Poor ds needs a tooth extracted - any advice appreciated

[YohohohoAhoy]

ds (9) has had a small cavity in one of his baby molars for several months. Dentist was leaving it in the hope it would be falling out soon. Sadly he developed an abscess, which had to be lanced yesterday (wibble) and now he's on antibiotics with extraction planned for a fortnight's time.

I've read back through some threads which were very helpful regarding the actual extraction, but I wasn't sure what to expect afterwards.

As it's a baby tooth will it be quicker to heal than an adult tooth - I've heard some horrid stories about dry socket etc, but wasn't sure if this was likely with a baby tooth?

I asked the dentist lots of questions about the procedure, and she was very helpful, but didn't think to ask about afterwards (doh!).

Any advice or reassurance very welcome indeed - thankyou

ds (also 9) had a baby molar tooth extracted last week after his cheek swelled up due to an abcess.

He had to rest afterwards (running around can make it bleed more), so had a sofa day, but next morning he said it felt fine, and has had no trouble at all with it so far.

I got him to rinse his mouth with salty water a couple of times, but it seems to have healed very quickly on its own. He's also had a week of antibiotics to get rid of any lingering infection.

He's recovered very quickly and seems to have no ill-effects at all - unlike me - what with all the bad-mummy guilt about 'letting' his tooth get infected in the first place!

As he is 9 & this is a baby tooth, the roots may have already started to resorbe [this is when the adult tooth pushes up from underneath, making the roots disintigrate].

Therefore, any hole left behind is likely to be smaller than if it were an adult tooth or if he were younger. It is unusual to get a dry socket in a child. I haven't come across a dry socket in a child [was a dental nurse for years before I had dd].

Main causes of dry socket are smoking [dries/heats the mouth] & vigourous rinsing [dislodges the clot]

Just make sure you follow the post operative advise to the letter & I am sure he will be fine.

My ds(4) had to have a tooth extracted a fortnight ago after partially knocking it out - slid off the sofa onto the carpet!

It wasn't a molar, it was one of his top front two (sorry name eludes me, preggy brain and sleep deprived atm).

It bled lots when it was taken out, but he was much happier after it had gone and has had no problems at all since having it done.

oh dear, why oh why didn't your dentist treat it initially? we had this with ds and his orig dentist wanted to leave it, I took him to my fab dentist and he did a root canal

gah, sorry no advice, just wanted to rant. hope it goes ok. x

My youngest was at the Access Dentist this morning having a tooth assessed for extraction. The thought makes me feel a bit green.

My son is 9 and has a malformed adult molar so he will need two removed, one from the bottom and it's mate from the top. Gulp. I was wondering if he will need stitches as it's an adult tooth with roots being removed.

They offered us an appointment for extraction in just two weeks but we will be on holiday. I was amazed that they could schedule it so fast! As it stands, he will have them extracted in January.

Hope your child feels better soon. My dh had an abscess just last week and was in agony.

Bloody teeth!

Thanks all

Sandcastles - particularly reassuring to hear that about dry socket - thankyou. Have to confess I'd never heard of it before Mumsnet

Dinny - I've read/heard very conflicting opinions about baby fillings. We did discuss it with our dentist and as he's generally fab, went with his advice. I didn't think root canal was an option on baby teeth I have to say, and it never came up.

He's always been a bit of a hit-and-miss toothbrusher and we've tried everything short of getting him in a headlock, which somehow didn't seem appropriate for a 9-year old!!

Funnily enough in the past few weeks he's become much better, so hopefully this will be it for dental trauma

YohohohoAhoy, it is a grey area, I think, work on baby teeth

my dentist honestly did a root canal on ds this summer to save his tooth (he was 3 years old) - such a fab dentist, ds didn't even realise what was going on, amazing to witness, I have to say

worth the 40 mile trip to see him!

as in, the decay was so deep it was right down the nerve, I'm no dentist - think I remember him saying it basically amounted to a root canal

I see what you mean dinny - think ds's cavity was quite small so didn't need immediate action.

Good dentists are worth their weight in gold

I've had some horrors over the years, including one as a child who:
a) used slapping as a way to calm down distraught children
b) filled most of my bottom molars with ugly great fillings which it later appeared weren't necessary
c) told me I was stupid when I explained I was a bit nervous.

No wonder I had a fear of the dentist for years. Pah!

I had several milk teeth out as a child (jaw too small) and as an adult I only have room for 24 as opposed to 28 and had the wisdoms out too.
As an adult had 2 x abcesses and root canals too, you poor lad is young to have to put up with that kind of pain, brave boy!

Never had a problem with any of them healing - the post op routine from my mum was ice cream and comic as a reward and salt water rinsing!

Good luck, mine were mostly under general anaesthetic, do you know if his will be? I remember never liking the gas mask, preferring an injection in my arm. They top up with gas whilst you're out anyway though, hence tippexy tasting clots, yuk!

One bit of advice - keep food really simple in the first day or two. I always went off anything strong I ate afterwards as it associated with the gas taste. Still can't face broccoli and stilton soup which my mum gave me once!

Hi Lotster, no GA, just a local. Apparently he's going to have some numbing gel then an injection in the gum.

Hopefully it will be less painful than the horrible lancing - ouch.

Good advice on the food - I'll stock up on tomato soup as that's pretty bland

YohohohoAhoy - when ds had his tooth out my dentist advised no hot food for the first day or so as it can make the gap bleed.

Might be worth asking your dentist about this - ds was fine with jelly and very soft bread sandwiches for the first day.

By the way - I think we may have had the same childhood dentist - mine was fond of totally unnecessary work and lots of belittling comments - I avoided dentists for years too!

DS, odd boy that he is, usually waits until his soup is barely tepid, so I'm hoping that will be ok!

Dentist is fab, so am sure I'll get lots of advice about food from him.

Another classic from dentists past - my wisdom teeth. They have never come through. At different times I've been told:

1. they have come through, I just don't remember
2. x-ray shows wisdom teeth waiting to come through but at vicious angles so will need removing
3. x-ray shows there are no wisdom teeth to come through
4. x-ray shows semi-formed wisdom teeth which will never come through but will go bad and will need extracting under GA immediately

I can't actually remember what current dentist said about them. I'll have to ask!

My daughter had three top teeth extracted, waiting for the injections took longer than actually having the teeth removed. She was 10. She didn't want to do much in the afternoon afterwards but was fine the following day.

ooh, wissy, I hope it's the same for ds - sounds very encouraging

Bit of an update....

The abcess took a long time to go down, and started coming up again Wednesday (10th). Got an appointement that afternoon, and the dentist took it out then.

It was fine

Apparently last week's abcess-lancing was 10 times more painful, and it hasn't even been sore - was eating normal food the next day. No problems at all.

So thanks all for the advice

THe dentist gave him the (rather gross) tooth in a little box, so what with that and a gory hole in his gum, he has much kudos at school.

And at least we haven't got to worry about it any more. Phew!