Need Advice for 18 month old with decay - Page 2

[Mama4life14]

Originally Posted by susanmary 

Hi ladies, I've just learned that my 16 month old DS has a lot of tooth decay, especially on his front 4 teeth. I've found this tread really interesting.

Our ped dentist is talking about the likelihood of 2 root canals under general anesethic. She is also suggesting that i coat the toothbrush llightly with adult strength fluoride toothpaste. Would anyone have an opinion or research on this? He will definitely swallow the toothpaste. She emphasised the need for it strongly. :-(

I was also told to use a fluoride toothpaste with my son, from a regular dentist, and instead of buying an adult toothpaste, I bought a children's fluoride toothpaste. After a couple months I got a second opinion from a Ped dentist and was told to get a fluoride mouth rinse (adult) and just dip a q-tip in it and then run the wet q-tip over the teeth, then that way it is not swallowed as much as the toothpaste is. I did that instead of the toothpaste some nights, but I still did the toothpaste as well other nights to teach my son how to spit the toothpaste out. He eventually started spitting out the toothpaste at age 2.

Hope that helps

[susanmary]

Hi Mama4life, that suggestion really does help. Thank you :-D

[Mama4life14]

Originally Posted by susanmary 

Hi Mama4life, that suggestion really does help. Thank you :-D

Your welcome!

[Chloebelle]

Originally Posted by susanmary 

Hi ladies, I've just learned that my 16 month old DS has a lot of tooth decay, especially on his front 4 teeth. I've found this tread really interesting.

Our ped dentist is talking about the likelihood of 2 root canals under general anesethic. She is also suggesting that i coat the toothbrush llightly with adult strength fluoride toothpaste. Would anyone have an opinion or research on this? He will definitely swallow the toothpaste. She emphasised the need for it strongly. :-(

I personally would not use fluoride, especially at that age. Just my humble opinion. Perhaps try rubbing MI paste on it 2-4 times a day. It's really helped harden my DD's teeth. If you really do want to use fluoride, you can get MI plus, which has fluoride in it.
 

I just took them to the dentist today,  and the one cavity that they have been watching is still hard and has not gotten worse. They are in no rush to fill it. I put MI paste on it 2x a day.

[susanmary]

Thank you also Chloebelle, I had never heard of that product before. I will google it now. Many thanks, Susan

[clarinetb]

I'm no expert, but my 20 month old has some bad holes in those front teeth :( I showed our dentist when I took my older daughter for a check-up. His response was that she was really too young to try to 'fix' them to wait til she was 2 1/2 or 3, monitor for abcesses and worse case they have to pull them and she'll get her adult ones as usual. He said to try to brush them like crazy, I asked about toothpaste and if it was worth trying a fluoride one given the problems she was having and he said not to, that since she'd swallow it that it wasn't worth it, just to use something fluoride free and rely on the mechanical brushign to help.

Not sure if that is useful or not, but it definitely different than what you were told...
 

[lovemylab]

The dentist could apply a Flouride varnish. I wouldn't use a Flouride paste yet. The mi paste is a good suggestion. Spry paste is good too no Flouride but has xylitol which helps prevent cavities.

[susanmary]

Thanks ladies, much appreciated!

I'm living in rural Ireland and a lot of the products mentioned are actually very hard to get here, so i'm brushing with water still.

Goodness, it's not easy trying to do them since our dental visit. My DS sticks his tongue out and clamps his lips around it. Thankfully though he doesn't cry if i keep it short and returns to normal immediately after I brush. My husband has to be with us too to help with distractions, otherwise I'd have no chance. I really hope he fights it less with time!???

The past few days I've been reading "cure tooth decay" by R. Nagel. It really is an eye opening read and highlights the importance of fat soluble vitamins and the foods rich in these vitamins. I have already started to adjust our diet accordingly. I'm also hoping to propose a wait and see approach to our dentist, very much like what Clarinetb's dentist recommended. Reading the book has really made me cautious about possible root canals for a child as young as my own, which is what our dentist is suggesting. I'd definitely recommend the book. Hopefully our improved diet will help strengthen my little boy's teeth in the long run.

I never imagined that this would be an issue for us so young! I'm sure no one does. Take care, SM

[ChristmasLover]

SusanMary, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.  I  wanted to tell you about an eye-opening book I read called Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye.  It is available on google books for free.  It's written by an expert in preventative dentistry who basically proves how great xylitol is for the teeth.  It can even remineralize them, according to her.  She has a website at:  www.drellie.com

I have a rinse that contains both flouride and xylitol from the company Tom's of Maine.  I have started dipping a q-tip in this and rubbing it on my son's front teeth once a day.  At other times, I just use xylitol toothpaste that I buy on the internet.  I do hope you can find some xylitol products where you are!

[ChristmasLover]

Oh, and if you do use a toothpaste, I'd just use a very small amount and put it on the front four teeth only.  Once I was given a strong flluoride toothpaste for my oldest son when he was 3, and it actually left white spots which I believe show that it was TOO MUCH fluoride!

[susanmary]

Thank you so much! :-) SM