Dentist being over zealous ? DD (4)

[LDN1]

My daughter has been complaining for a few days of sore gums / teeth. My partner took her to the dentist today. The dentist was a young new addition and not the wise old owl we're used to... the dentist took a look and said that DD is grinding her teeth and that she needs to have them out (molars). Didn't make clear how many and also, has said that is has to be done in hospital. We are naive to these things and so just researching now, I've read about guards that can be used for a while (dentist didn't mention). It also wasn't made clear how many would need to come out. I've called back to try and get in with our usual dentist who is certainly a lot more clear and concise with explanations. In a general sense, we're shocked at the immediacy of it all. In the sense that: daughter has had sore gums for less than a week and we're told that teeth need to be removed.

To be clear, this dentist could well be right but, you know that feeling when things don't quite add up and a second opinion would help. Also, alarm bell when we find out more in 5 minutes online (guards, etc) than was explained.

By the way, DD's teeth are in good shape. She brushes twice a day.

Does anyone have any experience of 4 year old needing teeth removed?

Not a dentist but if baby teeth are removed, won't it just allow the new adult ones to grow in nicely in a space? Did they take any x rays to show you? Can you see the evidence of grinding when looking yourself? Would imagine it would be in hospital if she'd need sedation or general anaesthetic. Either way to post this youre feeling uncertain and understandably so as it seems you were left with more questions than answers. I say go get that second opinion so you don't have to worry. Hopefully a helpful dentist comes along to comment :)

NHS won't do anything for milk teeth except pull them out, in my experience anyway. Maybe try speaking to a private dentist to see if there are any treatment options.

Round here you'd wait for years on any hospital list for anything to happen even with children.

DD1 had a molar removed at 8 - as it was sinking into the gum - but the dentist sent us to an orthodontist first - plus x-rays were taken to check adult tooth below as we don't always get full adult set - before it was removed and it was done at dentist. The baby tooth then grew though normally with time.

It doesn't sound like a great appointment and in your shoes I'd try and get in to see another dentist and get a better explanation.

Plus you sure she's been added to any hospital list (they'd do own assessment as well) ?

Hopefully as PP says a dentist will come along and offer some suggestions as to what is going on.

You can't make a gaurd for a 4 yo as their mouth is constantly changing

Grinding teeth is not normally a reason to extract teeth in a 4 yo. Does the dentist mean the teeth are very worn? It would be very unusual in a 4yo for teeth to be damaged to the point of extraction through grinding that you hadn't noticed.

I would get a second opinion. The hospital will obviously see her anyway and won't extract teeth that don't need it, but it sounds a bit odd

Many thanks to all.

Yes it's the back teeth. The grinding has left them quite worn and of course, it's a ticking time bomb... if they go through to the nerve.

We were scheduled to go away this Sunday, driving over to France for 10 days / Xmas. But we feel we must cancel the trip now... because if DD does wear through to the nerve and is agony... we are over an hour from any hospitals. Also, the language barrier doesn't sit well with me in situations like that.

And so, the Xmas break she'd been looking forward to for so long is now not going to happen. Very very sad for her.

Regarding the practicalities: I note that a guard is not used on 4 year olds. I have read about a resin barrier guard to help create a barrier, just where the tooth is soft and worn. Again, the dentist did not mention this - it's something I've read.

I'd love a proper sit down conversation with someone in the know about this stuff. Even to ask, for example, if the wait list is 5 months or more... what do we all do in the meantime?

Again, any advise massively appreciated. My DD will be very sad this Xmas as the promised trip is now looking like it won't happen. And I'd love to establish the options.

A 4 year old does not have the manual dexterity to be brushing her teeth properly even if she is doing it twice a day.

There are no nerves in baby teeth. Still get a second opinion though

I would definitely seek a second opinion. Don't cancel your holiday either. It won't be an emergency to remove these teeth even if they do need it, you will probably wait months.

Your being really overdramatic cancelling your Xmas trip and that's completely unecessary.

Children don't tend to experience toothache in the same way as adults, usually worn teeth are not symptomatic. Even in adults tbh they would just be sensitive. It doesn't really make a lot of sense so I would get a second opinion.

I had very sore gums and my dentist and hygienist both recommended changing my toothpaste in the first instance. It worked! This may be completely irrelevant to your situation but perhaps worth a try in the interim?

My daughter is the same (though the dentist said teeth grinding is normal until 6) and hasn’t needed extractions. The dentist anyway said he wouldn’t take a tooth out unless there was severe pain.

There are nerves in baby teeth.

Absolute rubbish. I can assure you there are

It's more likely to be acid erosion than grinding resulting in wear, or a combination of both. You can put filling material over to protect the teeth and reduce sensitivity but it probably won't bond and patient compliance is very limited

Ultimately no one on here can see your child's teeth to tell you if the teeth need extracting or not. You obviously don't trust the original dentist so see someone else.

😵‍💫 yeah there are...

How do you think children have toothache? It's proper roots baby teeth don't really have and even then, they do still have them, they're just not the same as adult tooth roots. Not as long and I think (someone correct me?) that they're single rooted rather than having multiple.

Sorry there is a pulp inside baby teeth which contains blood vessels and nerves.
The nerve inside baby teeth is why they hurt when decayed or worn down!

children absolutely do experience toothache exactly the same as an adult. There is a large nerve inside a baby tooth, closer to the surface than an adult tooth so a small hole or amount of wear can easily cause a lot of pain.

No back baby teeth have multiple roots and all baby teeth have proper roots. It’s just as it comes time for them to come out the roots are eaten away so what you see is just the top part of the tooth.
It’s can make taking back baby teeth out quite challenging.

Op ask for an appointment with your usual dentist to chat over.

Unfortunately gum shields and resin overlays are not suitable on baby teeth but stainless steel crowns may be unless the teeth are dead or abcessed , in which case they will have to come out.

Grinding can certainly wear front teeth down but back baby teeth not so much unless there is acid erosion going on as well from diet or reflux.

Either way you need a bit more information about what is going on . The best advice will be from a dentist who can actually see what is going on and can advise you from there

Thank you all. Yes the dentist mentioned grinding which left us confused... as we've never seen or heard any evidence of that and so it does seem it'll be acidic erosion.

Interested to read here that resin / guards are not an option on such young teeth. Good to know. We will try and get DD in with another dentist, perhaps even at another practice, to be sure of a way forward.

We have cancelled our EuroTunnel but are considering going still to France. But it's hard to gauge whether the occasional discomfort that DD is experiencing could become rapidly worse and we'd rather not be abroad if that happens.

DD1 back molar taken out baby tooth had massive roots - we were told it was because it was out early and that baby teeth roots get dissolve and that obviously hadn't happened.

I'm surprised there wasn't lots of quizzing about diet if it could be acid erosion. some of my DC have weak enamel but acid erosion was first suspected - likely genetic or virus in pg early childhood interfere with tooth development that what two different dentists finally said. We are careful but they've also had fluoride coasting and sometimes prescribed toothpastes.

We had a stressful time with one of our teens - and I was having jaw pain and when I mentioned it to dentist he said he could see start of grinding issues on my back teeth - but DH in same bed as me heard nothing and saw nothing different. My issues luckily stopped when stress drop.

I can only suggest again you try and see another dentist and get a better explanation.