I just noticed some white spots on my 10 1/2 month daughter's two front top teeth. I noticed them last week in the (outdoor) daylight and later that day ran out to Target and bought an Oral B Stage 1 toothbrush. I didn't really see them again until today again, and started brushing her teeth this evening.
At her 6 month appointment, her pediatrician told us that toothbrushing isn't necessary yet at this point, prescribed her flouride drops (per pedi no flouride in SJ water) and to just use a washcloth to wipe her teeth/gums.
I have been giving her flouride drops since about 6 months. To be honest, neither my husband nor I have been diligent at wiping her teeth, and really have only done it a few occasions. I've been supplementing her with formula (i.e., consistent bottle feeding) since the age of 5 1/2 months after returning to work, and have just recently weaned her from breast milk at about 10 months. Additionally, at night she is given a bottle before going to bed (although not in her crib, just when we put her to sleep). I know that the research has said to not put babies to sleep on/with a bottle, but I had also admit that I had succumed to my mother's advice of prior experience with us (bottle to sleep, no tooth decay).
After 'Googling' 'white spots on teeth', I'm now panicking, thinking that I should have been wiping/brushing her gums and now teeth all along and that she may have permanent tooth decay/damage (white spots being considered an 'early sign' of BBTC -- baby bottle tooth decay!)!!! However, on another note, I also read that white spots can also appear in connection with a condition called fluorosis, which is the result of having an excessive intake of fluoride.
Help!! I really feel horrible, and don't know what to think... I don't believe she's (I'm??) ready to be quickly weaned off the bottle at barely 11 months, but am so freaked out that the white spots on her teeth could lead to (further) tooth decay!!!
Any advice, suggestions or even similar experience/s??
Hi G.-
My daughter also has those white spots on her front two teeth, and we have been brushing/wiping since she got them... so don't think that you did wrong there. Our doctor said they were either flouride deposits or calcium deposits, and not reversible - and not harmful.
I dislike the way it looks, but am glad they are not decay or cavities.
Our doctor checked our zip from the beginning and found that we have floride in our water so we were never prescribed the drops. You may want to have your dr check into that before continuing your floride drops.
Good luck!
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C.C.
answers from
Fresno
on
I agree with the other moms, that it is likely this is due to excess fluoride. I had never even given a thought to fluoride until we moved from Walnut Creek (which apparently has fluoridated water) to Fresno (which does not). Our pediatrician and dentist were aghast that I had not been giving my kids fluoride tablets, so I started doing so... and started to notice the white spots on their teeth. After doing some research I decided to stop with the fluoride tablets. They both brush and floss daily, go to the dentist twice a year, and have had no cavities. I understand that there are benefits to fluoride, but I also think there can be too much of a good thing.
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L.J.
answers from
Sacramento
on
My daughter also had this. We were told that it sometimes happens if a child has had a fever when the teeth were forming. She had a lot of ear infections so it made sense to us. We were just happy it wasn't her permanent teeth.
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E.V.
answers from
San Francisco
on
i know you posted this a long time ago but i have being doing some research on flouride...there is no need for it. period. do some research and you will be blown away, stop the drops asap...good luck.
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H.S.
answers from
Sacramento
on
I was told that the white spots are usually a sign of too much flouride. Do you know if you have flouride in the water where you live? My pediatrician only prescribed the flouride drops after he made sure that we lived in an area that did not have flouridated(?) water.
