healthy!! Woo hoo!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 In my experience, the difference between natural grooves in teeth and *holes* caused by decay was pretty obvious. One would think. Did I ever tell this board about seeing a huge black 'hole' in my son's perfect teeth? Um yeah. The pediatric dentist was kind enough to not charge me for removing a blackberry seed from ds's tooth. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Just because you see holes doesn't mean that they are cavaties btw. THe tops of your teeth naturally have grooves in them so you may just have seen some chocolate stuck in the grooves. I was going to say the same thing. DD7 has a perfectly round little pit in one of her bottom molars. It's the same color as her tooth, so it's almost invisible unless there's something stuck in it, which is how I discovered it! She's pretty anxious about the dentist/doctor, so when I found this (kind of deep) brown divot in her molar, I started inwardly freaking out. I brushed and scrubbed it to make sure it was a cavity and not just food, and it wouldn't budge, so I said we'd call the dentist the next day. She went to bed, got up the next morning, ate and drank, and then I asked to look at her tooth. The spot was totally gone! I finally spotted the empty hole and was so relieved. Now we pay extra careful attention to that spot, since it traps food so easily. But ultimately, it was nothing. Don't sweat it until you have the dentist look, and if you don't already have one, find yourself a good pediatric dentist. My BFF's daughter, who's also highly anxious about that kind of thing, loves our dentist and has had plenty of work done there with no issues at all. One would think. Did I ever tell this board about seeing a huge black 'hole' in my son's perfect teeth? Um yeah. The pediatric dentist was kind enough to not charge me for removing a blackberry seed from ds's tooth. :tongue_smilie: :lol::lol::lol: The same thing happened here with a raspberry seed! I managed to poke it out myself though, thank goodness :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I have always been soooo careful with my kids' teeth, so I was surprised and horrified to learn that my ds had four humongous cavities and required four silver caps. :eek: We went to the dentist that was recommended, and he seemed to have a good setup for children. There was one thing that really bothered me, and was the cause of our never using him again. Ds was only 3yo. For his 4th cap he was nervous, and I promised him that if he needed me I would come with him. I told two nurses that if ds asked for me they were to get me immediately. YET when ds came out of the office he was shaking badly and crying. This child is very tough--this was very, very unusual for him. He had asked for me to come and the dr REFUSED. They restrained my son (even though both my son and the nurses said my ds was not resisting in any way, just asked for his mommy--they restrained him just in case!!!) and kept working. I was LIVID. We switched to a different pediatric dentist who is wonderful. She encourages parents to come sit right next to their child and is great about explaining what she is doing and being gentle. Bottom line: Go ahead and take your dc to the dentist. Make sure you get one that will allow you to be with your child if that is what your child needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 If I may suggest...ask for the white resin fillings not the silver amalgam. The amalgam fillings contain mercury. Yes it is a small amount, but it is something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 If I may suggest...ask for the white resin fillings not the silver amalgam. The amalgam fillings contain mercury. Yes it is a small amount, but it is something to think about. :confused: They told me that silver fillings no longer contain mercury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 Just because you see holes doesn't mean that they are cavaties btw. THe tops of your teeth naturally have grooves in them so you may just have seen some chocolate stuck in the grooves. Okay... after not sleeping last night, I've been trying to look at her teeth this morning... I see nothing. No holes. I don't know if there are holes and the chocolate accentuated them... if there are no holes... I'm going to try looking again in a little while. I am going to make her a dentist appointment. Maybe it's good I got scared even if it just scared me into a check-up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Tazzie had to go have four silver caps on all four bottom molars. They knocked him out for it. I've always been careful with my kids teeth. Diva, at almost 11 has none. Tazzie had his done just after he turned four. Its a genetic crapshoot. Wolf and I both have horrid teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I have always been soooo careful with my kids' teeth, so I was surprised and horrified to learn that my ds had four humongous cavities and required four silver caps. :eek: We went to the dentist that was recommended, and he seemed to have a good setup for children. There was one thing that really bothered me, and was the cause of our never using him again. Ds was only 3yo. For his 4th cap he was nervous, and I promised him that if he needed me I would come with him. I told two nurses that if ds asked for me they were to get me immediately. YET when ds came out of the office he was shaking badly and crying. This child is very tough--this was very, very unusual for him. He had asked for me to come and the dr REFUSED. They restrained my son (even though both my son and the nurses said my ds was not resisting in any way, just asked for his mommy--they restrained him just in case!!!) and kept working. I was LIVID. We switched to a different pediatric dentist who is wonderful. She encourages parents to come sit right next to their child and is great about explaining what she is doing and being gentle. Bottom line: Go ahead and take your dc to the dentist. Make sure you get one that will allow you to be with your child if that is what your child needs. We had this exact same scenario. My dd had 5 crowns done this summer! This is the child who brushes AND flosses. The dentist started to lecture us about flossing and I cut him off. When I explained to him this is the dd that grooms without being told and I've NEVER seen anything on her teeth until this week, he said, these things sometimes happen. We weren't allowed to go back with her either, so I had them all done at once. No one else in town would see us or work us in. Her ped dentist was out of town for a week (it was spring break and ALL the dentists were out of town). I don't know if we'll go back to them or not but, the Lord provided for us when we needed the work done. We were even able to work out payments. :grouphug: These things sometimes happen. Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 :confused: They told me that silver fillings no longer contain mercury. They don't. I think the ones we all have do but the kid's don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I'm freaking out. Absolutely freaking out. I've been reading about dental work on young kids and I think I want to throw up now. Oh, no, there's no reason to freak out. A good pediatric dentist can do any procedure on a small child without frightening her. Whatever you read that scared you is probably not an accurate portrayal of what really happens during a normal dental visit. Some kids just get cavities no matter how much you take care of their teeth. It doesn't mean her permanent teeth will be that way either. Get a referral for a good pediatric dentist Monday, make an appointment and get the work done. You'll see how quickly and easily it will go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Okay... after not sleeping last night, I've been trying to look at her teeth this morning... I see nothing. No holes. I don't know if there are holes and the chocolate accentuated them... if there are no holes... I'm going to try looking again in a little while. I am going to make her a dentist appointment. Maybe it's good I got scared even if it just scared me into a check-up... Maybe the chocolate just got packed into the natural indentations in the enamel. Go ahead and take her to the dentist. If she has no cavities, her first visit to a dentist will be a party (as long as you get a pediatric dentist), and he or she will be your dd's new best friend. Ours still comes out with big clown feet and a red ball nose. Ds, who is 10, thinks the guy is over the top now, but he laughs at the dentist's lame jokes because he's known him so long and the whole thing was funny 6 years ago when they first met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I would have refused my copay, if there was one, and I would have contacted a lawyer, at least to shake him up, if nothing else. That is NOT LEGAL. He is NOT a parent OR in loco parentis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cillakat Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I think alot has to do with the strength of her teeth. My DH came to US from India when he was 23. He had NEVER been to a dentist. The plaque was so bad they had to use laser treatments to remove it but...no cavities. He has never had one. He has teeth like rocks! As do most of the Indians I know. So it must be a genetic component. There is a huge vitamin D component..... K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks in Ontario Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 The dentist told me that his enamel didn't form properly - could be from being very sick as a newborn. Hopefully, his adult teeth will come in properly. None of his 4 siblings have ever had a cavity. Punks 4 boys (5, 6, 11, 13) and a girl(23) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) I think alot has to do with the strength of her teeth. My DH came to US from India when he was 23. He had NEVER been to a dentist. The plaque was so bad they had to use laser treatments to remove it but...no cavities. He has never had one. He has teeth like rocks! As do most of the Indians I know. So it must be a genetic component. Some people have softer teeth more prone to cavities. Nothing to be done about it except deal with the issues as they arise. BTW there are some FANTASTIC pediatric dentists in the US. My daughter went to one where everything was kid sized, everything was flavored for kids, everything was kid friendly. She had to have 4 teeth removed there (because they refused to fall out even when adult teeth were in) and she absolutely loved the place. :iagree: I was not good with my teeth as a child and lived on candy and soda. I was 17 when I first saw a dentist and he remarked how straight and perfect my teeth were. No cavities. I know of others who fuss over their teeth and they have root canals and more. :confused: Genetics. Today's pediatric dentists are FUN!! My son's dentist has so many things to calm down new patients... it will be fine! Schedule an appointment. Tell the dentist you want sealants for her teeth. Sealants will help protect the enamel. Edited October 13, 2009 by tex-mex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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