to feel like a bad mother...

[nannyplumlikesitupthe]

Just back from the dentist with my 5 year old daughter and am devastated...she needs a fillingerie in one of her teeth. I feel awful...she always brushes her teeth twice a day and eats healthy majority of the time. School don't allow any junk food either so always has a good healthy lunch. What have I done wrong?? I honestly feel like a ship mother...she's only 5

Apologies for typos am on the phone!!

Don't feel bad.

According with recent evidence it seems that eating frequently and brushing right after eating actually increases tooth decay.
Also remember that fruit can have lots of sugar as well as acid, although it's healthy.

But I do think some people are just more prone to cavities.
I'm not as careful with my teeth, just brush at night, and have pretty healthy teeth.

I don't think you've done anything wrong. By the way, did you know that although they're savoury and not sugary, crisps are very bad for teeth. Not that I'm saying your daughter eats them.

My first thought, however, when I read your thread title was "I've got one you can have!".

Don't feel guilty. None of mine- 3 with a combined age of 50- have fillings and that's just luck and genetics. I wasn't uber strict about tooth brushing and they even went to bed with bottles of chocolate milk
Genetics are funny like that and your
Dd will luck out somewhere else like great eyesight.

Don't best yourself up op. My ds had one at 6 and he was the one who brushed his teeth the most. My other 3 were hopeless and have none.

I have 7 fillings and dh has 2.

It just happens sometimes.

I had 12 fillings in my milk teeth and have continued in this vein with my adult teeth...my brother has never had any fillings (now 40yo)! We had the same diet as kids (nothing that would explain my problems), he now drinks loads of sugary drinks and never bothers to brush his teeth (yuk) but he's still fine. Genetics has a huge role to play and Some children are just more susceptible to the bacteria that cause tooth decay than others.

Thank u for the replys. I have done abit of Googleing and i feel a little better!! I was just so shocked...especially as I was stood there so smug

I have fillings in three of my four six-year molars. I got the cavities shortly after the teeth erupted. I don't have a lot of other cavities. I don't think my mom was a bad mother.

A filling isn't much and could be explained by a bit of tooth accidentally being missed when brushing. Obviously if she had several teeth rotting you'd need to reassess dental care.

Think about how a toothbrush moves in your mouth, and you realise that one odd shaped nook could easily end up with a filling. I've always looked after my teeth,. and they are terrible. DC1 (adult) on the other hand drinks nothing but cola and has one, count it, one filling. Grr.

Did your dentist seal her teeth? Thats the best thing since sliced bread IMO.

My 6 year old son has a filling; due to a weakness in the enamel in his teeth that he was born with. Could this be the case with your child? He is otherwise fit and healthy, no juice between meals etc etc

I believe a lot of it is genetics my brother hardly ever brushed his teeth despite persistant nagging and coercion and had to have his baby teeth forcibly removed as a 9 year old cause they were so strong!! They were also perfect and white! It turns out at a routine dental appointment as a teenage that the original dentist forgot to remove some baby teeth and he had to have the rest removed!!! He's never had a filling though he is more hygienic now!

You're not a bad mum. Some people are more prone to decay.

There's exactly a year between my eldest dcs, one had to have several baby teeth removed two years ago while the other has perfect teeth. They've always eaten and drank the same, never had dummies, had no bottles past 12 months old, and until recently I've always brushed their teeth. Some times its pure luck whether you have good or bad teeth.