My 4 Yo Has Cavities - Get a 2Nd Opinion? - What Do the Dentists Say?

First of all, don't beat yourself up.

I started taking my 15 yr old to the dentist when she was a baby to acclimate her to the office and then by age 2 she was routinely seeing a pedi dentist every 6 months.

I would go ahead and fix them....if cavities are there, a 2nd opinion is not going to change anything.

We don't have experience with cavities, our daughter is a fortunate girl with a perfect set of teeth.

What we did do....as her molars came in we did the sealants. She has never had a cavity. Insurance covers the sealants.

Yes, I would have my 2 1/2 yr olds teeth checked as well.

Good luck

I'm just here to reassure you. You are certainly not a bad mom, because your child has cavities. It sounds like you're doing the right things to change things around. My son who is absolutely horrible about brushing his teeth goes to the dentist and they tell him how great his teeth are and what a great job he's doing. Drives me crazy! I think it depends on the biology. I'm sure a bunch of sugar and no toothbrushing could influence, but that doesn't sound like the problem.
Good luck
S.

If you have the money I would get a 2nd opinion, unless you have seen this dentists for a while and trust them. My mom is a dental hygienist and they have people come in all the time for a 2nd opinion who have been told they have cavities or need dental work that they don't really need.

However, we had the same issue with my daughter... 7 cavitites! - and neither her dad nor I have cavitites (I have 1 after I was 30, her dad - none!!!!) we also do no fruit snack, no juice or soda brush 2 times a day. I was devastated. Turns out has more to do with the acid in the saliva than with the actual teeth!

Please make sure that your son is chewing gum with xylitol. This was recommended by my dentist for my daughter. We have used Trident, but there are several out there. It took some coaching for her to realize there was "good gum" and "not good gum", but now she understands why Trident is good - bubalicious is bad :-)

Xylitol gum affects the ph of the saliva. There has been MUCH research to prove that it will break down the plaque/bacteria to reduce cavitites. He should chew 5 or 6 pieces each day (one piece for 10 min or so after each time he eats ANYTHING). It will really help.
Alternatively, have him eat a piece of string cheese after eating if you don't have gum available or he is somewhere and can't chew gum (like school). cheese has a similar (although not as strong) affect on lowering the ph in saliva.
I would take your 2 1/2 year old definitely.
Good luck!

My oldest 2 girls had ALOT of cavities as well, while the rest of the kids really didn't (other than the boys did when I brought them home from Russia - expected - but after that it's been fine). Some kids seem to be prone and others not so much. I am surprised that your pediatrician didn't put the kids on fluoride drops since you have a well . . .

A second opinion isn't going to change anything and it is unlikely that your dental insurance would cover it anyways. If it were me, I would get all the teeth fixed and make sure that your kiddos are visiting the dentist every six months for check ups to stay on top of any new problems.

As far as taking your 2 1/2 yr olds, I would get them in right away. I started taking my kids in with me to my appointments as soon as they got teeth just to get used to the whole routine and started making their own appointments at 2 yrs old.

Also, when your kids are old enough, ask about getting sealants. I think that they do help. Be careful about having them "re-sealed" later, though. My insurance only paid for the first sealing and I was caught with a big bill when one of the kids had that done. *sigh* Live and learn :)

Good luck!

I recently found out my 4 year old had cavities. He inherited my teeth, and his molars failed to seal all the way, making it impossible for us to have removed all the food. The only way to fix that problem is to have the molars sealed, and the process will have to be repeated when his adult teeth come in. (if failure to seal was the problem). As for whether your insurance will cover a second opinion, you will have to check with them. Our insurance will only cover 1 check up every 6 months. I would not wait to get them filled. Usually if they are shallow they do not have to drill, so no numbing would be needed. For my son they used a gentle sand blaster and removed the decay that way. If the cavities are deep and they have to sedate they will send you to a pediatric dentist to do the work.

I would get them filled and be done with it. At 4 he is years away from losing them and the cavities, left unfilled will get painful. Even if they are really, really little pinpoint cavities they will get larger before he loses those teeth (My son is 7 and has lost 2 upper front and 2 lower front only). If you know and trust this dentist, no need for a 2nd opinion. I doubt insurance would cover a 2nd opinion. Good luck.
You're not a bad mother--I know lots of kids who have had cavities!

I have horrible teeth....hubby has awesome teeth....we started taking our son to the dentist since he was 18 months...so take your 2.5 year olds now!! the dentists will do flouride treatments, clean them, teach you how to brush and floss.

we go to rolfson, trochell, and assoc. (sp?) www.thefunkidsdentists.com

they are awesome with the parents and kids!!

DO NOTshare any utensils with the kids...spoons, pacifiers, forks, cups. we have bacteria in our mouth that will transfer to their mouth and cause caviites!

good luck!
L.

I would absolutely get a second opinion. Your insurance probably covers an exam every six months. If you want the visit to be of no cost to you, I would go ahead and wait. Cavities are normally extremely slow moving and I can't imagine anything major happening in six months. Another dentist might have a completely different diagnosis and you'll be glad you waited. In the meantime, completely cut out any juice from his diet as that is a HUGE cavity causer in children.

I recommend taking your twins as soon as possible. I started taking my daughter when she was two basically to get her used to it. She is almost 4 1/2 and so far is cavity free, but I know it is just a matter of time before she gets one.

Have you been going to this dentist for a long time without issue? If not, I would get a second opinion. I had to find a new dentist after mine moved, and when I first went in, he said I had seven cavities. I was shocked, but assumed it was pregnancy related. I had them filled and he told me I had five more, plus over twenty "watch spots" that would eventually need to be filled. I became very suspicious so I got a second opinion from a highly recommended dentist. He said I didn't have any cavities. Dentists are different - some will only fill things that have significant decay and will cause further problems down the road if not treated. Others will fill every hint of a shadow on the xrays. It's important to find one who shares your philosophy on when to treat and when to let it alone.

Good luck,
S.

I've been taking the twins in since they got their first tooth. They are now 4 and the one has had 2 cavities got them filled and the only problem she had was that she bit her lip and it caused an infection. My son is a different story, he has to have sedated work done (he has Down syndrome and a long list of other medical problems), he is 11 and all of his perm. molars have been sealed and the old office that I went to missed so many things that when we went to the new office his first sedated work was 4 hours long root canals, sealants, cavities filled - it was horrible!! Get the cavities filled, your child will be fine! Some kids are prone to cavities and some are not, I had them all the time as a kid and my husband had none.

My granddaughter has cavities also and she is 3. I know her mom feels horrible about it also. I know her teeth are well taken care of, her sweets are limited and she doesn't get fruit snacks or sticky candy like taffy. My son has teeth that no matter what he would end up with cavities so she is taking after him in that also. I also took very good care of his teeth with 6 mo checkups, flossing and brushing and floride rinse... everything I could think of. I blamed it on his love for raisins and how he concidered them candy but his daughter doesn't eat raisins. I don't think I would do a second opinion, a cavity is just that and it doesn't just go away... but if available I would take the child to a pediatatric dentist since they make it less stressful and usually have things to calm down the child. Your insurance company will probably cover any dentist who fixes the cavities.

My 3 yr old just had 4 cavaties. I was in shock! 2 needed to be filled, 2 are being watched. I would just go ahead and have them filled. The longer you wait, the worse they get, and the more sore his mouth is.

Yes I would take the 2 yr olds. Our ped. dentist said that kids should have their first visit between 12 and 18m! Mine had her first visit at 2, but that was becuase insurance was changing.

M.

Well, first off, your insurance probably won't cover a visit to another dentist for a second opinion. Cavities are generally found during their 6 month check up, which is usually covered to some (if not all) extent, and then the following appointments for fillings are covered to a lesser degree. You should check with your plan.

If I were you, I would have the cavities taken care of, and also have your child's teeth sealed. It goes a long way to preventing cavities! If you don't have them taken care of, they will get worse and cause your child pain, if not the loss of his teeth. My niece recently had ALL of her front teeth pulled due to poor decision making on her mother's part about her cavities. Now she is 6 yrs. old, in school, with no teeth!

As far as your twins go, my twin boys are 15mos. and have already been to the dentist. They each have 8 teeth and are beginning to get their molars. They had a preliminary tooth and gum health appointment in which the dentist checked their gum health and the health of their current teeth, and gave us some great pointers about tooth and gum care for them to continue to have healthy teeth. This was completely covered by our dental plan, as it is considered a 6 month check up. We were advised that the first dental visit should be made 6 months after the first tooth is cut, which is what we did. Luckily, it lined up with the time that my daughter and I were due for ours, so we all went at the same time!

I have no experience with having laser dentistry done, though my husband is going to have his teeth done that way, as he hasn't been to the dentist in at least 12 years, and we were told that it would be less painful for him.

Good luck to you!

I believe the message is in your post - you had bad teeth growing-up, your husband hasn't had problems. Seems to me he inherited your genes. I've been fortunate to have had 2 cavities in my life - I seldom go to the dentist, never floss (hate it), and was blessed with good dental genes......others, not so much.

I'd get them fixed and not personally worry about the second opinion. The risk of doing nothing is a greater health concern in the long run.

Our kids have been going to the dentist since our son was 2 and our daughter 1 - both because of injuries to their teeth from stumbles. So far so good, but part of why dental insurance is so comprehensive is to address issues as they arise.

Good luck!

I recently had my 9 year old to the dentist and he had cavities in his molars--but they were all baby teeth and the dentist did not want to fill them unless he starts having pain or unless they are really bothering him. He is older than your son, so he will lose them sooner, but I would definitely get that second opinion.

Also, I would research about sealants--In a book I'm reading (Boys Adrift) there is some evidence out there that the plastics in dental sealants are not healthy for boys...

A cavity is a cavity- no second opinion needed.
DO get them filled- for whatever reason, your son might be prone to them. If you don't take care of the problem now- you could be looking at more painful options down the road- like extractions and root canals. The experts say that all kids should have their first visit to the dentist after their teeth begin to erupt. And yes, I'd take the twins too- since their brother has them... they might also be prone to cavities!

I recommend a 2nd opinion if you are ever concerned. We took my daughter for her first dental appt. and were told she had 9 cavities. Imagine how I felt knowing my 4 year old had that many cavities! There were tears as well, so I know how you feel! After taking her to a pediatric dentist, he told us she didn't have any cavities...only deep crevices in her teeth. We immediately found a new dentist for all of us and I began to wonder if all the fillings I had paid for for myself were really necessary. When in doubt, get a second opinion. It saved us a bunch of money and time!

Definitely take your twins to the dentist. I read somewhere that you should bring your child to the dentist 6 months after their first tooth comes in. I would look into getting a pediatric dentist too. Check with your insurance to see if they cover a pediatric dentist. Ours covers it until your child is 7. A pediatric dentist has expertise in dealing with children, plus their instruments are kid sized, etc. I took my first daughter to the dentist for the first time when she was 17 months old. I'm bringing my second daughter to the dentist for the first time on Monday and she is 16 months old. I had so many cavities as a child that I didn't want my girls to have the same experience. We are meticulous about brushing and flossing (only the 4 year olds at this time) our girls teeth around here.

I am no dentist, but I would get the teeth filled if I were his Mom and I would get the little ones checked too. Don't beat yourself up, think of how much worse it would have been if you had not done everything right.

I don't know if insurance will pay for a second opinion, you could call and ask, but my guess would be no. They paid for one set of xrays already, and that would probably be the issue. If you were to have a second opinion, you would probably have to take the old xrays with you. Would you be wanting to find a dentist who does not beleive in fillings? What would you hope to accomplish with a second opinion? Do you thing that the dentist is out of line with his diagnosis or treatment plan?

Sealants are great. Get them for all the permanant molars, insurance will pay and the dentist will suggest them as soon as he is elegible. If the dentist does not bring them up once your son has permanant teeth, then I might go looking for another dentist.

M.

My 4 yr old had her first cavity this year. Of course the tooth with the cavity is one she'll loss around age 12-13 so he suggested the filling. If your son will loss the tooth with the cavity in the next year or so, don't fill it. But keep an eye on it for sensitivity. Can you call another dental office for advice? I have a great relationship with our dentist. I've gone to him for 20 years......

I understand how you fill. I took my (at the time) 3 yo to the dentist last summer and she had to cavities! I talked to the dentist about it and was told sometimes it's genetic and even with brushing etc they will still get them.
I would suggest getting them filled asap. Per the advice of my dentist I waited until her next 6 month appointment to get them filled and they got worse. Originally they were small enough that no Novocain was needed but then needed 3 shots! I switched to a new ped dentist, but my insurance will only cover 1 check up every 6 months.

I would take the twins as soon as possible. Our pediatric dentist says to bring them in for their first visit as soon after one year old as possible!

My 3 yr old had a cavity. I take her to a pediatric dentist and had it filled and it was no big deal. Don't beat yourself up. Her dentist dosent recommed sealing baby teeth.