Cavities? How Many Does Your Child Have?

I have 2 daughters- one is 9 and never had a cavity in her life, and the other is 2 and she starting getting them the minute her teeth came in. They both had exactly the same eating, brushing, nursing, etc habits with similar foods, etc etc. I was told that it could be meds that I took while I was pregnant or the fluoride in water (we moved from rural area so my first daughter did not have fluoride and no cavities.) The fluoride that they add to water, which is supposed to help, is actually a toxic waste product of big corporations. I had NO idea. It can actually INcrease your chances of tooth decay if you get what is called fluorosis.

My daughter is obviously younger than yours, which factored into our decisions to not put her under for fillings, etc. But another thing, aside from the typical dangers, is that anesthetic can cause other problems all on its own. It's a chemical, obviously, so introducing that to the body is going to affect other issues and potentially cause real harm. It has been linked with autoimmune issues (Lupus) and psychiatric issues (Bipolar) and the chances increase with heredity.

We have seen 4 dentists for my younger daughter, and finally found 2 that we really like, both homeopathic. I am happy to get you their names if you are interested in going this route. I will tell you that will 2 relatively inexpensive (but out of pocket) visits, and the purchase of homeopathic products (totaling less than #100 probably) and a water filter for fluoride (a Berkey, about $200) we have actually HEALED my daughter's cavities. She has actually grown NEW enamel which has hardened and the decay has healed.

I hope this helps give you another avenue to consider, since it is painless and trauma-free to the child and requires NO harmful chemicals, no drilling, and ours required no x-rays/radiation at all.

I highly recommend reading Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. It is part cookbook, and part information about why indigenous societies have such healthy bones and teeth and how that is linked with diet. It's a very interesting read and there are some simple ideas for how to get more nutrients for your body from foods you eat every day (nuts, dairy, etc.)

Let me know if you would like to talk further!
Manda

4 moms found this helpful

I am a dental hygienist working in the Oak Forest area. 17+ cavities is a lot for a young kid, but not unheard of. My guess for the cause of them ranges from baby bottle tooth decay to hereditary. They may have started when she was younger and have progressed, too. Cavities are caused by bacteria, and like a cold, they can multiple and begin to affect other teeth. Especially if those teeth are more prone to decay in the first place (that's where the hereditary factors come into play).
I read some of your other responses, and someone mentioned that not all baby teeth cavities need to be treated. That is true, but only when that tooth is close to falling out on it's own. Baby teeth decay at a much faster rate then adult teeth and the problems lie in the fact that problems with baby teeth can affect adult teeth.
While a second opinion is nice, I think it is better to work with a dentist, pediatric or otherwise, that you trust and feel comfortable with.
I think the idea of doing the general anesthesia is wonderful!

hope this helps,
S.

3 moms found this helpful

my 5 year old has none, my 14 year old none, my 16 year old one.
17 !!!!
I would get a second opinion !!!
Does he drinks soda,did he fall asleep with a bottle in his mouth???
Candy??
I hope the dentist is wrong.........
good luck.

2 moms found this helpful

My daughter was 4 or 5 when she had 14 cavities. they were all in between her teeth. We didn't floss enough/ever.. They gave her a gas mask nose to practice with. We came back they gave her a cd player to listen to, sun glasses and she was a little loopey, but it went well they were able to fix most of them in one sitting. She is now 15 and has perfect teeth..brushes and flosses every night ever since. Best wishes.

2 moms found this helpful

How long does she brush? Some of the higher end toothbrushes clean really well. A lot of my daughter's classmates seem like they have a lot. We've been going to the dentist about 2x per year for cleaning. My son is 8 and my daughter is 9 and no cavities so far. They do not drink much juice, and candy only on special occasions. I used to have cavities as a kid.

1 mom found this helpful

I know you have a lot of responses but my oldest was prone to cavities around the same age - not any more.

Make sure your DDS has experience with pediatrics - this truly warrants a pediatric dentist. Also get details on procedure - my DDS will only do one side at a time - doesn't want to numb the child's entire mouth even if pulling 2 teeth on different sides. Yes it prolongs things but allows for healing time in between (usually a week).

Here's what I learned from mine about prevention, please make sure you discusses with yours as well (I'm a mom not a DDS ;-):
- Yes, heredity can be a factor here!
- Stop the fruit snacks, fruit leather, chewy candy - doesn't matter whether all sugar or one of the "healthier" versions like Cliff - this stuff gets caught in teeth and can wreck havoc!
- Avoid orange juice in particular & other acidic drinks like pop & sports drinks - in this case apple juice is preferable, but dilute it and try to stick to water & milk. My oldest drinks OJ a handful of times a year now at most.
- Invest in an electric toothbrush if you haven't already - let the brush work for your kid! You can get a battery operated one but Costco/Sams will have rechargeable double bush sets that come with travel cases (one for you or another kids that way) for under $100 and packs of 6-7 replacement heads for around $30 - far less than the cost of dental work!!! Personally, I like the Oral B ones as the heads are smaller and fit in kids mouths easier.
- Relax this is baby teeth so you've been blessed with a chance to turn this around. But don't wait as decay could get under the gum line and affect the big teeth.
- Talk to your dentist to see if any additional flouride treatments are warranted and applying sealant to teeth. Some DDS seal baby molars depending on the situation, but the permanent ones you probably want to have sealed soon after they come in. Dental insurance probably won't cover the baby teeth but usually covers all or part of the permanent teeth sealing. It isn't typically too pricey (much less than fillin a cavity!).

Good luck!
M.

1 mom found this helpful

I am glad you are getting a 2nd opinion! My son's dentist told him at about age 5 that he had 6 cavities. I couldn't believe it since we were just at the dentist 6 months ago. I took him to another dentist and he said he wouldn't fill any of them unless they were giving him a problem and recheck at the next checkup. He was going to lose them anyways. He never had a problem with those. He is now 11 years old. I would wait and recheck later.

1 mom found this helpful

i thought having antibiodics at a young age could do something to their enamal too

1 mom found this helpful

My son is 4 years and just had a large filling last week. The dentist was able to just use local, but my son actually likes shots, so that helps. If he had 17 cavities, I would have done general. Don't worry about the general anesthesia. After talking to my pediatric dentist, it is way safer than heavy sedation done in a dentist office. I would much rather have a pediatric anesthesiologist monitoring my child during the process. Also, I guess in Illinois, insurance companies have to cover the anesthesia portion of dental procedures until children are 6 years of age. It may go towards your deductible, but just wanted to let you know in case that is a factor in your decision.

As far as the number of cavities, have you checked into acid reflux? I don't know if this can happen in kids, but I have had lots of problems with tooth decay over the past few years, especially around my gum line. I have GERD (reflux disease), which apparently can cause your enamel to erode. Not sure if that happens in kids, but just a thought. If so, treating the GERD is key. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

holy cow 17 is insane! if you think shes taking good care of her teeth and shes like this then maybe her saliva is really acidic??i never had a cavity until i was 13 with braces... good luck
ps do you have water filtration?? my hubby was talking to me just now and said check your water. your teeth may not be bad b/c you are using a tooth paste with flouride but if shes using kids tooth paste it wont have that

1 mom found this helpful

my sister in law 5 year old daughter had something like 10 or 11 cavaties.. she had them filled with the white color... they put her under general anesthesia.. then they also put a selant on her teeth to help her not get more cavaties.. she brushed her teeth everyday too and had good hygine.. sounds heritary.

1 mom found this helpful

Definately get the 2nd opionion. You may not get an entirely different opinon, but at least you'll feel better knowing your options and treatment plan. My son was diagnosed with 8 (between the back molars), so I suppose if your child had teeth that touch more than my son, it's possible. we got a second opinoion from my Dentist, who I adore, and he basically he agreed that my son needed the work. He showed me the x-rays in much greater detail so I feel that they're needed as well now.

I know general is often recommended at this age when there are a good deal of cavities to work with. They wil have an anesthesiologist on hand which is good if you're doing that. It's probably easier on their systems. We're not doing general. He's going to have to go in for at least 2 appts, at least 4 novacain shots and at least 2 nitrous sessions. i'd almmost rather they could get it done in one appt with him out, but I think he'll be ok. He's 5 and I've talked to a couple of friends about their kid's experiences. It seems like they typically do just fine, it just us moms who really suffer. I know I feel like such a bad mom!!

Mine's never had soda either and drinks juice maybe a couple of times a month. The dentist said things like goldfish, crackers and bread can be the culprit.After this, I am definately flossing more religiously though. Good luck. I know this is just so hard for us moms some times.

1 mom found this helpful

I know you have gotten tons of responses but just wanted to say my son is a cavity factory, when he was 4 we took him to a pediatric dentist (Dr. Bill McElroy in Bloomingdale (630 )###-###-####). They did put him out which was great because he was pretty nervous. And afterwards they give them 100% oxygen to bring them out, they are not groggy at all then-which helps them to to be frightened of the procedure. I would highly recommend this man he is excellent with kids!

1 mom found this helpful

Get a second opinion! Not all cavities in baby teeth require treatment/drilling. Also get your child evaluated for enamel issues. Some drugs taken in infancy (antibiotics for example) can interfere with the proper development of tooth enamel and this results in teeth that are very sensitive and susceptible to decay. Dentists can apply sealant to these teeth and they will also want to monitor the developing adult teeth as soon as they come in.

I know this is probably not the case for you, but there was a report on 20/20 last nigh that almost made me cry. It was about a pediatric dentist franchise chain (Small Smiles) that was accused of defrauding medicaid by billing and performing unnecessary procedures and even fabricating non-existant cavities.
They would strap kids down on restraining boards, so they could work on them faster to see more patients and make more money. The parents were not allowed in the treatment rooms.
It was awful and my husband and I swore to each other that we would NEVER EVER have a dentist or other health professional treat our daughter without one of us present!

1 mom found this helpful

My son is 3 and it sounds like the same story. I even have to hide the tooth paste. The first dentist we went to wanted to do a few at a time but we did not want him to fear the dentist. We looked until we found Dr. Edward Rick who will put him out at the hospital and fix them all at once. I think you would get her to go the first time but not after that. Dr. Rick has a website if you are interested.

1 mom found this helpful

Looks like you've received a lot of answers. Don't have time to read them so sorry if I'm repeating.

Antibiotics, bad enamel, bad teeth period could be a problem. Sticky foods like raisens, dried fruits, etc stick to teeth. I noticed you said "she brushes her teeth". If only your daughter is brushing her teeth, then that could be part of the problem. My kids' dentist said that parents should brush their kids until they can write in cursive - apparently it uses the same skills. Also, flossing every day is important too. Not being judgmental just going on what you stated (or didn't) above. Also, I read that eating yogurt or taking probiotics is very good for your teeth so if she doesn't like yogurt, you could add probiotics to her food every day. Good luck!! I hope the dentist is wrong!

1 mom found this helpful

How much juice does your little one have? My girlfiends 3 kids 4&5yrs old have 6,4 &8 cavities.

1 mom found this helpful

Do you give him Gummy vitamins? If so, stop immediately. They have caused a huge increase in tooth decay with children.

1 mom found this helpful

I think you should see another dentist to try to figure out the underlying issue. I've known kids who had a lot of cavities (and you're right, I think it's partly heredity and partly the bacteria or unique environment in some kids' mouths) but 17 is - wow. If you don't figure out what the issue is, you'll spend a lot of money on dental work and be back drilling again in a year.

Luckily it is her baby teeth, so hopefully you can get to the bottom of things before her adult teeth start coming in. Definitely, get a second opinion or third.

1 mom found this helpful

wow that's a little bit above average I guess. I remember my husband's niece had a tendency to develop cavities because of a lack of some mineral or vitamin, can't remember but her dentist caught it and she has gotten better over time. She used to have a lot of cavities, around ten by the time she was 8 years old.

Our daughter never had a cavity until age 7 when we started letting her brush her teeth by herself, less than a year later (she is 8 now) her dentist found 4 cavities during her check up. So we are back to brushing her teeth like before, she doesn't like it and I don't like it either but she does not have a good brushing technique at all.

by the way, when they filled the cavities they said they were going to use the mask with anesthesia which freaks me out. well the dentist was so good at talking to her that she didn't need any mask at all.

1 mom found this helpful

My oldest son, who just turned 6 has 8! The dentist told us it was coming as soon as all his teeth had grown in, we were told to floss between them everyday...it took until he was @ 5 and 1/2 but sure enough at his check up last year they all showed up. Dentist said that his teeth were so squished tight together that everywhere his molars touched was a cavity. Some of them required the silver crown to go over the top and some of them didn't. It sucked but, it happens. When he was younger the dentist shaved in between all his front teeth--to give them room because they were so tight and that made sure they were safe...but the molars were another story! At the very last filling they also noticed that his big teeth that were growing in on the bottom were coming in crooked, so they ended up pulling the two teeth next to them to give them room to come in straight. Poor buddy!

To 17+ cavities sounds like maybe her teeth are too tight as well???
Did the dentist say anything like that?

FYI-My son now has 3 metal molars and 5 fillings and (thanks to baseball practice one day) 2 missing top teeth that are no where ready to come in yet, thanks to getting knocked out and 2 missing bottom teeth and 2 crooked big teeth trying to come in his ity-bity mouth---aagghh!

1 mom found this helpful

My son had the same thing. We went to Doctor Fred Margolis in Buffalo Grove, IL and had the sugery done at Loyola in Melrose Park. He was awesome, very experienced and specializes in pediatrics. It was nice having the surgery done at the hospital in case something was to go wrong. Do not blame yourself. I was told it does run in families (I had the same as a child). My son loved fruit snacks which I believe was the cause. Scedule the surgery right away. We waited for ins. reasons and my son had to have a tooth pulled before the surgery which was HELL! Originally, the dentist thought we could try saving money so he did 2 teeth out of his office by giving him a light sedation. I sat under my son and coverd his legs with mine and wrapped my arms around his. At first, I thought it would work since my son was real drowsey from the med they gave him, but once he got the shot, he screamed and kicked the whole time. I was sore after that just from holding him and broke down crying feeling like a terrible mother. After the surgery, go for cleanings every 6 months and when she gets her adult teeth in, have them put sealents on which help protect the teeth even more. When they took him away from me to do the surgery, I cried again since it was the first time I could not be with him since his birth. They took good care of him and I also go to meet with the anesthesiologist which you should too since he will be the person putting your child under. Make sure the dentist has done this type of surgery before too. We did not have dental ins. so the dentist let us make payments for his work and luckily our med. ins paid for the hospital part which we had to get prior approval and prove it medically necessary. Also, the next time my son went for his check-up/cleaning, he cried thinking it was going to be like the time he got the tooth pulled so my advice to you, don't try havng the teeth filled in the office, have the surgery so you daughter does not remember and hate the dentist later. My son is now almost 8 and has had a few cavities and does fine since he is older now and understands. I have had the sealants done for him and take him every 6 months so if they find a small cavitity, they can get it right away sometimes with no novacaine. I hope this info helps you! Good luck and let me know what happens!

1 mom found this helpful

I would get a second opinion, just to be sure. I have heard that teeth tendencies run in families. My boys, ages 5 and 12, don't have any cavities, and my husband and I have only had a couple. Both boys brush twice a day, and my youngest flosses. Mostly though, I think they're lucky to have good teeth. Good luck with the second opinion. I would be interested to hear what that dentist says.

1 mom found this helpful

It can be hereditary! I have an aunt that had horrible teeth as a child and as an adult continues to have horrible teeth (to the point where she was 50+ and had enough - had all her teeth pulled and dentures made). This particular aunt has a son who had tons and tons of cavities as a child (I'm sorry I can't remember the number). To the point where he had crowns and my sisters and I would call him metal mouth (he was probably about 6-7 years old at this time). My aunt was told that this was hereditary condition that caused weak enamel.

If you're still shopping around for opinions, I would recommend seeing Dr. Lance Lambert in Glen Ellyn. He's a pediatric dentist that came highly recommended to us. We went to him when our son had some issues that our previous dentist ignored. He was happy to answer my zillions of questions and my son's questions as well. Very knowledgeable, very patient. Let me know if you need his info.

1 mom found this helpful

Definitely get a second opinion by a reputable pediatric dentist. Unless she was put to sleep regularly with a bottle, there is no reason that a child that young would have that many cavities. It could be baby bottle rot or related to medications.

I would still get a second opinion and I would only get the cavities filled if absolutely necessary, after all these are baby teeth and they will be falling out.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

my 3 year old had to have 6 molars removed because they were so decayed. i brushed his gums from birth. i brushed his teeth. he never, ever had a bottle & didn't get candy. he just inherited bad teeth from his dad's side.
his teeth were pulled using nitrous oxide. he did not have general anesthesia. he still enjoys going to the dentist (he's 9 now). his baby teeth are really soft (he needs another one removed so it doesn't mess up the adult tooth under it). we're hoping his adult teeth aren't so soft, but with 2 uncles & an aunt that had to have full dentures in their 30s, i don't have much hope...

1 mom found this helpful

My son is 8, and has 3 metal crowns and several fillings. I've only had 2 cavities in my whole life, so I'm not used to dealing with this. We don't have soda much, but we do eat sweets and there's no way for him to brush after snack and lunch at school. When my son gets fillings, they give him oral sedation that doesn't completely knock him out(demerol+fenergan) and nitrous. It's supposed to relax his muscles and keep him calm. I also stay in the room to make sure everything's going OK. My husband is starting to worry that the dentist is doing unneccessary crowns because it's costing us a lot. He wants to get a 2nd opinion next time. He just saw a story on 20/20 about a dentist that was trying to make money off kids by rushing through painful procedures they didn't need.

1 mom found this helpful

I didn't have time to read all the responses, but my suggestion would be to brush her teeth after she brushes them. A 4 year old is not old enough to know how to properly brush their teeth, so it would help decrease the chances of cavities if you follow up.

Another thing I would recommend is letting her drink tap water instead of bottled water. Chicago water is full of floride, so check to see if you get Chicago water and if she only drinks bottled water, switch.

Good luck.

17 cavities is unusual given that there are only 10 baby teeth at that age. In that type of situation it is usually visible to you. I am a Dentist and see many children and have found that even though cavities are common, your case is rare. It is a very good idea to get that second opinion objectively. In my practice, I have many patients that have come in for a second opinion and find a more conservative treatment plan. Dr. P. www.smilecare-dental.com

I Haven't read your other responses, so sorry if I am repeating. Many cavities can be caused by going to bed with a cup of milk, not just juice. Milk has natural sugars in it. The condition I've heard of where many cavities are present is called baby bottle mouth. Pretty much a parent lets their child go to bed with a cup (or if younger a bottle)of something other than water. It sits on the teeth all night and eats at the enamel on the teeth. Bad teeth can also be heriditary.

that sounds like a lot, so sorry for both of you!!
I learned that cavities are caused by a germ, and can be spread from a grown up to the kid by sharing spoons or if the mom puts something in her mouth then into the kids' mouth. I am sure this is the reason my older daughter had lots of cavities compared to my younger one - I stopped doing those things after I learned that!
Ask the dentist what may have caused the problems. It could have been a medicine you took while pregnant, a defect in her teeth enamal or something else. Then more importantly, ask what the long term solution should be.