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#11
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Kids and cavities
Thanks, Shirley!
shirley wrote: Julie, I'll ask my DH about your question. I know a lot of the peripheral things about dentistry but the very specifics (pulp vs. extraction) is his domain. He's teaching tonight so I'll grab him tomorrow afternoon to get your question answered. Shirley "Julie Seely" wrote in message ... Thanks Shirley (and Stephanie) -- The kids brush themselves now, though I may start doing it for them once a day again. It is definitely one of those hindsight is 20/20 things. That said, Erica's teeth are (knock on wood) fine. The dentist said that after the back tooth is extracted, they would put a "spacer" (?) in so that the teeth wouldn't shift. And yes, I *definitely* plan on having their teeth sealed. Chris' 6-year molars are in, but not quite all of the way yet. We live in a rural area and the water is not fluoridated; we have a tiny bit of fluoride in our well water, but not much. Fluoride drops were prescribed, but since Chris drinks milk all day, it has always been hard to find a time to give him the fluoride, as it can't be given within two hours of milk. I guess my major question then would be whether a tooth that has abscessed could be "saved" via pulpotomy. Is the pulpotomy more traumatic than extraction? It seems to me that he's going to have seven years of careful eating, what with missing a tooth on one side, and that having something -- anything -- there would be preferable. Yes? No? Anyone out there with experience? Julie shirley wrote: You can't do root canal on kids teeth, they call it a pulpotomy (sp?). It's scrapping the pulp out of the tooth but extraction is only due usually to the abscess. Yes, you need the tooth for the adult teeth to follow behind but it also needs to be there because of the spacing issue. If it's the last tooth, I would not worry now. As far as the cavities, does the child brush himself or do you do it for him. My DH is a retired dentist and professor of dentistry (25 years of teaching/practicing), I was an assistant and my twins have braces. We still brush their teeth (at 8.5). We have electric brushes, expensive and cheap, they floss and neither have cavities. Each dentist I've worked for (also worked at Northwestern Dental School for 5 years), have given advice to parents that you don't let them brush UNTIL you are ready to pay for the dental work. Brush, brush, brush. Limit the gooey stuff, raisins, white bread, and other stuff. Cavities grow in a triangle form. By the time you see it, it's already huge under the pinhole that is seen. So even a pin point needs care, and every 6 months is a must for kids especially. That way they can get the cavities under control before they get abscessed. Also sealents and fluoride treatments are great (I know there are those of you who are anti fluoride but seal the teeth with the plastic covers that are offered on the back teeth and you will save a huge amount of time and money). Anyhow, it sounds as if your dentist is on the right track. Good luck and happy brushing. Shirley "GandSBrock" wrote in message ... We haven't had our first dentist appointment yet! Yikes. It's coming up this month. So I don't have any words of wisdom. But I do know with adults dentists "watch" spots on your teeth. I guess they wait for them to become full blown cavities, I don't know. I would question the extraction, just because don't you need the baby teeth in place to keep everything aligned for the adult teeth to come in the right way? But I also think a root canal is pretty drastic, I'm sure the extraction would be easier. I would ask him about the consequences of that tooth being absent. Stephanie Jake and Ryan 9/3/99 |
#12
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Kids and cavities
My DH said "a puplotomy is done only on a tooth that is vital or almost
vital, once they are necrotic (abscessed) that procedure doesn't work." Hope this helps. Shirley "shirley" wrote in message news:UFKeb.476623$Oz4.307762@rwcrnsc54... Julie, I'll ask my DH about your question. I know a lot of the peripheral things about dentistry but the very specifics (pulp vs. extraction) is his domain. He's teaching tonight so I'll grab him tomorrow afternoon to get your question answered. Shirley "Julie Seely" wrote in message ... Thanks Shirley (and Stephanie) -- The kids brush themselves now, though I may start doing it for them once a day again. It is definitely one of those hindsight is 20/20 things. That said, Erica's teeth are (knock on wood) fine. The dentist said that after the back tooth is extracted, they would put a "spacer" (?) in so that the teeth wouldn't shift. And yes, I *definitely* plan on having their teeth sealed. Chris' 6-year molars are in, but not quite all of the way yet. We live in a rural area and the water is not fluoridated; we have a tiny bit of fluoride in our well water, but not much. Fluoride drops were prescribed, but since Chris drinks milk all day, it has always been hard to find a time to give him the fluoride, as it can't be given within two hours of milk. I guess my major question then would be whether a tooth that has abscessed could be "saved" via pulpotomy. Is the pulpotomy more traumatic than extraction? It seems to me that he's going to have seven years of careful eating, what with missing a tooth on one side, and that having something -- anything -- there would be preferable. Yes? No? Anyone out there with experience? Julie shirley wrote: You can't do root canal on kids teeth, they call it a pulpotomy (sp?). It's scrapping the pulp out of the tooth but extraction is only due usually to the abscess. Yes, you need the tooth for the adult teeth to follow behind but it also needs to be there because of the spacing issue. If it's the last tooth, I would not worry now. As far as the cavities, does the child brush himself or do you do it for him. My DH is a retired dentist and professor of dentistry (25 years of teaching/practicing), I was an assistant and my twins have braces. We still brush their teeth (at 8.5). We have electric brushes, expensive and cheap, they floss and neither have cavities. Each dentist I've worked for (also worked at Northwestern Dental School for 5 years), have given advice to parents that you don't let them brush UNTIL you are ready to pay for the dental work. Brush, brush, brush. Limit the gooey stuff, raisins, white bread, and other stuff. Cavities grow in a triangle form. By the time you see it, it's already huge under the pinhole that is seen. So even a pin point needs care, and every 6 months is a must for kids especially. That way they can get the cavities under control before they get abscessed. Also sealents and fluoride treatments are great (I know there are those of you who are anti fluoride but seal the teeth with the plastic covers that are offered on the back teeth and you will save a huge amount of time and money). Anyhow, it sounds as if your dentist is on the right track. Good luck and happy brushing. Shirley "GandSBrock" wrote in message ... We haven't had our first dentist appointment yet! Yikes. It's coming up this month. So I don't have any words of wisdom. But I do know with adults dentists "watch" spots on your teeth. I guess they wait for them to become full blown cavities, I don't know. I would question the extraction, just because don't you need the baby teeth in place to keep everything aligned for the adult teeth to come in the right way? But I also think a root canal is pretty drastic, I'm sure the extraction would be easier. I would ask him about the consequences of that tooth being absent. Stephanie Jake and Ryan 9/3/99 |
#13
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Kids and cavities
My DH said "a puplotomy is done only on a tooth that is vital or almost
vital, once they are necrotic (abscessed) that procedure doesn't work." Hope this helps. Shirley "shirley" wrote in message news:UFKeb.476623$Oz4.307762@rwcrnsc54... Julie, I'll ask my DH about your question. I know a lot of the peripheral things about dentistry but the very specifics (pulp vs. extraction) is his domain. He's teaching tonight so I'll grab him tomorrow afternoon to get your question answered. Shirley "Julie Seely" wrote in message ... Thanks Shirley (and Stephanie) -- The kids brush themselves now, though I may start doing it for them once a day again. It is definitely one of those hindsight is 20/20 things. That said, Erica's teeth are (knock on wood) fine. The dentist said that after the back tooth is extracted, they would put a "spacer" (?) in so that the teeth wouldn't shift. And yes, I *definitely* plan on having their teeth sealed. Chris' 6-year molars are in, but not quite all of the way yet. We live in a rural area and the water is not fluoridated; we have a tiny bit of fluoride in our well water, but not much. Fluoride drops were prescribed, but since Chris drinks milk all day, it has always been hard to find a time to give him the fluoride, as it can't be given within two hours of milk. I guess my major question then would be whether a tooth that has abscessed could be "saved" via pulpotomy. Is the pulpotomy more traumatic than extraction? It seems to me that he's going to have seven years of careful eating, what with missing a tooth on one side, and that having something -- anything -- there would be preferable. Yes? No? Anyone out there with experience? Julie shirley wrote: You can't do root canal on kids teeth, they call it a pulpotomy (sp?). It's scrapping the pulp out of the tooth but extraction is only due usually to the abscess. Yes, you need the tooth for the adult teeth to follow behind but it also needs to be there because of the spacing issue. If it's the last tooth, I would not worry now. As far as the cavities, does the child brush himself or do you do it for him. My DH is a retired dentist and professor of dentistry (25 years of teaching/practicing), I was an assistant and my twins have braces. We still brush their teeth (at 8.5). We have electric brushes, expensive and cheap, they floss and neither have cavities. Each dentist I've worked for (also worked at Northwestern Dental School for 5 years), have given advice to parents that you don't let them brush UNTIL you are ready to pay for the dental work. Brush, brush, brush. Limit the gooey stuff, raisins, white bread, and other stuff. Cavities grow in a triangle form. By the time you see it, it's already huge under the pinhole that is seen. So even a pin point needs care, and every 6 months is a must for kids especially. That way they can get the cavities under control before they get abscessed. Also sealents and fluoride treatments are great (I know there are those of you who are anti fluoride but seal the teeth with the plastic covers that are offered on the back teeth and you will save a huge amount of time and money). Anyhow, it sounds as if your dentist is on the right track. Good luck and happy brushing. Shirley "GandSBrock" wrote in message ... We haven't had our first dentist appointment yet! Yikes. It's coming up this month. So I don't have any words of wisdom. But I do know with adults dentists "watch" spots on your teeth. I guess they wait for them to become full blown cavities, I don't know. I would question the extraction, just because don't you need the baby teeth in place to keep everything aligned for the adult teeth to come in the right way? But I also think a root canal is pretty drastic, I'm sure the extraction would be easier. I would ask him about the consequences of that tooth being absent. Stephanie Jake and Ryan 9/3/99 |
#14
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Kids and cavities
David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the
teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... --Janet Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96) and Holly (4/4/01) "David desJardins" wrote in message ... Julie Seely writes: We live in a rural area and the water is not fluoridated; we have a tiny bit of fluoride in our well water, but not much. Fluoride drops were prescribed, but since Chris drinks milk all day, it has always been hard to find a time to give him the fluoride, as it can't be given within two hours of milk. I wouldn't worry about this so much. Calcium does interfere with the absorption of fluoride, which is why the instructions say to avoid giving the fluoride with milk, but it's certainly much better to take the fluoride and have its effectiveness be slightly reduced, than to not take it at all. The combination of fluoride with milk isn't going to do you any harm. In fact, several successful studies have shown that fluoridated milk can be effective in preventing tooth decay, in children not receiving fluoride from other sources. David desJardins |
#15
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Kids and cavities
David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the
teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... --Janet Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96) and Holly (4/4/01) "David desJardins" wrote in message ... Julie Seely writes: We live in a rural area and the water is not fluoridated; we have a tiny bit of fluoride in our well water, but not much. Fluoride drops were prescribed, but since Chris drinks milk all day, it has always been hard to find a time to give him the fluoride, as it can't be given within two hours of milk. I wouldn't worry about this so much. Calcium does interfere with the absorption of fluoride, which is why the instructions say to avoid giving the fluoride with milk, but it's certainly much better to take the fluoride and have its effectiveness be slightly reduced, than to not take it at all. The combination of fluoride with milk isn't going to do you any harm. In fact, several successful studies have shown that fluoridated milk can be effective in preventing tooth decay, in children not receiving fluoride from other sources. David desJardins |
#16
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Kids and cavities
Janet writes:
David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? I've never heard any such thing, and I can't find any mention of it on the web. So I'm doubtful. Do they have any reference to this supposed effect? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... Well, fluoride certainly can discolor teeth to some extent, regardless of whether it's taken with or without milk. Personally I don't see the big deal: you can chew just as well, whatever color your teeth are. Some people are extremely vain, though. David desJardins |
#17
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Kids and cavities
Janet writes:
David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? I've never heard any such thing, and I can't find any mention of it on the web. So I'm doubtful. Do they have any reference to this supposed effect? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... Well, fluoride certainly can discolor teeth to some extent, regardless of whether it's taken with or without milk. Personally I don't see the big deal: you can chew just as well, whatever color your teeth are. Some people are extremely vain, though. David desJardins |
#18
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Kids and cavities
"multimom4" wrote in message
news:TPIfb.677912$YN5.536880@sccrnsc01... David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... --Janet Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96) and Holly (4/4/01) It's not your fault. Permanent teeth are just a different color then baby teeth. Baby teeth are very white and like glass, says our dentist. We have three kids and no cavities. When the girls went the other day the dentist told me that if kids don't get a cavity in their baby teeth by four years old they probably won't get one at all (in their baby teeth). Interesting. We have one friend who's daughter has 8 cavities and she's only 6 years old. Morgan is going in next month to have her 6 year molars sealed. I'll let you all know how it goes. Luckily it's covered by insurance. -- Erin Morgan and Megan 2/15/97 Evan 5/14/00 |
#19
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Kids and cavities
"multimom4" wrote in message
news:TPIfb.677912$YN5.536880@sccrnsc01... David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... --Janet Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96) and Holly (4/4/01) It's not your fault. Permanent teeth are just a different color then baby teeth. Baby teeth are very white and like glass, says our dentist. We have three kids and no cavities. When the girls went the other day the dentist told me that if kids don't get a cavity in their baby teeth by four years old they probably won't get one at all (in their baby teeth). Interesting. We have one friend who's daughter has 8 cavities and she's only 6 years old. Morgan is going in next month to have her 6 year molars sealed. I'll let you all know how it goes. Luckily it's covered by insurance. -- Erin Morgan and Megan 2/15/97 Evan 5/14/00 |
#20
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Kids and cavities
Sealing takes about 30 minutes and is totally painless. We had Chris's
sealed but not Kathleen's. Chris has the most unusual geography on his molars, tons of pits and grooves that are very difficult to clean, even with an explorer but Kathleen's almost perfectly smooth which can be cleaned very well and easily. Neither have cavities either but both have braces. Brushing is a bit more difficult now. Also, Kathleen has never had fluoride drops (as suggested by the Chairman of Pedo at my DH's dental school), and does have fluoridosis (tooth staining). She was not medicated (another reason it occurs), as a baby or toddler but she still has a few spots on her teeth. Go figure - even our dentist has no clue. Shirley Chris and Kathleen 1/95 "Kender" wrote in message news:yk2gb.685561$YN5.544785@sccrnsc01... "multimom4" wrote in message news:TPIfb.677912$YN5.536880@sccrnsc01... David -- Are you sure fluoride + milk doesn't promote discoloration of the teeth? Our ped's office has always been *very* insistent on the 2 hour gap (not that we followed it) because of potential grey/yellow/whatever in the permanent teeth?? And now our kids' permanent teeth are coming in, they are not terribly white which could be natural or my fault .... --Janet Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96) and Holly (4/4/01) It's not your fault. Permanent teeth are just a different color then baby teeth. Baby teeth are very white and like glass, says our dentist. We have three kids and no cavities. When the girls went the other day the dentist told me that if kids don't get a cavity in their baby teeth by four years old they probably won't get one at all (in their baby teeth). Interesting. We have one friend who's daughter has 8 cavities and she's only 6 years old. Morgan is going in next month to have her 6 year molars sealed. I'll let you all know how it goes. Luckily it's covered by insurance. -- Erin Morgan and Megan 2/15/97 Evan 5/14/00 |
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