Feel terrible - just took ds (3 in sept) to dentist and he found a little bit of decay in molar!

[dinny]

noticed ds has been occasionally saying 'ouch' when brush at back of oneside of his mouth so took him to dentist today and there is a small bit of decay. dentist said he will just see him every six month to keep an eye on it an make sure it's not getting any bigger but I feel terrible he has a sodding hole so young.

he eats a really good, healthy diet generally - he does have the occasional biscuit or ice cream or lollipop (which am going to cut out TOTALLY) from now - I did wnder if it might be because I bf him so long (2.5) and a a lot at night but denist says that casues decay on front teeth, not molars.

also asked if the fact he's had a lot of antibiotic courses (due to some probs whn he was 6-18 months) may have weakened his eteeth but dentist said not.

just feel awful

[pooka]

My opinion on this is that some people are just more susceptible to tooth decay. For example, myself and my brothers obviously ate the same food as children. I ended up with multiple fillings. They had none as children and had beautiful straight teeth to boot. I had braces.
DH is the same. Eats much more sweel stuff than me and always has. Not a filling in sight.
So I wouldn't blame yourself, just be super vigilant on the brushing from now on and do what I'm sure you're already doing with sweets/choc eaten in one go, plenty of water afterwards.

[dinny]

thanks, Pooka, I do feel he hasn't got particlarly strong teeth, like my dad's side. whereas dd's are great.

just feel soooooo guilty I have ever let him eat anythign sweet and haven't held him down and forcibly brushed his teeth when he's objected (which is every time!)

[pooka]

I am in terror that mine will inherit my dodgy teeth.
Out of interest, did you or dh have any decay as children?

Think that there's so much pressure on parents about sweet stuff/juice and so on. That even if you follow the rules rigidly and brush religiously (and forcibly ) and your child then jsut happens to have teeth more prone to decay it's like it's completely your fault. When sometimes it isn't.

Snot fair.

[mumblechum]

It doesn't sound as though he has too much sugaretc.

IME, good diet/dental care don't always result in good teeth, and vice versa.

My ds just got a clean bill of health, 2 years after last checkup despite him eating massive amounts of crap (don't shout at me, he spent his dinner money on sweets for a year before I found out) and gives his teeth only the most peremptory brush.

Some people are just more predisposed to cavities, I reckon.

[dinny]

yeah, am blaming my dad and his manky teeth!

still, totally cutting out ANYTHING sweet other than fruit!

[jackie2kids]

OMG this will happen to me soon I'm sure.

Def read somewhere that tooth decay is a genetic thing though.

Its so hard to brush LOs teeth properly and fruit has as much sugar as sweets so all kids are at risk.

Thats why their teeth fall out and they get to start again.

Don't feel bad.

[dinny]

thanks, all.

Hi, Hatrick

[potoroo]

Dinny, I've always had good teeth, but never been particularly 'ggo'. My poor sister on the other hand was on fluride tablets from a young age despite having a good diet, teeth brushing etc because her teeth were so awful. I think sometimes its genetic.

Its unlikely to be your fault!

[Spider]

I agree with pooka that some are more susceptible than others. Don't beat yourself up about it. I can just see your brain working overtime thinking back to all the things which may just possibly make it your fault! So mum-ish.

My dd had a small filling at the age of 6 btw so I understand.