Cavity in My 12 Month Old!

Updated on May 27, 2009
L.B. asks from Pearland, TX
6 answers

My son had a difficult time cutting his two top front teeth in January. Soon after they came in (Febuary) I noticed that both teeth looked like someone had "filed" the enamel off with a nail file. The "enamel defect" is shaped like a half-moon and starts in the center of the tooth and extends to the bottom. By March the half-moon's started to turn from a gray color to a brownish color. April was the first available and when we finally went in the pedi dentist said they are cavities and he will need two caps. BUT, his teeth need to come in all the way before he can put a "white" cap on, to come back in 3 months, and gave me some floride gel to apply at bedtime to prevent further decay and or need for a "baby root canal." He also said that he does NOT recommend general anesthesia. He could give him some morphine but it really won't help much. He said we all will have to just "hold him down" and get the job done as quickly as possible. What????

My question: Has anyone ever experienced this with their child? What did you do? How was it treated? Can anyone recommend a Pediatric Dentist? Anyone know of an AP supporting Pedi Dentist.

He is only breastfed. Drinks water from a sippy cup. Does NOT get juice. He eats a balanced diet consisting of organic fruits/veggies and appropriate baby food snacks. I brush his teeth at least once a day with baby toothpaste and have just started applying the "floride" although I haven't been staying ontop of it. I'm hesitant to use it because of the possibility of damaging his permanent teeth. Ugh! I don't know what to do...

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So What Happened?

First, I want to thank everyone for their thoughtful response! We appreciate your insight. Well, after four different dental visits and opinions, my husband and I have decided to go with the FIRST pediatric dentist. Yes, the one that I talked about in the post. After researching our options we've decided that we agree that his medical opinion is best for our child.

At our last visit, he said that our son's teeth have not worsened and that if we continue with the flouride treatment we may be able to postpond the procedure a little longer. So, we have decided to keep brushing and applying the flouride until he is a little older and able to understand what is going on (and hopefully will not need any sedation). In the meantime, I am working on getting him ready for the procedure. While brushing his teeth we turn on my husband's electric razor (it kind of sounds like a drill). I have sesame street and barney videos on visiting the dentist that I play for him. Etc. Hopefully, he will not be afraid when it comes time to fix them. Thanks again! If anyone else has any idea's for getting him ready for the procedure I would love to hear them! Thank you!

Oh, and we discovered that water that has gone through a reverse osmosis system does not have any flouride (it get's removed!). We have a reverse osmosis water purification system and had been giving him that water all along. So, now I buy the water that has flouride added. I don't know if that contributed or not but I just wanted to share this finding with everyone.

More Answers

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S.T.

answers from Houston on

I am so sorry! All the things I would have suggested were the cause of the problem (Soda, fluoride, ect) aren't!! You are right to be concerned about the fluoride. Excessive fluoride causes fluoridosies which would weaken not strengthen the teeth. http://www.fluoridealert.org/dental-fluorosis.htm

Do look into the effects of fluoride on the body (www.mercola.com has some) and find a different dentist- maybe an oral surgeon. I really liked Dr Hoffman in Clear Lake but I don't know if he does babies.

There IS fluoride in the water but probably not enough to cause a problem with his teeth, unless he's especially sensitive to it.

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C.M.

answers from Houston on

I am not sure what area you live in; but we use Dr. Bogart. He is on Clear Lake City Blvd. and he is awesome. My kids love him. My daughter at age 4 had to have a tooth removed and one capped. He had a specialist come in to sedate her so that she wouldn't be terrified of going to the dentist in the future and it worked. She is now 8 and loves going to the dentist even though she has constant fillings and problems. Definitely get a second opinion. Holding your son down may make him terrified of going the next time.

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K.R.

answers from Houston on

That doesn't sound right. A friend of mine's daughter had a "defect" in her two canines. They weren't cavaties; they were something that had not formed correctly before the teeth erupted. The dentist said that she had probably been ill when the teeth were forming and that permanently scarred the enamel, or something like that. She just put a tooth-colored "putty" over the spots- no drilling at all, and that stayed on until the teeth fell out on their own. I can't imagine that your child has a cavity in a tooth that only has been around for a few months.
If work does need to be done, I would avoid drugs until you know for sure that just holding him in your lap isn't enough. My son fell out of bed when he was three, lost his two front teeth, and had to be fitted for a bridge. They gave him a sedative and he kept throwing up. We had to reschedule. The next time I just held him in my lap, stroking his belly and talking to him and it worked like a charm. Definitely do the flouride treatment since it will strengthen the enamel. The dentist is trying to avoid a root canal, which is a much more serious procedure.
Good luck, but it sounds like a second opinion is in order.

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C.M.

answers from Houston on

I would definitely go find another dentist. Babies feel pain just like everyone else - you do NOT just hold them down for a root canal!!!!! This is a huge problem in the pediatric world and unfortunately is still all too common.

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S.D.

answers from Houston on

I would definately get another opinion!! Good luck!

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R.L.

answers from Houston on

I'm with you "WHAT?"! We use a wonderful pediatric dentist in Pearland at ABC 123 Pediatric Dentistry, Dr Diaz is great! Although my son has not had any cavities I have seen other children in preparation for some dental work lying down with a mask on, so I assume they use some sort of general anesthesia or gas or something.

Here is their web site, the whole office is great!

http://www.abc123pediatricdentistry.com/

I would definitely reccomend a second opinion on this. Some teeth defects are genetic and not your fault. Although I did not use floridated water, my sons molars are soffter than normal and Dr. Diaz feels it is genetic. We also use the liquid floride applied at night to help strengthen his teeth. So far so good, although since your son is so young I would probably think twice about using the floride, my son is 8 so it is a different story.

Good luck, I am curious to hear how it all turns out!

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