Just wondering if anyone has had to deal with cavities with there kids? My son is about to turn three and has horrible cavities!!!! I guess it is due to the fact that we let him drink too much milk from a sippy cup, and now he has to have a lot of dental work done!!! Im just wondering if anyone else has gone through this and how you handled it!! Any advice or info would be great! Thanks!!
Yes! I took my two year old for his first visit, and he had a cavity! I was shocked since he is so young and his father and I both have very good teeth. My son was a breast fed baby til one and never had bottle in bed, or any of those other things they say will do it. The dentist said it was a structural problem with the tooth rather than anything we did/didn't do. So I guess cavities have all sorts of ways to get there - don't be too hard on yourself. It was not fun to get it fixed. The dentist said he didn't even need novacaine since it was such a surface cavity and the novacaine would be worse than the actual repair. My son still screamed - who wants to have someone sticking things in their mouth? I had to hold him the whole time and I was sore the next day - sorry - this probably doesn't help. But he and I both survived, and he is not traumatized now. He is even looking forward to his next visit. Good luck!!
ask the dentist about coting the teeth because kids teeth are dipped in to a point instead of to a curve. this means when they eat the food gets stuck in the point of the groove in the teeth and after the dentist puts the coating on them it makes the grooves in the teeth more of a curve in and makes it easier to brush the food out of the teeth. found this out with visits and cavities in my kids. hope this helped.
my step sons had awful teeth when they were younger. horrible teeth. once my hubby and i got custody of them we took them to the dentist theo ledst one was 4 and the youngest 3. the oldest had the most problems and had like 8 cavities. the younger one had about 5. since they were so young the dentist thought it would be better to do it all at once by putting them to sleep it was done in a hospital and i was sooo scared. they woke up and smiled and had a mouth full of silver. it took less than an hour each and there was no discomfort at all for them(as far as having to keep their mouths open and having their mouths numbed) neither complained of pain after wards and they were able to eat regular foods that night. ohyeah the teeth that were still healthy the dnetist put a sort of protective sealant on them to prevent cavities. i would definalty ask about this.
I've never had this problem, myself but when one of my nieces was 3 years old, she had a huge cavity that formed on one of her front teeth!!! She wouldn't ever let her mommy brush her teeth, thus a cavity...they had to take her to the dentist, etc.
Sorry, I can't help, but good luck with it. (I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone)
My daughter is 4 and has not had any cavities. One thing we decided when she was little is to let her have as little floride as possible. We researched it online and came to the decision that at least for now it's not for us. She still uses a nonfloride toddler toothpaste and drinks bottled water.
I have heard other people that had kids with cavities and they put the kids under. I don't know if that might be something they would do or if it's good or not.. Just a thought.
I really recommend researching floride though.
Well, i just have to say find yourself a good pediatric(sp?) dentist. And it will make the world of difference.
My son had to have three of his front teeth capped at 18months old. The first dentist said that he would loose his teeth by the time he was 2, then i went to an expert, and he saved them. He had those teeth until he fell, and knocked them out he was about 3 1/2 so he was learning to talk which was what i was most concerned about (now let me say they said this is baby bottle rot, but he was a breast fed baby and i always brushed his teeth) i think this just happens sometimes.
Well, at anyrate, going to this dentist, at that age they gave him a slight seditive before working on him. This office is set up with smaller chairs and there are video games everywhere.
My son also, has no fear of the dentist, now and didn't even right after being worked on. I didn't have to hold him, They don't even like to have the parents in the room when work is being done, They want the child to get comfort from mom and dad, not associate pain with them.
Well, sorry this got so long, but all i can say is a good dentist that knows how to handle children can be worth their weight in gold.
BTW: The specialist i used for him cost no more then a normal dentist.
I think that you need to see a specialist and have the work done there. A pediadontist will have special chairs, equipment and a staff that enjoy working with kids. It may cost more....Unless your dentist loves working with kids. Also, if there are a lot of cavities, it might be better to have them done, with sedation. Just because the work all gets done quickly, and efficiently. And there are no bad feelings about going to the dentist.
Sealants are the plastic coatings that go in the grooves of the biting surface of the teeth in the back. (molars and premolars), and they are a great idea for most kids, and especially on the permanent molars. They can also be done on baby teeth. Every dentist is different on their recommendations regarding sealants.
Fluoride is a whole other bag of worms.....Everybody has an opinion on this one. When my oldest was born, 23 years ago, they suggested vitamin drops with fluoride, so I did it. Then my 20 year old was born and my boss (a dentist) told me I shouldn't give her fluoride so I stopped. And then with my youngest, he didn't get it either. They all used toothpaste with fluoride, and we did not live in an area that put fluoride in the water. We used to live in a suburb of Vancouver, BC, Canada...
Ok.....my oldest had very little decay, my next had rampant decay, and then my son had very little also. I wish I used the fluoride on my middle child!! Everybody is afraid of the whitish, mottling look of over fluoridation. You have to have a lot in your body to do that, and that is why there is a lot of people with well water, with naturally occuring fluoride or the city may add the fluoride.
Cavities are caused by plaque, and a bacteria. Eating habits are a big cause of decay...a lot of snacking. Every time you put something in your mouth, it causes and acid attack on your teeth. Constantly eating means constant bathing the teeth in acid...I think this is the biggest problem causing decay.
Have your children drinks water in between meals etc. Lay off juices and milks, they should only be at meals. Snacks should be fresh fruits and veggies...Stay away from crackers, they get stuck in teeth. Floss your teeth and have your child watch and then let them have their turn, your hygienist or assistant will show you how to brush and floss their teeth. If you make it a habit, they will follow your lead.... 
Don't beat yourself up 
just start new good habits today. Life is so busy and we are trying to do everything...way more than our parents day. Also, buy a good electric toothbrush....they are about $70 and up, Braun makes a few styles. They have a brush, like we use in the dental office, "round", and learn to use it properly, and the kids and you will keep your teeth cleaner.
Sorry, I like my job as much as I like cake decorating...the only thing different is I have been in dentistry for 25 years and only have made 12 or so cakes....
Be happy to answer more questions...Good Luck 
Some kids really are just prone. My kids inherited their dad's teeth, and are prone to cavities. We use flouride drops/tablets, and they brush...but still...always a cavity. We also had their teeth sealed when they were old enough...it helped some.
I definitely recommend a pediatric dentist. I love the family dentist, and he works well with my son, but my DD (now 13) was a big ol' baby...the pediatric dentis worked wonders for her (she had to have TEN filled...this on a kid who was regularly given flouride, teeth brushed vigilantly by me, no bottle at bedtime, no real sugary treats). Ugh.
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