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Children's health

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Original poster

Hole in molar under 2 years old

52 replies

Greybearskip · 09/06/2020 22:57

Hello everyone I am looking for some advice and reassurance I guess. I've just been playing with my toddler and i see what looks like two holes in his top molars. I am devastated. My question is will dentists be able to help us at the moment? My worry is I don't want them to get worse and cause pain. He's so little. I feel so guilty and just so sad.

OP posts:

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stairgates · 09/06/2020 23:07

I dont know if the dentists can do anything for him as he is too young for any fillings. They will advise no sugar and regular brushing. My youngests teeth started to get cavities at the same age, he was still breast fed day and night. He is now 4 and was due to see a specialist this week but has been cancelled due to covid. If they get painful he would need to be asleep for them to be filled or removed but this needs to be done in a hospital. My little one has never complained of pain luckily but the mothers guilt is terrible :(

TippledPink · 09/06/2020 23:11

My stepsons had loads of holes in their teeth when I first met them (they were 1 and 2), I took them to the dentist and they filled the holes with some white paste. It won't be priority at the moment unless he is in pain. My SS's weren't in pain with it.

solarlightexpress · 09/06/2020 23:12

My son a molar with a small hole in it and they put a silver crown over the top of it.

solarlightexpress · 09/06/2020 23:13

Has a

Medievalist · 09/06/2020 23:17

One of my dcs had to have his 4 back molars out around the age of 4 as they were so decayed. I was so upset. But apparently the enamel hadn't formed properly on them. If it's any consolation he's now in his early 20s with an absolutely perfect set of gnashers!

Original poster

Greybearskip · 09/06/2020 23:43

Thank you everyone. I don't think I am going to sleep tonight. No pain it seems but I'll just be waiting for it to start for him. Do you think breast feeding is the issue stairgates? My little one still feeds a lot. I'm sorry to hear about your little one - was the specialist to do with his teeth?

OP posts:

lettuceplants · 09/06/2020 23:47

Phone your dentist in the morning. They may not be open yet for regular exams but they can give you advice. You can even submit a photograph to them. They could provide a temporary filling possibly to cover the hole. They will also log your call and your child will be on the priority list for assessment once they reopen properly

Original poster

Greybearskip · 09/06/2020 23:49

Thanks lettuceplants I will do.

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Bringonspring · 09/06/2020 23:56

Unfortunately breastfeeding can cause it, it’s milk. You should clean his teeth post feeding. His too old to be falling asleep on the boob etc

SpillTheTeaa · 10/06/2020 00:12

I work in a dentist and were not doing any treatment that requires a fast or slow hand piece.
They might not be holes.
It could in fact be hypomineralisation. If it is a hole and it isn't caused by junk food the holes in most cases are actually caused by milk and juice. Especially if they have it before bed and teeth are not being brushed after the milk or juice.
Don't beat yourself up about it, these things happen and sometimes it isn't because of milk or junk it's simply just one of those things.

SpillTheTeaa · 10/06/2020 00:15

His too old to be falling asleep on the boob etc

Fgs, he's 2 not 12.

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 00:16

Thank you spilltheteaa so would this treatment need that equipment?

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SpillTheTeaa · 10/06/2020 00:20

I can't speak for all dentists but we haven't always used hand pieces of children so young. We use a tool which is like a spoon to scrape and get the decay out. Chances are OP.
It isn't even a decay

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 00:24

Its a tiny black spot on two molars so I fear it is decay but thank you for being so kind and helpful. Fingers crossed that our dentist might be able to help tomorrow but I have a feeling they are still open only for emergencies. I fear I won't be getting much sleep tonight...my poor little one

OP posts:

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 01:19

How does he get on with the crown solarlightexpress? Does he notice it? Does it get replaced?

OP posts:

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 07:54

Waiting for dentist to open...

OP posts:

SpillTheTeaa · 10/06/2020 08:07

They will probably see him but no exams are taking place but they can assess him. And with children we tend to see them fairly quickly. It's very unusual to place a crown on top of a tooth at such a young age and they definitely won't be doing crowns at the moment as it is quite an invasive treatment as you have to shape a tooth for a crown to be placed. Sometimes if it is decay it might not be as deep as what you think. You should stop beating yourself up about it though. These things happen and you've spotted it now no one is going to judge you.

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 08:18

Thank you spilltheteaa I'm judging myself pretty harshly and my mind is going to all sorts of scary places about long term damage. Counting the minutes down...

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barfotoliv · 10/06/2020 08:18

I am in the same situation. My 5 year old will need GA to have two teeth removed. We only discovered this last year when he let the dentist check his teeth for the first time (suspected ASD; he'd refused to let the dentist check before that).
We were devastated and the guilt is terrible. We were also confused, as he has the same diet and teeth brushing habits as our older DS who has never had any issues. However, the key difference has been breastfeeding. Our oldest was breastfeed until 6 months, but my youngest until he was 2, on demand which by age 2 really meant through the night. The dentist says this is probably what did it. I'd never realised this could be any issue with his teeth.

Knowing this has helped (a bit!) with the guilt as I honestly didn't know; in fact I was proud of bf so long and genuinely thought I was doing the best by him. I'm sure the guilt will resurface when the operation comes around though! You're not alone.

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 08:23

Thank you barfotoliv. I stopped him feeding last night in the night and that was so difficult. In my mind as you say I have been proud to be still breastfeeding and thought milk is good for teeth. I think maybe the issue is I co sleep and he's been grazing through the night since birth. He's just a baby and not had his teeth that long I can't believe it.

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Oblomov20 · 10/06/2020 08:27

Calm down OP. It happens. Once you've got over the guilt, it happens. Because of breast feeding. One because one of your children has weaker enamel than one of your other children?

stairgates · 10/06/2020 10:02

The breast feeding is a hard thing to get your head around which is why I mentioned it in my first post to see if it may be similar :) When my little ones teeth first started to show signs of decay, it was his front teeth, I mentioned it to the dentist who I dont think is allowed to outrightly say 'Breastfeeding is bad for teeth!' but said how at night the milk just sits in babies mouth and coats their teeth in sugar, this is exactly what mine was doing. I then spent the next 6 months researching and finding conflicting information, breastfeeding contains an enzyme good for teeth! great keep feeding! its the diet which is lacking, give baby this expensive fermented cod liver oil! great bought that, in tears tried to make him eat this vile stuff, plus avoided certain foods added butter to everything for the A and D, decay slowed but never stopped. When I eventually stopped the b/f the decayed slowed and parts of the teeth started to create a new, not enamel, but white protective layer. This new layer is very fragile and the teeth underneath are weakened, add a knee to the face from 5 year old brother during play, a little tooth snapped in half, then he managed to steal a chewy lolly at halloween, half another little in the friggin lolly!

Your little one may not be the same but it does happen and the time you spend possibly still feeding and researching may not fro definite but may weaken the enamel on other teeth. I aswell have older children all with beautiful teeth but they werent fed as long as my youngest. I believe that had mines appointment not been cancelled this week then they would be arranging for a hospital appointment to put him to sleep and remove the little stumps aswell.

stairgates · 10/06/2020 10:08

Just adding, sorry but it was my obsession for a long time :) That my little one had reflux as a baby, this started after I had introduced a dummy which I know I would have put in my mouth at some point. We have now found out through my siblings that I probably acarry a bacteria in my stomach which causes reflux and teeth problems in my adult siblings. Bacteria which causes tooth decay can be passed on from mother to baby. I believe I have passed this to my son, which incidently started his reflux (he never puked a drop before I introduced a dummy at about 8 weeks) which probably started affecting his teeth as they come though which I then kept soaked in sweet breast milk for the next 2 1/2 years, if any of this sounds similar then think hard about maybe stopping the b/f for his benefit. Its really hard but I should have stopped at that first appointment.

Original poster

Greybearskip · 10/06/2020 10:09

Thank you stairgates I stopped him feeding last night and it was super hard but the daytime will even harder...since lockdown it feels like he is feeding constantly. I'm just devastated which I know sounds dramatic but finding it really hard today

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stairgates · 10/06/2020 10:13

I know this pain :) Its like giving them up:) Yours may not be this but cavities linked to breast feeding just arent talked about, only 'bad mothers' who put their children to sleep with a bottle of coca cola each night have children with bad teeth!! This is what I always thought :)

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