Tooth Extraction in 2.5 Year Old

[ToddlerToothDecay]

My DP has been told by my NHS dentist that my son needs to get some teeth extracted. My DP was too overwhelmed when told the news to ask any questions. All I know is that it will be done under general anesthetic.

We've brushed twice a day since his first tooth and he doesn't have fruit juice/fizzy drinks/sweets/crap food.

I did BF through the until he was 1.5 and never brushed after a BF. He has also always been a grazer and he used to eat raisins quite a bit until I found out how bad they were for the teeth. Other than those things I thought we were doing everything right.

He did have bronchiolitis several times when he was a baby, with very high temperatures, but was never on medication. Though, just thinking about it, it is only recently I noticed and switched to sugar free calpol and nurofen.

I'm going to call to speak to the dentist tomorrow to get more information, e.g. How many and which teeth, will the adult teeth descend early, what can we do for his remaining teeth to prevent any further decay.

Has anyone gone through this? Are there more questions I should ask? We're devastated and would like to hear from anyone who can offer practical advice.

Are you using baby toothpaste or adult? If he's getting decay he needs to be on adult with at least 1400ppm fluoride. He's fine to use it as long as he spits out afterwards, rather than swallows. His grazing & dried fruit habit needs tweaking. As a general rule 3 meals & 2 snacks a day are fine as long as he's brushing well.
Have you used disclosing tablets? Perhaps his brushing isn't as good as you think. Is he brushing or are you? You need to be doing it for him until he can tie his own shoe laces.
For prevention in the future, I would be applying fluoride varnish at least 6monthly, 3 monthly if lots if decay. And fissure sealing all molars.
His adult teeth are likely to be a little bit slower coming through if he loses baby teeth early. He is also more likely to have crowding in his adult teeth. NHS orthodontic provision is getting cut & cut & cut. In 10 years there may not be any so I tend to advise parents in your position to put £10 a month into an account. If he needs braces (which he may of needed anyway) you've got the cash to pay, if he doesn't a nice holiday!
The GA will be scary for you but he'll only be out for a few mins (will be in theatre longer for setting up etc) & home the same day.
Hope I've made some sense (trying to get baby with a cold to sleep). If there's anything else give us a shout.

Thank for all the information and ideas. I really appreciate the time you took to respond.

I am going in to speak to the dentist on Thursday and, in the meantime, have some things I can do.

FYI children aged 2.5 should only be on 1000 ppmF not 1400ppm until they are 3 isisisis, due to the risk of fluorosis.
Otherwise all the other info isisisis gave you is correct.