5 year old and cavities

[LCoulter]

Yesterday my DH took our DD5.5 to the dentist. She goes every 6 months and gets her teeth cleaned and gets the floride rinse but this time she has 4 cavities between her teeth. I feel so horrible for her. Of course the dentist tells us to immediately start flossing and use the floride rinse at home.

When we took her for her flu shoot, DH and I had to hold her down to get the shot so I can’t imagine what is going to happen if they need to do a novacane shot. The cavities may be surface only so they may not need to use novacane but I don’t know. I still can’t imagine her holding still for the drilling either.

What are your experiences with little ones and cavities? Do you have any suggestions? The dentist isn’t a pediatric dentist….should I switch her to a pediatric dentist? One of my co-workers suggested offering her a goldfish when it is over.

 

[abdmom]

They numb the area with a topical anesthesic before giving the shot. DS7 had a few cavities filled last month. About 10 minutes after the shot, he asked when they were going to give him the needle.

I wouldn't give a "reward". The little one would probably start expecting a reward every time they go to the dentist.

 

[LCoulter]

I've had the topical anesthetic and it doesn't work well for me....the shot hurts like H E double L.

 

[pacrosby]

I never had any of my four kids baby teeth filled (of course had it been a big one I would have had it pulled). I know that there are different philosophies on this......even dentists disagree. If they aren't bothering her I'd take the watch and wait approach. Chances are they will fall out long before they cause her any problems.

 

[Glynis]

Yesterday my DH took our DD5.5 to the dentist. She goes every 6 months and gets her teeth cleaned and gets the floride rinse but this time she has 4 cavities between her teeth. I feel so horrible for her. Of course the dentist tells us to immediately start flossing and use the floride rinse at home.

When we took her for her flu shoot, DH and I had to hold her down to get the shot so I can’t imagine what is going to happen if they need to do a novacane shot. The cavities may be surface only so they may not need to use novacane but I don’t know. I still can’t imagine her holding still for the drilling either.

What are your experiences with little ones and cavities? Do you have any suggestions? The dentist isn’t a pediatric dentist….should I switch her to a pediatric dentist? One of my co-workers suggested offering her a goldfish when it is over.

Yes! Switch to a pediatric dentist!!! My 3 year old had a very large cavity in one of his teeth. He actually had to have it pulled. They had an anesthesiologist put him out, and did the procedure. It was pain free for my baby, and not as hard on me or my hubby, either! My other kids have a regular dentist, but they range in age from 15 to 10, so they can handle the shots, if they need them. The 3 year old will stick with the pediatric dentist for a few more years.

 

[mjaclyn]

I have a DD6 and while she has never had cavities, I don't think I would have them filled even if she did because she's going to lose all of her baby teeth anyway. Of course it would depend how severe the cavities are and if they're hurting her. If she's in pain because of them, I would definitely consider having them filled. Also, I would switch to a pediatric dentist. DH and I have gone to the same dentist for years, but when I asked him when I should bring my DD in (she was 2 at the time) he told me not until she was 6 years old. When I called the pediatric dentist they told me that it's a good idea to bring kids in as soon as they have a few teeth, to get them used to the dentist and also make sure everything is coming in well. My kids actually look forward to going to the dentist because our pediatric dentist is great. The rooms are kid themed with cartoons playing where they can watch. There are lots of toys in the waiting room and when the hygienist uses the bright light to look inside their mouth she gives them 'superstar sunglasses'. They get to pick out a brand new toothbrush, stickers and a prize from the treasure chest when they're finished. The difference between my dentist and the pediatric dentist is night and day, so I think it's a great idea for you to look into that. Then you could ask them if they recommend filling the cavities, or if it's better just to wait until her baby teeth fall out since she would probably have to be held down again. Poor thing! I hate having to do that!

 

[kamik86]

When I last went to the dentist I had to have an old filling replaced. (old silver filling was getting really loose)

What they did was they gave me this gel stuff on a stick that numbed the area alot, then something else, but it was short term, it didn't work too well on me in that I started to be able to feel a bit during the procedure (not pain but enough to know it was happening which would probably freak out a kid, it did me a bit to be honest because I was expecting it to start hurting any second). My dentist noted on my file next time to use something different to last longer.

However my point is that the gel stuff may work well for her, then she won't feel the shot at all.

 

[HM]

My son was given a prescription for a sedative to take 30 minutes before his appointment. It makes it easier for the dentist to work with the child. There was no need to be given other anesthesia, just the novacaine.

My kids see a pediatric dentist and it's great. They have absolutely no qualms about going there for appointments and the very few procedures they'd had to have done.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have a DD6 and while she has never had cavities, I don't think I would have them filled even if she did because she's going to lose all of her baby teeth anyway. Of course it would depend how severe the cavities are and if they're hurting her. If she's in pain because of them, I would definitely consider having them filled. Also, I would switch to a pediatric dentist. DH and I have gone to the same dentist for years, but when I asked him when I should bring my DD in (she was 2 at the time) he told me not until she was 6 years old. When I called the pediatric dentist they told me that it's a good idea to bring kids in as soon as they have a few teeth, to get them used to the dentist and also make sure everything is coming in well. My kids actually look forward to going to the dentist because our pediatric dentist is great. The rooms are kid themed with cartoons playing where they can watch. There are lots of toys in the waiting room and when the hygienist uses the bright light to look inside their mouth she gives them 'superstar sunglasses'. They get to pick out a brand new toothbrush, stickers and a prize from the treasure chest when they're finished. The difference between my dentist and the pediatric dentist is night and day, so I think it's a great idea for you to look into that. Then you could ask them if they recommend filling the cavities, or if it's better just to wait until her baby teeth fall out since she would probably have to be held down again. Poor thing! I hate having to do that!

My kids go to a regular dentist, and started at 2 1/2. They LOVE going! Having flat screen TV's, and very kid-friendly dental hygentists helps, too. I've had preschoolers get cavities filled, and teeth pulled, all with novicaine. I've had the shot, and it has never hurt - they're very good at administering it. Whether the tooth needs to be filled, pulled, or left alone really depends on different factors.

They love getting new toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and treats from the treasure box.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Switch to a pediatric dentist. Ours does not use any shots during fillings. He can fill a cavity to a certain depth without it. My low pain tolerance, shot phobic child can still through it without an issue. Dentist says the shots for minor cavities in his opinion increase dental anxiety and if you do without it, do it. We only fill certain cavities in the teeth that are not going to be lost soon, like molars.

Also, how long have you been with this dentist? There seems to be a trend among some dentists especially ones who belong to a few certain chains that are "magically" finding cavities in patients who have never had any before. The number they find is usually for 4-8. Maybe seek a second opinion before doing anything. Several dentists in the area have been talking about this unfortunate trend and how many new patients actually don't have a problem that the previous dentist found.

 

[fireworks fan]

My DD had two cavities between molars at that age. We had to fill them because she would have the molars for a long time-still does have them at age 10. She goes to a pediatric dentist and they use laughing gas for a light anesthesia, they are never unconscious.

 

[Southernmiss]

I used 3 different pediatric dentists. The first one was horrible. I felt badly for my children when I realized how awful his office was.

The second one, I had a disagreement with the office staff.

The third one, AMAZING. Kids loved him, I liked the office, etc.

However, when my youngest was about 8, I switched to a regular dentist for all 4 of them and have been very happy with them. I think if you like the regular dentist, stay there!

Now that I am a more experienced parent, I don't think I would have all of the cavities in their baby teeth filled. I think I would watch and wait.

 

[Missypyxi]

Pediatric dentist is the way to go, for sure. My 5 yo DS has 4 cavities between the teeth as well, despite a strict brushing / flossing routine and low sugar diet.

His dentist is AMAZING! Seriously, I wish I could go to him myself. He has a TV on the ceiling and the child can choose from a variety of shows. then he gets a pair of special sunglasses that he can keep afterwards, and chapstick.

DS gets a "clown nose" every time he goes, and he gets to choose from 4 flavors that it smells like for the gas. Then the dentist says things like "ok get ready, here comes the butterfly nibbles on your cheek," and "now I'm going to use my super power ranger tooth washer to get your teeth nice and clean! It's going to feel a little bumpy like someone's dancing on your tooth!" And let me tell you, he works FAST! Like, 10 mins for a filling between teeth.

When it's all done, DS gets to choose two things from the treasure chest. He has been twice already and needs to go 2 more times and actually says "Yay!" When I tell him were going to the dentist.

If you happen to live in Virginia, PM me and I'll pass his info to you.

 

[LCoulter]

My DD had two cavities between molars at that age. We had to fill them because she would have the molars for a long time-still does have them at age 10. She goes to a pediatric dentist and they use laughing gas for a light anesthesia, they are never unconscious.

That's where DD's cavities are, between the molars so she will have them for a long time before they fall out so that is why the dentist wants to fill them.

At lunchtime I am going to make some calls to find a pediatric dentist and get their opinion. So far she likes the regular dentist but I'm not sure if they will be able to handle her as well as a pediatic dentist.

 

[tzolkin]

Perhaps in your case you should look into a pediatric dentist.

We see a regular dentist, but he is clear that he wants to avoid traumatizing a child. So if you have a child who is overly frightened, won't sit still, etc he would send you to a pediatric dentist because they will sedate the child (like some previous posters have mentioned).

I would also suggest making sure you find a dentist that your child really feels comfortable with.


My teenage DD has never had a cavity, but my middle DD wound up with 8 (all between the back teeth) when she was 5. When she went in for the first fillings, our regular dentist was away so a female dentist did the fillings. DD was convinced that she never gave her a shot and left the office smiling. When we went back for round two, our regular dentist had to put the shot in a different (and much more painful) location. She sat still and never complained during the procedure, but when we went back the third time she simply would not open her mouth. She would start to open it and then when he came near she could not help closing it because she was really afraid. She didn't cry or throw a fit or anything, but our dentist didn't want to have her feel like we were forcing her to get the fillings. We tried again about a week later (I had DH take her instead of me) with the same response. We wound up taking her to the female dentist's office who had done the first fillings even though it's an hour from our home. DD opened her mouth and got the fillings with no complaints. She likes our regular dentist and has no issues seeing him for check-ups, but if she needs any work done we just schedule it with the other dentist.

 

[sommergirl25]

Why do you think that the general dentist couldn't handle your LO? I work for a general dentist and we see kids of all ages and do treatment. We have only had to refer out a few kiddos in the last almost 6 years that I have been there. Does your doctor offer Nitrous Oxide. It can really help with dental anxiety. I don't like the thinking of "they are baby teeth, they are gonna fall out anyway" The health of the baby teeth can and will affect the health of the permanent teeth. At 4, a child still has years until her molars fall out. Those cavities can get big in that time. Once decay hits the dentin of the tooth, it just has a party. You risk letting your child get an abscess or if it is next to a permanent tooth (obviously this is for older kids) the decay can spread to the permanent tooth. Pulling is not a good option either. Baby teeth are place holders for permanent teeth.

I hope your kiddo has a good experience and does well. Flossing kids can be difficult but they have floss on a stick (flossers) that are fruit flavored. They work great!

 

[ccgirl]

Yesterday my DH took our DD5.5 to the dentist. She goes every 6 months and gets her teeth cleaned and gets the floride rinse but this time she has 4 cavities between her teeth. I feel so horrible for her. Of course the dentist tells us to immediately start flossing and use the floride rinse at home.

When we took her for her flu shoot, DH and I had to hold her down to get the shot so I cant imagine what is going to happen if they need to do a novacane shot. The cavities may be surface only so they may not need to use novacane but I dont know. I still cant imagine her holding still for the drilling either.

What are your experiences with little ones and cavities? Do you have any suggestions? The dentist isnt a pediatric dentist&.should I switch her to a pediatric dentist? One of my co-workers suggested offering her a goldfish when it is over.

Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience with this.

My children do see a pediatric dentist and they are fabulous!

My DS was 3 when he had his first fillings. He didn't flinch with the novacaine. They knew how to administer it in a way the child didn't see it and call it "tickle drops". My DD is great with fillings as well. She is 10 and didn't notice until last year it was a shot (she peeked in on her brother getting one). Neither of my children are good with a "standard" shot at the MD's office. They are the ones that scream so loud the waiting area all look at each other.

I asked the dentist why the baby teeth had to be filled since they were going to fall out anyway. She said the cavity can spread to the permanent tooth and cause a mouth infection as well. Personally, I am not a big fan of exposing my children to anesthesia to avoid potential pain. Neither of my children has experienced pain with any of their fillings. My DS4 is going in two weeks for 2 more fillings and can't wait he absolutely loves going to the dentist.

 

[Bilberry]

Sorry about the cavity problems your daughter is having. When I was younger I would easily develop cavities. At one point I used to joke with my dentist that I was his #1 patient. He could make a nice living on me with all the work that needed to be done.

What helped me greatly at preventing dental carries was eating better, plus eating foods rich in vitamin K2 and getting some summer sunshine/ vitamin D3. Thought this a nice article about dietary measures that can be taken for cavity prevention. Dr. Mellanby and his wife are the discovers of vitamin D. Their work with children led them to discover to was possible to prevent and even reserve small cavity growth with diet and vitamin D3.

And from my personal experience, this seems to be true.

"Dr. Mellanby's Tooth Decay Reversal Diet"

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/12/dr-mellanbys-tooth-decay-reversal-diet.html

snippet from the article:

...Once they had defined these factors, they set about testing their hypotheses in humans. They performed eight trials, each one in children in an institutionalized setting where diet could be completely controlled. The number of cavities in each child's mouth was noted at the beginning and end of the period. I'll only discuss the three most informative, and only the most successful in detail. First, the results:

I'll start with diet 1. Children on this diet ate the typical fare, plus extra oatmeal. Oatmeal is typically eaten as an unsoaked whole grain (and soaking it isn't very effective in any case), and so it is high in phytic acid, which effectively inhibits the absorption of a number of minerals including calcium. These children formed 5.8 cavities each and healed virtually none-- not good!

Diet number 2 was similar to diet 1, except there was no extra oatmeal and the children received a large supplemental dose of vitamin D. Over 28 weeks, only 1 cavity per child developed or worsened, while 3.9 healed. Thus, simply adding vitamin D to a reasonable diet allowed most of their cavities to heal.

Diet number 3 was the most effective. This was a grain-free diet plus supplemental vitamin D. Over 26 weeks, children in this group saw an average of only 0.4 cavities form or worsen, while 4.7 healed. The Mellanbys considered that they had essentially found a cure for this disorder in its early stages.

What exactly was this diet? Here's how it was described in the paper (note: cereals = grains):...

 

[bellebud]

both of my kids had cavities when they were little... they were so bad that both kids had a silver tooth (baby root canal and a silver cap on a baby tooth).

one pediatric dentist wanted to wrap my dd up in a restraining blanket they use on kids and have me leave the room for him to do a filling. We didn't do it and never went back to him. I would never leave the room.

we then used our regular dentist, but he referred us to a pediatric dentist who used a different kind of x-ray machine to find the cavities between the teeth better.

Both kids have been going to this pediatric dentist for years now, and they both go every 3 months for cleanings. Neither has had a cavity (knock on wood!) in a long time. We also use the spinning Oral B toothbrushes, which the dentist says helps a lot.

Good luck!

 

[NaLisa]

Another vote for a pediatric dentist. I had a bad experience with a dentist as a child and it made me HATE (and avoid) going to the dentist. Both my DDs have had wonderful experiences with their pediatric dentists (we moved to another state), except for the new dental seal thing they do now. DD7 has had two small cavities, and while she didn't enjoy getting fillings, she was not traumatized by the experience. She had local anesthetics (swab and then shot) and did fine, because the dentist and assistants were well equipped to deal with children.