We are finally sceduled for dental surgery (dd age 5)

[Pam_and_Abigail]

here's links to my previous threads:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=795151
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=502459
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=497694
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=697025
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=433102
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=262000


SO we finally have a surgery day scheduled. Next friday, the 15th.

I am half relieved, half scared. When we saw them last spring, they couldn't even say what would need to be done for sure (since dd wouldn't let them x-ray her), but the things they tossed around were: caps on all molars, possibly root canals (yes, even on baby molars), possibly extraction and spacers (which we'll have to pay for)... (using GA)

I'm so scared, not knowing what they're even going to do. I don't feel like signing a "blank check" for these pediatric dentists, but she has teeth that are literally rotting out - pieces chunk off when I floss, there are black and brown spots, swollen, infected gums, bad breath, and sometimes she mentions pain, almost always during brushing.

We just got our nordic naturals DHA last week, so I don't think it will get a chance to really help.

Help! I just feel so lost, not knowing what to do about this.

[Pam_and_Abigail]

bump :-)

I'm trying to find some info on the internet about all the different possible procedures and their drawbacks and what they entail, but I can't find anything. I'd like to be able to go in prepared for whatever they might want to do in her mouth. Can anyone help?
Has anyone been through something like this before?
Did it help? Did you regret it? Is there something you might have done differently if you knew then what you know now?

I'm really apprehensive about all of this.

[WuWei]

I would find out what all is going to happen with the GA. Ds had GA for dental surgery, just before his 5th birthday. We discussed the options with him: multiple in-office visits, or one big visit at the hospital. He choose to have it at the hospital all at once. We took a portable DVD player, with a new Thomas DVD and he was happy as a clam while we waited. I sipped Rescue Remedy.

The big issue for me was that I did not want him to go under upset, nor taken from me in distress. I discussed the pre-anesthesia sedation options with the dentist and anesthesiologist. And ds had nasal Versed and became loopy in my arms. It stings! I informed ds well before the surgery (a week) about the stinging nose spray and what all would happen about oxygen masks, IV insertion, etc. It was totally smooth. There is an oral form of the Versed, but it has artificial colors and flavors, which hype ds up. So, I insisted that we not use it and potentially need more GA to calm him. Ds was nonchalant about being handed to the OR nurse, came out of anesthesia and I was able to be with him immediately as soon as he roused around.

Also, I gave him Arnica Montana 200c the morning of surgery, before arriving at the hospital and immediately when we got in the car to leave. He had "minimal bleeding" in OR and no bruising, no discomfort and no bleeding afterwards. He had caps, which I wouldn't be inclined to do again though, as two of them have cavity retained.

There are natural and nutritive ways to cure cavities, which I didn't know about then. We are doing that instead now.

Ds has sensory issues, more sensory seeking though. Although, he wants things just so. Before his caps, we discussed the issues related to the cavity, looked at photos on line and looked at the metal cap and spacer that they wanted to insert. He was excited about the "new shiny tooth" and shows everyone! He has never mentioned that the tooth feels funny, although he is a very oral child.

Not sure that helps. Oh, and there have been no hot/cold issues related to it either. (knockonwood)

I would research and discuss cap complications with the dentist though . From my reading basically all caps fall off eventually. And we needed it to last for 5+years. I was reluctant. And also, apparently all of the cavity wasn't removed/killed before the cap and now they want to remove the tooth! From reading on VeryYoungKidsTeeth, I am inclined to avoid any caps in the future, even in the face of cavities. There are a lot of natural ways to cure cavities. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...guid=287472904

Here is the thread from Dental and the "Cliff Notes to Curing Cavities with Nutrition". We are doing this rather than removing the capped tooth with the cavity.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=537933
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=399989

I was also concerned with the carcinogenic cavity killer that they use before applying the cap. There are a lot of issues with invasive dentistry, from my reading. Unfortunately, I also read that they use formocreosol when they do the caps (and maybe the composite?) to disinfect the tooth, if I recall correctly. This is derived from formaldehyde!! A known carcinogen. Great! Anyway, there is a cauterizing procedure that requires less exposure to the formocreosol and I was relieved that our dentist used this. But, with painful teeth, it is a bit late to be shopping for a holistic dentist.

On the other hand here is a dentist's opinon that formocreosol is not unsafe: http://www.cda-adc.ca/jcda/vol-72/issue-3/247.html

So, you are between a rock and a hard spot with everything scheduled and you still with questions. I would insist on asking whatever you think you want to understand. Here are a few links about pulpotomy:

http://dentalresource.org/topic58pul...ulpectomy.html
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/pulpotomy.htm
http://www.simplestepsdental.com/SS/...5022/pr.3.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/gs/gsh...,,3xp1,00.html


Pat

[Pam_and_Abigail]

I'm really at a loss.

I'm not sure about the nutrition route, although I finally just got our nordic naturals DHA.

I had caps growing up, so I am a bit familiar with them. Root canals and extractions just seem a bit scarier.

I'm just so afraid of doing the wrong thing here, of submitting to treatments that will worsen the problem or create more, but something needs to be done, and we've been waiting so long for this.

I'm still working through your links, but thanks for helping me.

[Pam_and_Abigail]

Is pulpotomy the same as a root canal?

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by Pam_and_Abigail

Is pulpotomy the same as a root canal?

Pulpectomy is.

I understand that it is a difficult issue. I am still in the midst of it. The only mainstream option is to go ahead. It is a bandaid. The underlying cause is nutritional. If she has painful teeth, or teeth which are broken and impairing her eating, I'd just get it all done. If the issues are multiple, but benign, I'd go the nutritional route for 6 months and then decide.

My biggest concern regarding the molars is that they are needed to get adequate nutrition! So, extraction of multiple molars is not a healthy prospect. Capping them is a temporary fix which allows other molars to come in and provide a chewing surface. However, they remove sooo much tooth in order to cap the stump, you destroy the tooth further. That is why, I'd opt to leave a decayed tooth in place. More tooth is better than none, imo. But, if the tooth is apt to break off and you'd need another intervention, you might as well have the cap placed and have some chewing surface intact. But, the caps are no panacea. So, it is a crap shoot.


Pat

[Pam_and_Abigail]

We haven't seen problems with eating yet, although neither of our kids eat much meat, especially if it includes chewy pieces like steak. And pther than when we brush, she doesn't complain about it hurting. But it does look like one spot on the gum is infected, which I understand could be serious. She has several teeth now that appear to be broken, at least two molars have been known to chip off when we floss.

If they extract, they plan on putting in spacers, do those provide a chewing surface as well? For some reason I thought they'd be like false teeth.

I think I'm going to try taking some pictures of her mouth.

We've actually been waiting for a year and a half for this, but when we started it was just mild decay. Since last July when we had our inital intake, we've cut out dried fruit and fruit leather, made sure to cut down on sweets and brush right after.

Normally our diet includes organic whole grains and the beef we eat is organic grass-fed. We try to get lots of fruits and vegetables too. And the eggs we eat we raise ourselves, so I think we do some of the stuff from the 'curing cavities...' thread.

I'm just at a loss.

Thanks for your posts though! I really need to hear what others' experiences have been.

[WuWei]

Here is a photo of a spacer. It is a metal loop which holds the space for the adult tooth. It has no chewing surface. Food can get stuck in it. Ds has one. It causes no difficulty. It is applied as a separate visit after the extraction and swelling resolve. It only took a minute and required no anesthetic. http://cudental.creighton.edu/images/cls20.jpg

Ds had an area beside his tooth which was considered "an abscess". It could turn into something lethal, yes. But, the root of a baby tooth is not the same as the root in an adult tooth. The swelling resolved itself, eventually. Theoretically, the infection can travel to the developing tooth and cause issues for the adult tooth. But, we need the tooth to remain as an eating surface. So, without discomfort, we are leaving the tooth in which Xray indicated has cavity retained under the cap, for now.

Here are some foods which heal tooth decay:
Foods that heal teeth:

* Feed your child every meal a soup of blended greens or softly
cooked vegetables.
* Key Vegetables for soup:
* Kales (and lots of dark greens), Zucchini, Celery, Green Beans,
Potatoes
* Add copious amounts of seaweed when the broth is done and the
soup is cooler.
* Never discard the vegetable liquid, it contains numerous vitamins.
* Raw Grass Fed Butter
* Organic and raw yogurt, and kefir
* Raw Grass fed Goat and Cow Milk.
* Cod Liver Oil (must be taken with the raw butter)
* Lacto-Fermented Foods and Beverages to enhance digestion and
assimilation
* Finely mashed up proteins from - Eggs, Fish, Organ Meets, or
other meets (grass fed only please!)
* Bone broth such as fish or chicken soup broth
* Fresh or cooked fruits
* Soaked, and sprouted nuts finely ground
* Really Raw Honey (may be okay)
* Sprouted/ fermented grains, (only for children over 1.5 years)
* There are many herbs that can be cautiously used to provide
minerals to the teeth,
* These include Horsetail, lemon grass, red raspberry leaf,
nettle's, lemon balm.



Foods that remove minerals from body and cause tooth decay and general
depletion.

* Almost every kind of sugar, even organic, especially fruit juices
* Bread, wheat, cookies, crackers, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, pasta's
* Peanut Butter
* Any processed baby food
* Soy or soy formula
* Pasteurized milk
* Dried Fruit
* Iodized salt – cheap processed salt.
* Non-organic animal products such as eggs, meat, chicken ect.



http://www.amazon.com/Cure-Tooth-Dec.../dp/1434810607
http://www.yourreturn.org/Articles/E...ries_Cured.htm

Healing Early Childhood Tooth Decay Naturally:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=529174&highlight=foods+hea\
l+teeth

http://www.westonaprice.org/traditio...ry_wisdom.html
http://www.ppnf.org/catalog/ppnf/Articles/Rootcanal.htm


HTH, Pat

[Pam_and_Abigail]

I honestly don't think we can do that kind of diet. In the past when we have tried to do extreme modifdications to dd's diet (ie removing wheat for behaviour) it cause a lot of emotional upset, to the point of almost having an eating disorder. It was really bad. Getting rawe dairy is really hard, as it's actually illegal here.

Thanks for the info about the spacers. I hope to get some information from the hospital as well.