enamel decay on 19 month old?

[laws24]

My daughter 19 month dd has light brown discoloration near the gumline on her top front teeth (actually the top front 4). I rubbed it with my fingernail when she was asleep and it honestly feels like a little pit - but maybe it's tartar build-up that is raised and that makes it seem like there's a pit in comparison to the actual tooth?? The tooth isn't soft at all. She doesn't seem at all bothered by her teeth. but I'm still very concerned. I can't get a clear photo, and I know my description isn't great. I'm terrified it's decay and she will need to be sedated or have terrible teeth until her adult teeth come in. Mostly I just feel horrible that i am responsible for this situation to begin with, and fustrated as she hasn't even had her teeth 10 months yet....
She is still breastfeeding a lot and I have no idea how that has affected her teeth I've never been the best at brushing her teeth and feel terrible about that now Nor did I start any flouride.
Any advice, sympathy or answers are much appreciated!!!!!!! Thanks!

[Mrs-Mama]

Not quite the same, but my DD has light brown discoloration on the bottom edge of one of her top front teeth. There is an indention there...looks like part of the tooth chipped off. My dentist looked at it and said it was a "slab fracture of the enamel"...she used to teethe on the brick so I'm sure that's how it happened. He said to just watch it and see if she starts showing any sensitivity, and to keep it well brushed. Fortunately she'll get a new tooth in about 5 years.

[butterfly_mommy]

It's great that she is still breastfeeding lots. There are actually studies that show that breast milk may help prevent tooth decay.

My friend has had to deal with decay in her toddlers teeth and she is very on top of brushing her daughters teeth morning and night and has been since she got teeth.

Her daughter has had two fillings and they were not done with any freezing or sedation. (She was just 3) My friend has also been giving her homepathics and supplements to help with tooth health.

[LadyCatherine185]

My DS had exactly what you described, and it was decay. He also had 6 more cavities that they found with X-rays during the procedure to fill the cavities. I would get your DD to a dentist pronto. I beat myself up over Liam's teeth too, but honestly I know there was nothing I could do different. We held him down every night and brushed his teeth (though not with flouride until after we found the decay), he never had juice or sweets, etc. and ate a very good diet. He also breastfed a lot (he has recently cut back a bit due to supply decrease from my pregnancy). For him, I believe it was a combination of reflux he had during his first year, and from his dairy allergy that was not being 'treated' (he and I were eating dairy for about 9 months even though he was still intolerant/allergic) and he couldn't absorb the nutrients good enough.

He had to have the cavities filled under general anesthesia about a month ago, and it was rough and scary for me, but he did great.

[echoecho1528]

Sounds like decay to me, and sounds like my DD's teeth. It is horrible, I know.
I would check out the dental forum in health and healing. There are many discussions on how to proceed from where you are. I would suggest finding a holistic dentist who can help with trying to stop the decay instead of insisting on traumatic procedures that might be avoidable. My holistic dentist errs on the side of caution and has taught me a lot about why the decay has happened (not necessarily bad hygiene) but more likely a lack of nutrients. He has me altering DD's diet toward a more traditional foods approach and minimizing sugar (duh!) and grains. Also, check out this site!
Just a couple q's -
Does your DD also have thin nails or poor growing hair?
Food allergies or intolerances?

[momwithaplan]

Unfortunatly it does sound like decay. Coming from a dental background I would get her in and have it looked at. The sooner it is removed and fills put in the easier it is for her. I would stick to a good pedo Dr. for her age. I also would make sure to not make it seem like a big deal when telling her where you are taking her. Children feed off of parents nerves with these kinds of situations and if she thinks that it is a big deal to you it will make her more nervous than she needs to be. It shouldn't look horrible or anything once they are fixed they should use composite filling material that blends right in with her natual tooth color. We all live and learn and this is just one of those situations.

[sparklett]

Like the PP's said, yes, it's probably decay. Definitely check out the dentistry forum. We're going through enamel issues right now with DS (35 months- this all started years ago) and he'll be sedated at the end of the month so he can have 3 root canals and a filling. Not fun, but I found the advice over in the dentistry forum to be really helpful.

Good luck!

[LadyCatherine185]

I just wanted to answer the question about the nails/hair about my DS. He has got very long, thick hair for his age(and I've given him apx 10 haircuts.. I have to cut it about once a month now), and thick nails too!

Here is a picture of his teeth after the procedure, you can't tell he has fillings at all!

[~NewMa~]

Aw. I know how you're feeling.
It's scary to think that your kid might have any type of health related problem. But this does sound like decay.
I first noticed discoloration at the gumline of the front top 4 teeth in DS when he was about 1 year old.
Took him to the dentist who told me it was "just a stain" which I didn't understand but was glad to hear.
The dentist did tell me to never give him juices and never put him to bed with a sippy cup or bottle (which had never been the case anyway).
I told him I nursed DS to sleep and he said that was fine because breastmilk doesn't change the PH of the saliva like those other liquids.
We came back for a 6 month checkup and he said that it had progressed to decay!
He gave him a flouride treatment, another script for oral flouride and told me to brush his teeth with flouride toothpaste twice a day and then smear a small amount of toothpaste on those teeth at night and let it sit while he sleeps.
He also asked us to come back every 2 months.
DS was weaned a month after that (his sister came and I was not interested in tandem nursing. It was time to stop...)
Our 3 month checkup was just this past week.
The dentist said it looks like the decay has not progressed any further. He gave him another flouride treatment and asked to see him back again in another 3 months.
So I guess we'll be seeing him every 3 months for who knows how long because really, this isn't something we can reverse, we're just trying to keep it at bay.
Honestly, I could be better about the flouride tabs and the smear of toothpaste at night
It is a stressful situation to think about having to possibly have this corrected under general anesthesia
I hope you get your babe checked out right away.
When I first called for an appointment they said it wouldn't be for a few months but when I told them I expected "baby bottle tooth decay" (even though he's never had a bottle ) they got him in that week.
My son JUST turned 2 BTW.
2 years old and has already been to the dentist 3 times Poor fella.
He handled it really great though.
Good luck wtih everything!
Keep us posted!

[echoecho1528]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

I just wanted to answer the question about the nails/hair about my DS. He has got very long, thick hair for his age(and I've given him apx 10 haircuts.. I have to cut it about once a month now), and thick nails too!

Here is a picture of his teeth after the procedure, you can't tell he has fillings at all!

LadyCatherine185, my question was directed at the op, but of course am always happy to see more pictures of your sweet little Liam He looks nice and chunky and well nourished, so I wouldn't think that his tooth decay has anything to do with being malnourished, as I suspect is the problem with my DD - and is possibly something the OP should look into?

My DD has all of the signs and symptoms of poor gut health, malabsorbtion, food intolerances, malnutrition, etc (despite a relatively good diet and diligent dental hygiene). In her case the bad teeth are just another indication of what is going on. I believe that even if she had procedures done to fix the current situation, it would just continue to happen over and over again if we don't get more to the root of the problem.
Reading the comments of a pp re: learning from mistakes, I must say that this is not necessarily the fault of parents. I have fed my child as best as I can with a lot of good nutritional information behind me and have been very good at keeping up with her dental hygiene since before she even had teeth. This was definitely something I wouldn't have foreseen happening. It is only when her other health problems became more evident that I really noticed what was happening with her teeth.

[rightkindofme]

Severe dental issues in baby teeth is really common in my family. It does sound like decay and going to a dentist soon is a good idea. Multiple kids in my family have needed bridges from ~2 years old due to severe decay. The dentists I've talked to about have told me that some people just seem to have chemistry issues and their teeth are less strong; it's not a reflection on you as a parent!

[LadyCatherine185]

Originally Posted by echoecho1528

LadyCatherine185, my question was directed at the op, but of course am always happy to see more pictures of your sweet little Liam He looks nice and chunky and well nourished, so I wouldn't think that his tooth decay has anything to do with being malnourished, as I suspect is the problem with my DD - and is possibly something the OP should look into?

My DD has all of the signs and symptoms of poor gut health, malabsorbtion, food intolerances, malnutrition, etc (despite a relatively good diet and diligent dental hygiene). In her case the bad teeth are just another indication of what is going on. I believe that even if she had procedures done to fix the current situation, it would just continue to happen over and over again if we don't get more to the root of the problem.
Reading the comments of a pp re: learning from mistakes, I must say that this is not necessarily the fault of parents. I have fed my child as best as I can with a lot of good nutritional information behind me and have been very good at keeping up with her dental hygiene since before she even had teeth. This was definitely something I wouldn't have foreseen happening. It is only when her other health problems became more evident that I really noticed what was happening with her teeth.

I wish I could get to the bottom of DS's teeth issue. It would make it easier to "treat" and keep from happening again. Of course the dentist blamed it on BF'ing. Like you said he looks very healthy, etc in all other areas. My only real theory is from the reflux he had as an infant..

[echoecho1528]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

I wish I could get to the bottom of DS's teeth issue. It would make it easier to "treat" and keep from happening again. Of course the dentist blamed it on BF'ing. Like you said he looks very healthy, etc in all other areas. My only real theory is from the reflux he had as an infant..

I would seriously look into the book I suggested above - Cure Childhood Decay
He gives a TON of information oh his site without having to buy the book.

[HolliM]

Just wanted to say that we recently drove 4 hours to take my 22 month ds to a dentist in Chicago. He was amazing and is considered a Minimally Invasive Dentist. I was so nervous because I've heard so many horror stories and ds has pretty severe decay...anyway, just wanted to say that it's worth it to find a knowledgeable dentist that you can trust. He did ozone treatment to ds' teeth to halt the decay and we will be going back again this summer.