decay in 22-month-old

[lightkeeper]

I noticed what looks like decay on the front teeth of my 22-month-old little girl. A brown spot, right between the two front teeth. We have been brushing her teeth for a long time now, and are especially diligent about it now that I noticed the spot. I don't know what exactly to do about it now. My older daughter (3 1/2) just had her first dental appt. The dentist (who I didn't like at all, but thats another issue) said just to keep an eye on my younger daughter's teeth for now and watch to see if it gets any worse. I'm so worried that she's going to have a lot of decay, and a lot early on. Is it worthwhile to have her teeth looked at now, before the decay gets worse? I wouldn't worry so much except that I had a ton of dental work done as a small child and it was absolutely miserable.

[simonee]

It sounds like it might be decay, but it also seems that some children have a little decay spot that just kinda stays the same (my dd has a bad spot on one teeth that's been the same since we discovered it a year ago). If it's one spot, it may just be that the enamel is compromised there for whatever reason. and that the rest of the teeth is fine.

However, once the bacteria are in her mouth,which they are if it is decay, you may want to be extra diligent about checking the rest of her teeth. And of course it's always good to have a dentist check it ~ but if you don't like the current dentist, I'd consider trying to find another one. Many dentists are very nice with kids, and there are lots of stories on this forum that prove that modern dentistry doesn't have to be traumatic for children at all.

Good luck. Let us know how this develops

[party_of_five]

I noticed some spots on my dd teeth when she was about a year old. My dh thought I was crazy and talked me out of taking her to the dentist. Well, now she is 22 months old, and we are faced with having her put under general anestesia(sp?) to have her dental work done. Luckily, we found a great pediatric dentist to do the work. He told me that they have a flouride varnish that they could put on her two front teeth that would slow the decay. Now I wish I would have taken her in when she was a year old. It could possibly saved us from being in this situation now. At least it might have bought us some time so that we wouldn't be having to do this with such a little one.

BTW, I too was very diligent about brushing her teeth.

I would recommend finding a pediatric dentist and getting a second opinion. It wouldn't hurt!

I hope this helps!

[lightkeeper]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I've also gone now to read the archives, and all of it is helping....both the advice and the sense that lots of others are dealing with toddler tooth decay and that its not because I haven't been good enough about brushing!

I am looking currently looking for another dentist.....a little tricky now because we are recently on medicaid.

I'm sure I'll be checking back as this continues along.