Bollocks, dd (5) needs a filling

[squeaver]

I got a right telling-off from the dentist. She's 5, hadn't been to the dentist for a year but I thought we were doing ok with brushing etc.

Now I feel like crap. Tell me I'm not the only one this happened to.

And tell me what I say to friend who has said more than once that "it's child abuse" if a child has to have fillings in baby teeth.

DS1 has plaque on one of his teeth and he's 2.6

I think some children are just more prone - I brush his teeth x2 a day and quite obsessive about it, he only drinks water, doesn't eat sweets and has a bit of choc 1 or 2 times a week.

My dentist said not to worry, main thing is to get into habit until big teeth come through. He said kids don't get gum disease. Made me feel silly for worrying.

Your dentist doesn't sound very supportive tbh.

man oh man ds1 has had to have so many fillings i have lost count
as i am huge lentil weaver and did not give him sweets till about 4 this is kind of funny
if it wasn't of course so upsetting :-(
i told our dentist i felt terrible about it, and she said she does EVERYTHING right with her dd's teeth, and her dd still needed a filling

the problem with us was

1. crap brushing
2. non-fluoride toothpaste (we thought it was unhealthy)
3. bad genetics
4. loads of snacking on fruit and dried fruit things like cereal bars
5. dentist says they need LOTS of drinks of water to maintain good oral hygiene - little sips this was news to me

before i had children i would have said fillings in baby teeth were pretty shocking and obviously a sign of shit parenting
but you know, it has happened - we have tried to immprove all the things we were getting wrong - life goes on

sorry for you, but try not to beat yourself up and just do the best you can to

oops, to decrease chances of it happening again

I really think teeth strength and quality is genetic, of course you can improve and help with brushing but don't feel too bad it's not always the parents fault!

Thanks guys, that's reassuring.

Do any of you know the answer to this: I asked if she could have a white filling and he said that would need a general anaesthetic, but wouldn't need GA if she was getting a metal filling.

That can't be right can it??

just this minute posted in chat about DD2 needing a filling. i'm gutted, she's gutted.

all of ds's are white fillings and he has never had GA

i would change dentist if you don't 100% feel happy about your current dentist
the only thing that has made ds's huge amount of dental work bearable is the fact we found the most brilliant and kind dentist

The white filling thing sounds like bollox to m I've had both, and don't think there was any difference.

Does she really need a filling? Would the tooth not fall out naturally before it was painful?

DS2 had a filling in a front tooth which came through with "decay" as it had never properly formed....it wasn't a metal filling, but it was at a private (bloody expensive) paediatric dentist.

they really do need fillings lyn - their teeth won't all come out for years and years

Oh EG, shall we have a hug?