I need some help/advice - Dd/teeth/fillings!

[iwantavuvezela]

My DD is 7.
It seems that she is cavity prone! I need some help with making effective changes to her diet. It is stressing us both out that she keeps getting fillings when we visit the dentist!

This is what we are doing right! Her teeth are brushed every day, twice a day. I brush first then i let her "finish off". I can check the toothpaste but as far as I know it is the proper fluoride one relevant for her age group. I could honestly count on one hand the number of times brushing of teeth has been missed. The dentist looked at her teeth and said there was no plaque so that the brushing was at least effective!

After her first filling, age 4, i cut down on her eating boxes and boxes of raisens, dried fruit etc. However she has since had TWO more fillings.

So my new plan (and taking on any advice from others) is to cut out fruit juice. (except for parties etc) but not to give this to her any more. CAn anyone recommend me any other drinks that are sugar free/very low in sugar???? At the moment i have told her she can have water or milk with meals.

We have sat down and spoken and I have said that she can now have sweets (althoug where preferable not chewy) on ONE day e.g. a saturday and we will not be able to eat them during the week. Although she doesnt eat masses of sweets etc, we do have biscuits, ice cream etc that we would have, perhaps one thing a day. She is such a moderate child, and will often have sweet stuff, but just a little, but perhaps even though it is only a little it is the frequency that is the problem, so I will cut the sugar frequency, and instead find low sugar alternative snacks.

Would it be worth it for me to go to a private dentist to ask them for further advice. I feel so lost with this, and as she will still have these teeth, or some of them for the next 3-4 years i really have to make effective changes.

All help, advice appreciated!

[ilovepowerhoop]

the toothpaste should be adult level fluoride i.e. around 1400/1450ppm. DS (7) has problem with the way the enamel has formed on his first adult molar teeth so is going to be more prone to cavities (has had 1 filling so far). I let him drink no added sugar squash as well as water or milk although he has fruit juice with a splash of water in alongside his breakfast.

It is to do with the frequency of exposure so it would be better to eat sweets/biscuits, and have juices, etc at mealtimes rather than in between meals.

[stargirl1701]

Is she getting fluoride varnish applied by the dentist?

Is the dentist planning fissure sealants for her adult teeth?

[JustAShopGirl]

the best advice I had from my dentist was to put toothpaste on a DRY brush - use that to do teeth, then spit - DON'T rinse - combined, that keeps the flouride actually on your teeth, where it needs to be.

And don't eat crisps - any sort - wotsits/skips/quavers/pringles/plain old crisps... as they stick in the teeth for ages.

[steppemum]

I remember a dentist years ago talking about food and teeth.

he said that it is the between meals that is an issue. So breakfast (even including fruit juice) and then clean teeth.
water only between meals
his kids had sweets, but only straight after dinner and then clean teeth before bed.

But recently I have heard that brushing shortly after eating anything acidic is bad for the enamel

[ilovepowerhoop]

ds (7) got fissure sealants on 2 of his molars today and dd (10) got them on 4 of hers today too. I got a filling replaced today as well. We had a family trip to the dentist!

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/dentalhealth/Pages/Teethcleaningguide.aspx - dont clean teeth straight after eating

www.nhs.uk/livewell/dentalhealth/pages/careofkidsteeth.aspx

I am in Scotland and we have the Childsmile campaign but my 2 dont seem to get offered the fluoride varnishing that it talks about.

[KiaOraOAotearoa]

It is not the sugar quantity that's destroying the teeth, it is the frequency, how long the teeth are coated in sugar is the problem.
2/3 of a ketch-up bottle is sugar. I kid you not. So it's not the confectionery and the squash, it is also the sugar in everything else. Have a look on the curry sauce jars, the baked beans, the pasta sauces. The second ingredient is sugar more often than not.

[ilovepowerhoop]

my ketchup has less than 25% sugar but I do agree that there are a lot of hidden sugars in foods

[iwantavuvezela]

Thanks for all this advice. Iloverpowershop those links are useful, and i will start to use the timer (althugh i would hazard that we are brushing for 2 mins). i am going to look into fissure sealants when adult teeth come through, but am going to inqure about fluoride varnish that the article lists. stargirl" no we have not had fluoride varnish yet, but am going to see if i can organise this with a dentist during the summer holiday.

I will start to pay more attention to the 30 minute rule of no food before brushing, i am sure we have not been doing this, so this is an area i can tighten up on.

justashopgirl we have been using a dry toothbrush, and i will make sure DD does not rinse just spit ..... i had no idea about crisps causing cavities!!! i thought becasue they were sugar free (well hula hoops praactically are, they were a better option!!)

I will try and make sure treat/sweet things are more just after dinner so that brushing takes place after that and the frequency of sugar on her teeth is less. Thanks for that steppenmum

I really appreciate the advice, i feel like such an idiot with this!

[iwantavuvezela]

kiaora yes i have been much more aware of labels and sugars contained! thanks for that though it is a reminder that it is just not sweets and such

[fridayfreedom]

If it helps my dd had horrendous problems with her baby teeth due how the molars were formed. Even had fillings in her adult teeth. We were very careful re diet and brushing. Dentist said it was a combination of how the teeth formed plus having loads of saliva, which can cause more problems.
After years of problems and non related orthdentic work she now has beautiful teeth, and smile!
Don't beat yourself up, not all dental problems are due to poor dental hygiene. Some of us get the rubbish teeth gene just like some us get the poor sight gene. No one blames parents for sight but they do re teeth.

[PfftTheMagicDraco]

My DS is 8. I noticed that he had some dodgy looking teeth at the back, and I was worried. He has a good diet, his teeth are brushed well, we have always practiced good oral hygiene, and after having managed to make it to 34 with no fillings for me, I was appalled to think he might need fillings.

Took him to one dentist who said they either needed filling or removing, and very much got the feeling that it was my fault. She also told me that he shouldn't be using an adult toothpaste as there was too much fluoride in it. I was sceptical.

Anyway, we were referred to a children's dentist to have a look and lo and behold! The dentist told us that he had hypomineralisation in four of his rear teeth. They were consequently weak and prone to decay - she said it was probably caused by a childhood illness or similar when the teeth were below the gum line. This is a bit of a rambly post - but my point is really that if you feel you aren't getting good dental advice, DO go somewhere else - the original dentist didn't pick up on it. The new dentist also confirmed that he SHOULD use adult paste. And it's not always your fault. I was worried that I was giving him too much fruit etc etc, but she said it was clear his teeth were looked after looking at the others. It's not always your fault!

Do give sweet things straight after dinner, or as part of a meal rather that spreading them out though.

[iwantavuvezela]

Thanks for that friday and pfft - i have decided to book an appointment with a childrens dentist, so that i have time to talk things through, and for them to look at my daughters teeth and tell me if there is anything i need to know.
I asked the dentist for advice, she is very sweet, but just told me all was fine, and to continue brushing! This is of course the least of our problems as is the one thing that does happen. So I am going to go and get another opinion on this, and see if there is anything else i can do.
My DD, andI cannot go through this cavity filling regularly!

[fridayfreedom]

Forgot to say dd uses high fluoride toothpaste from the dentist. No fillings at last appointment unlike DS who needs 3! Also had problems but not initially as bad as dd. got marks and staining to front teeth due to illness when little.
Sometimes it's just what you get dealt!

[ilovepowerhoop]

my ds also uses high fluoride toothpaste prescribed by the dentist - duraphat 2800ppm