Seeking Information About Denistry for a Child.

My daughter had cavities in her baby teeth as well. I would definitely get them filled especially if they are molars. Regardless rotting teeth either need to be fixed or removed in my opinion and experience (I have very weak teeth). Bacteria can actually be more the cause for the cavities than sugar. Also, if he has dry mouth...that bacteria can grow even more rapidly.

My 5 year old son is the same-- very healthy, little to no candy or sweets-- he just got his first cavity and I was so upset-- I floss his teeth daily too! I had horrible teeth as a child and got better as an adult-- but there is genetics involved.......not that it makes you feel any better.

Mel

Some people are genetically pre-disposed to cavities. I take impeccable care of my teeth, but still have around 6 cavities.

Definitely get a second opinion first, though!

Cavities happen...and sometimes it is because your child may have weaker teeth. Floride (sp?) treatments are recommended for all children as are regular visits to a dentist.

As for having them filled...if you have a good dentist, they will discuss how much longer the tooth will be with your son versus the extent of the damage done to the tooth. If the tooth is loose or close to coming out, it should not be filled. If this tooth is a 12 year molar, it should be filled to protect the surounding teeth.

I hope this helps!

Some people are just prone to cavities no matter what you do. My 10yo son already has crowns but we are having him tested for celiac disease, which can affect the teeth. Are you on city water or well water? We were on well water for many years so no fluoride in the water. I would get a 2nd opinion about the cavities but if the other dentist agrees, I would have them filled. Bad baby teeth have an impact on their adult teeth.

As others said, people genetically are different and some are more cavity prone than others. Also, some are "mouth breathers" from allergies and sinus problems and they also may tend to get more cavities.

I brushed the toddler's teeth twice per day (morning and night), and took my kids religiously for dental cleanings starting at age 2. In spite of being a mouth-breather, we got lucky with the second child--no cavities.

As the adult teeth grew in, we had them sealed to prevent cavities in them.

Unfortunately, some kids just have cavities in their genes. Sounds like you're doing all the right things. The only thing I might add is to make sure that the water he's drinking has fluoride in it (city tap water does, but kids raised on well water often have cavity troubles). And, yes, he definitely will need the cavities filled. I know baby teeth fall out, but decaying teeth left untreated can cause abscesses and pain. And pulling a tooth too early may lead to spaces that have to be fixed later. Good luck and keep up the good work!!

I would most definitely get a second opinion before getting any teeth filled. There is a dentist near me that is notorious for doing dental work on kids that doesn't need to be done just to make a buck.

K.,
I take all four of my kids to a pediatric dentist. They are very excelent there. I've always been told to start dental visits at an early age so that they become comfortable. They've only been going for the last 2 yrs. My 4 yr old has had 1 cavity, my six has had 3 crowns, 10 yr old 2 cavities and my 19 yr old(this was her age out appt) has had a few but they also caught an issue the her dentists in NJ didn't castch, impacted molars. She had been having issues caused by this and finally there was a solution to the problem
They go every 6 mths and have a cleaning, check-up and sealant to help protect the teeth better. They also tend to take better care of their teeth without my doing it or be "pushing" them into it. If you are interested I can pass along the info so that you can check out the office yourself. Let me know, I'm online as Shazzizme on both AOL and Yahoo.
Hope this helps

S. J
AKA Shazzizme
www.ShazzArtisticVisions.com

Some people are just more prone to cavities than others. My oldest (now 8) had one of his back teeth filled when he was around 5 or 6. It was a small cavity, but he was going to have that tooth for quite a while. He had no problem with it and didn't even want me to go back with him. He's very independent and really likes our dentist. He has another one now but in the x-rays, the permanent tooth should be through in the next few months. She didn't see any point in filling it. We also got sealants for his back teeth. If they are prone to cavities I think this helps. My youngest has great teeth with perfect spacing so go figure.

Cavities are something that individuals can be genetically pre-disposed to. I am genetically pre-disposed to NOT have cavities, courtesy of my mother, and had none until my second pregnancy (when 6 suddenly appeared out of nowhere). Also, alot of places have fluoride in the water and do fluoride treatments at school, but alot of places don't (we found out this fun little fact when we moved from Louisville, KY to Lexington, KY).

I would DEFINITELY get a second opinion. You may have a greedy dentist who wants to make money and has no scruples. I would take him to a pediatric dentist, also.

Consider just having them pulled. More than likely he'd start losing around age 6 anyway. Talk it over with your dentist(s) and pediatrician, but usually they don't recommend filling cavities at that age because of the shots and pain involved, versus the amount of time the tooth will remain in the mouth.

Good luck!! Btw, I'm just a SAHM, not a dentist professional :)

This is not your fault - relax. Some people, myself included are simply prone to cavities. For me it has something to do with the Ph level of my saliva. My mom is the same way - my father on the other hand could have a lollipop in his mouth 24 hrs a day and never get a cavity... in fact, when he was younger his dentist had to use a special cement on his teeth because his saliva ate the regular cement right off! So let it go - but be prepared for the dentist bills in the future!

I would DEFINATELY seek a dentist and have them determine whether or not they need to be filled, the answer is probably yes. Cavities, when left unaddressed can be painful - and may even have lasting effects on the other teeth, gums, etc. Good luck!

I think you have to have them filled. They could rot and turn into a route canal otherwise. Teeth are hereditary, find out if you or your husband had cavities this young. If you are brushing his teeth twice a day, morning and night, there is not much more you can do. Maybe a better toothpaste and maybe floss. Some ppl brush after lunch too but his may just be heredity. Ask the dentist next visit.

Hi K..I too have a little girl aged 3 1/2 and she eats fruit and little candy and she too has 2 cavities and "funky" teeth as the dentist has said.We were just at the dentist yesterday and she needs them filled so we have to take her to the hospital so she'll be asleep during the whole proceedure and will get all the work done.But I'm so annoyed that she also has to have a silver crown put in because one of her back teeth is pretty bad.She eats fruit during the day and we brush her teeth twice a day and we're still facing all this work that needs to be done.You are better off getting the problem addressed now rather than later because the decay could go into the new teeth underneath and cause bigger problems in the future.Find a dentist who's used to dealing with kids teeth and hopefully everything will be fine.Good luck with everything.

I would take him for a checkup at the dentist. Does your water have flouride in it or is he drinking bottled water with no flouride?

The reason you want to have them checked and possibly filled is so they do not fall out before his permanent teeth come in. If the cavities are in his front teeth, he should be loosing them pretty soon. I'd probably just keep a watch on them and make sure they are getting any bigger.

Maybe look for hidden sugar, maybe in cereal or juice.

I have learned that some people are just prone to cavities. I feel like I ate a pretty healthy diet when I was a child, and I still had at least one cavity per year. My husband, who I know at no better than I did, never had a cavity. I read somewhere that people that don't get cavities have something in their saliva that prevents them. Yet, while they don't get cavities as easily, whatever that is in their saliva actually makes it easier for them to get gum disease than those that do get cavities. So, just keep doing what you're doing. Brush at least twice daily, floss, keep the sugary foods and drinks to a minimum...it's really all you can do.

I'm not a dentist,but I do know that if you allow your son to share food or drinks with your daughter or if you share your drinks with him,for some reason this can cause cavities.It was an interesting fact I heard from a dentist.Also,any kind of food can cause cavities,even if your son brushes his teeth everyday.

I'm a Reg dental asst, I worked general dentistry for 11 years and have been in the pediatric field for 4 yrs, Sometimes it has to do with genetics. Did he go to bed w/ a bottle as an infant or a sippy cup as a toddler? Even though they are baby teeth they are still very important, they are a guide for the perm teeth, if you let them go they will get worse(the caries will grow) and could even end up abcessing and even the worst can happen(I don't want to scare you but so many people think that oh they are just baby teeth, but I heard of a child from new york that died from a baby tooth abcess). If the fillings get worse that can lead to needing silver crowns if they are the back teeth and white crowns for the front teeth, I'll be glad to talk to you if you want. Hope I helped you out alittle bit. I'm a mom of 2 boys(10yrs old and a 5yr old)

I know how you feel!! I started taking my 5 year old to the dentist at age 3. He always did well. Then, we switched dentists and he had 8 cavities!!! I was mortified! I looked at the x-rays and sure enough - all in the back, in between the teeth. I asked how because I am annal about my kids brushing, flossing, you name it. I will even wake them up after they've gone to bed if I find out they forgot to brush. The dentist said that some children simply have soft teeth and it would have been worse had I not brushed them. He had no pain to speak of, but ever since we took care of them, he's had problems. He had to have one pulled (it was really rotten), have 2 root canals and 3 silver caps - all on baby teeth. He had to have the work done, though, because they are teeth that he will have for a few more years and you can't let the decay get past the root to the bone.

If you can look at the x-rays, look at them. If your dentist is not a pediatric dentist, find one. It can make a huge difference in how he is treated. I felt like a horrible mom at first, but I have family in the business and they assured me that really can happen no matter how good we are at taking care of our children's teeth. We now have a floride gel that we use at night, after they brush to give that extra boost. If your child drinks bottled water more than tap, he may be missing the floride he needs also.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

Should you have them filled? If the dentist has recommended it and is a good dentist then I would say yes. If not they will only become bigger cavities and may need to be pulled. Kids get cavities. We can do our best to prevent them but it can still happen. If you insurance covers it I would recommend getting sealants put on all back teeth. This helps in preventing cavities. Brushing every night before bed also helps. Nothing to eat or drink but water after brushing and bed. I was also told by a dentist that if I am going to let my kids have candy make sure it is not sticky stuff like taffey and that they brush immediately after. We have a well and drink mostly bottled water. This means they dont get the extra flouride. My dentist has also recommended that we use a flouride rinse daily. I have a 5 yr old that has about 5 small cavities that have been filled. Geez I could not tell you how much money I have in my 2 13 yr old girls. It is a fact of life.

Are the cavities on the front teeth or molars? If the molars are the ones with cavities then YES, they need to be filled before they get worse. If you wait too long they will have to get silver crowns. My son started to loose his teeth at 5. If your son hasn't started yet, chances are he will start soon. It is important that you talk to a pediatric denstist and ask every question in your mind. Tentistry for Kids in Huntersville, is kid friendly and and my kids love Dr. Holley.

Hi K.. i was glad to see at least one other dental professional respond to your request (april). i also am a dental assistant and am presently working my way through school trying to go to dental school myself. i have been a dental assistant for 14 years. i was horrified when my own child had some cavities!! i have two children and one of them has the bad luck with the cavities. my son had an area where the enamel on his tooth didn't form correctly and caused a soft area on the tooth. luckily for me, i was able to get it fixed right away since i worked at the office. my daughter has a lot of cavities. she was hard to brush when she was younger and forget about flossing. that is where they all are, between the teeth. don't be so hard on yourself! i'm sure you did fine. you also have to remember that these baby teeth were forming while you were still pregnant with him, not after he was born. make sure he is getting fluoride, topical for a while and taking some for probably the next two years. after about age seven or eight their permanent teeth are formed and they don't need to ingest the fluoride any longer. he can continue the topical form of it for as long as you want. make sure he isn't swallowing it, can give him a tummy ache. you can try a paste or a rinse, whatever you think would work best for him. i would do it last thing at night, after regular brushing and flossing and before bed. he needs to not have anything else to eat or drink after using the fluoride for 30 minutes to an hour to let it really work. otherwise, it just goes away and doesn't do it's job. having the dental hygienist do this once every six months probably isn't enough for him. we use the listerine smart rinse at my house. also, you didn't state where in his mouth the cavities are. please, please, please get them filled if they are in back teeth. people often lose track of which teeth are baby teeth and which teeth are permanent teeth. at his age, he probably still has only baby teeth. you should be able to count them. we have 20 baby teeth. try to count them and see what you come up with. if he has lost any, they would only be in the front and you would know about them. if he has by chance started getting any of his permanent teeth, they would be the 6 year molars in the very back and they are about one and a half times the size of the baby teeth. please know that he will lose his front eight baby teeth (4 on top and 4 on bottom) between age 5 and 8. i know that is a big range but all kids are different. if you do the math, that still leaves 12 more baby teeth. these are the ones in the back and they usually keep them until they are 11-12 years old. sometimes longer, depends on the child. if his cavities are in the back, please get them filled and do it while they are still small. feel free to get a second opinion if it would make you more comfortable and i would ask to be shown in his mouth and on the x-rays where they are so you can see for yourself. some of my daughters cavities can only be seen on the x-rays because they are located between the teeth. ask questions to be educated but don't second guess yourself. best of luck!! let me know if i can be of any further assistance. i don't know where you are located but if you are near me i can recommend some local dentists if you want.

D.

Not filling them will leave them exposed to further decay. Further decay will promote infection to the nerve and next will be the need to a root canal. Even if it is not a permanent tooth, you should not leave it untreated causing the need to permanently sever a nerve and not having a nerve to provide and sustain the tooth's strength is not a good thing. It becomes and expensive thing for you and a painful thing for your child. I do not know if you have a dentist, but if you so not try A Smile Spa, Dr. Zita Baker. She is great. I have had an extraction, several fillings and filling replacements with her and I almost fell asleep during the procedure. That is how painless and wonderful she is. Her beside manner is impeccable and her staff is very friendly and accommodating and her office is state of the art. You will love it. While you are there, ask them what they have to drink. You will be amazed at the answer, I was. You can also check out the website, www.asmilespa.com.
Ask about sealants as a form of prevention.

Good luck and God Bless,

Some kids who are raised on bottled water (and adults too) don't get any fluoride. If you do bottled water talk to the doc about fluoride supplements.

I took all the steps to keep my kids' teeth healthy too, but their dentist said that sometimes it's just genetics. You should definitely have them filled. If you don't, the decay can spread to the permanent teeth still below the gums and cause major problems later. I don't know what area you are in, but if you are near Lexington, KY there is a great pediatric dentist. It's Smith & Steckler. The entire office is kid friendly, waiting room with a sunken ship, kid size chairs, and even video games for while you wait. If you aren't in the Lexington area I would strongly suggest that you find a pediatric specialist near you. It's amazing how relaxed my kids are to go there simply because there aren't any big scary things in the office.

some people are just more prone to getting cavities. You did everything you are supposed to do, it just happens. Not your fault. Have them filled if the dentist suggests it, or some maybe can just be pulled if the permanent ones are going to come in ok... the dentist can tell you that. if you don't have them filled, the tooth can end up needing a root canal. It would be quite painful for a little fellow!

K., as you have already read in other responses to your question, some people are simply more prone to cavities and others seem to be naturally resistant. There is not much you can do about that particular problem. You CAN do a great deal about teaching your son the importance of good dental hygiene and instilling in him an awareness that he will always be more prone to cavities than his friends so he will need to be more conscientious about dental health.

You don't say whether the teeth with cavities are baby teeth or permanent teeth. And there is no mention as to whether you discovered these cavities while caring for your son's teeth or if you took him to a pedodontist and someone else discovered them. If a dentist reported them to you, did he or she find them by an basic examination or through X-rays? In either case, you should have him or her give you a 'guided tour' of your son's mouth and point out the cavities one by one as well as any other potential problems.

If you found them yourself, then it is high time to get your son to a dentist - a pedodontist, one who specializes in dentistry for children, is probably the best.

If the tooth is a baby tooth, you probably don't need to worry about it at all unless it is an extremely large or pernicious decay, since he will be losing his baby teeth shortly anyway. Just let it serve as a heads up for his permanent teeth and make sure he is extra careful about brushing and oral hygiene when the new teeth do come in. If, on the other hand, this is one of his first (so-called 6-year) molars, he needs to see that dentist ASAP to forestall any further damage to this or any neighboring tooth. A warning though. My son was three years old when he broke a tooth and had to have it removed. The dentist did not place a spacer in his mouth and his teeth grew in crooked. So, when you do take him to the dentist, either now or later, do your homework. Read and research all you can. Don't be afraid to ask questions about anything the dentist (or any doctor) tells you. Remember: the doctor is there to help you. You do not need to be at the mercy of any healthcare practitioner. You, ultimately, are the number one party responsible for your child's care, any medical, educational, etc. personnel are merely your support staff. You and your spouse should work together with them to make informed decisions about your son's healthcare and to provide the best care for your child.

good luck

Get a second opinion! Before I moved to NC, my dentist told me to be very careful when choosing a dentist. He said my teeth have some issues, but none that need work done right away. I found a dentist, and when I went for a check up, she found 9 things wrong,including a few caps, and a cavity. I decided to get a second opinion. Well, in 4 years since then, my new dentisit has yet to find the cavity I was told I had. I have needed some work over time, but I went for atleast 2 years from the time that lady told me I needed work until I actually needed to replace a cap. My new dentist had taken pictures of everything he was doing. I asked "Why?" HE said because a lot of dentists are doing preventative maintnece, which the insurance agencies aren't happy with. My old dentist told me the same thing when I had to go back to see him. I have heard that some dentists offer their hygeinists trips and jewelry and such for getting a certain amount of crowns and such scheduled. So, I would get a second opinion. Some kids do have bad teeth, but after my experience, I would be very careful.
Hope that helps

I think some people are just prone to them. I was in my mid twenties befroe I got a cavity and if anything I was more careful then than when I was a kid. My dentist said that some people are just more prone to them.

What does his dentist say? I would think getting them filled and taken care of would be better than inviting rot and infection? but I'm not a dentist :)

I read about a raw foodist, Sergei Boutenko, who went raw as a teenager and at first it made his teeth stronger and his teeth actually filled back in and his cavities popped out. But then, after awhile, he started getting cavities again and he realized he was eating too much fruit and dried fruit and not brushing enough. He recommends rinsing your mouth out with water after eating fruit and brushing after eating dried fruit.

He also says eating more greens and drinking green smoothies has helped. And many say that tooth soaps are better than toothpaste as the toothpastes have something in them that prevents the teeth from remineralizing. You can google on that topic if you are interested in finding out more.

Good luck.

We lived on a farm and we did not have floride in our water when we were children and we all got cavaties no matter what we did. Do you have floride in the water where you live? What we do now is have the dental hygenist coat the children's teeth with something they have that prevents cavaties. It works well.

I have been a dental assistant for almost 10 years and alot of people think that if they eat healthy then they will not get cavities which is not the case. It has alot to do with the genetic makeup of the enamel of the teeth. Some have very thin while others have really hard enamel that can with stand alot of plaque and sugar on your teeth. Even you healthy food can contain alot of sugar (Carrots for example). Brushing the best way to prevent cavities, and try to do it more than once a day. It needs to be after every meal especially if they have weak enamel or have had a tendency to have several cavities when they visit the dentist. Also make sure you see your dentist on a regular basis and they might even recommend sealents for weak enamel. If your child ran high fevers or was on a lot of meds when they were little can help determine what type of enamel they will have.

Dear K.,
This sounds familiar! I have 4 children and was told that they each represent the variations of children's teeth. They all brushed regularly, had the same diet, had the same dental care, yet one in particular was very prone to cavities. The other three had no cavities to very few of them. (One even had perfect alignment as well as never getting cavities. She was a fortunate one for sure.)
Their dentist told me that my son had natural pin holes in his teeth that eventually become cavities and would always require special care to repair or prevent this from happening.
We had the back teeth filled when the spots appeared, but as for the front ones, we only filled those if they hurt him. That was according to the dentist's advice. He thought it was pointless to treat the front teeth that were to fall out soon and become replaced by adult teeth. This worked for our son. He has very nice adult teeth now and has pretty much no trouble at all with cavities.
For our family it was a matter of keeping an eye where the cavities were located (teeth ready about to become loose or not)and whether or not they caused pain.
If your dentist wants to fill every single one, I'd get a second opinion. Sad to say, but it's true, some dentists are just in it for the money.
Good luck,
L. C.

Heredity has a lot to do with dental health. If the cavities are superficial (not deep and potentially painful), I'd not even worry about repair on the baby teeth. Encourage dairy products. I know there are lots of questions about fluorisde, but I still think it's definitely helpful even when applied topically (in toothpaste and/or a rinse) without ingesting it (like fluoridated water or drops).

If you and his dad have healthy teeth, his secondary teeth may not be as susceptible to cavities (hope, hope!).

Is he getting enough calcium? Is he absorbing the calcium he does get?

Does he have a dentist? Call several pediatric dentists and ask their opinion. It may depend on how bad the cavities are whether or not they will want to fill them.

P

.

does he drink a lot of juice? It will do the teeth in. Have you tried sealants? They are put on to prevent cavaties.

Good luck
A.