Toddler with 4 front cavities

Hi! I took my 2 year old to the dentist early this year and found out her 4 front teeth is badly decaying (3 have already started chipping).

The dentist says we will eventually have to remove the teeth and right now just thinks we should monitor and give fluoride treatments.

Wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this. I never gave her a bottle to bed, but did breastfeed. I don't know if that is what caused it... although that did not happen with my other kids :(.

I'm giving her calcium and vit D supplements, brushing in the morning with a remineralizing toothpaste and brushing at night with a fluoride toothpaste. She doesn't drink juice much. Maybe 1 low sugared box 2 or 3 times a week. Dessert maybe once or twice a week.

Anything else I can do? I was reading that sometimes the dentist can apply some paste to help slow down the decay but this is not something my dentist has offered. Is it worth seeing if there is another dentist out there that can help slow down the decay besides fluoride treatments?

TIA!

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

Did he mention if it was an enamel issue?

DD has some kind of malformation of her enamel in her molars that cause them to be very susceptible to decay.
Dentist said it was nothing we did- sometimes kids getting from having a lot of fevers or being on a lot of antibiotics as a baby- none of which was her.
Sometimes it's just a genetic thing.

Fluoride treatments and sealants an her molars are the only thing he said to do.

If these are baby teeth though, I wouldn't worry too much at this point- they will be falling out in a few years.
Just keep up with the brushing, watch the sugar and sticky food, and use the fluoride

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

My ds 1 has this problem. Its most noticeable on one of his front teeth and there is some staining on a couple of top ones. I was DEVASTATED! He didnt have bottles before bed and we stopped using them fairly early. I brushed his teeth. I didnt let him have gummy candies or snacks. He had some sweets but nothing that I felt would cause problems. Rarely juice.

I started using flouride toothpaste. He is 4 now and it is kind of at a stand still. It doesnt seem to be getting worse and about 8 months ago we started using mouthwash which seems to be beneficial. However, he is on his 2nd cavity that needs to be filled on a molar. I still brush his teeth at 4 and I swear that when we went to the dentist I could have told him where the new one was - it was almost like I was watching it happen but couldnt do anything. I think he just doesnt have strong teeth genetically. My 2 year old - teeth are fine.

What remineralizing toothpaste do you use?

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

No doesn't look like it may be an enamel issue :(

My other DD does have the enamel issue though. We have been filling the cavities but at one point they told me we will eventually have to crown them! :(

Dentist says for my DD with the 4 front cavities that if the decay gets back we have to pull because of damage to permanent teeth or infections? I hope they can last 5 more years so we don't have to do anything but it looks like they are getting worse over the last 2 months for some reason.

Message edited 8/1/2017 5:48:01 AM.

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

Erica, what kind of mouthwash do you use for them? I was thinking about trying the same. But wasn't sure if I should do something fluoride free in case my 2 year old with the 4 front cavities ends up drinking it.

I am using Uncle Harry's remineralizing toothpaste. She hates it though because it is pretty spicy. I'm not sure if it is working either. We started about a month ago. I feel like her teeth are getting more yellow.

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

Posted by rainingbluej

Erica, what kind of mouthwash do you use for them? I was thinking about trying the same. But wasn't sure if I should do something fluoride free in case my 2 year old with the 4 front cavities ends up drinking it.

I am using Uncle Harry's remineralizing toothpaste. She hates it though because it is pretty spicy. I'm not sure if it is working either. We started about a month ago. I feel like her teeth are getting more yellow.

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

I use ACT with flouride. 2 I would be nervous unless you practice with some water a bunch and you feel she got it.

The yellowing might be from the flouride toothpaste now. One dentist told me that the flouride could darken the spots but that it also means they are hardening a little. I remember when it first happened and I started using the flouride toothpaste I also thought it was getting worse so I made anothet dentist appointment and he told me everything was the same. I swear when it first happened I was going every 3 months I was so upset about the entire situation and needed constant checking by the dentist lol

Re: Toddler with 4 front cavities

my neighbor kid next door who is 6 has his two front teeth missing for over a year now. His dad said b/c of decay they had to pull them. when they're ready to come in they'll come in.

My coworkers 5 yr old has had root canals and crowns already. Sometimes genetically they just have weak teeth.

My son has to have a baby molar pulled next week b/c of how badly it grew in and is now affecting the teeth on both side. he needs a spacer put in after they remove it.