Feeling sad about my 6 year old's teeth - any dentists around?

[IlanaK]

I took my 6 year old to the dentist today for a check up. He hasn't been for about 2 years (and that was a different dentist). But he has a few permenant teeth now and I was concerned about the state of a couple of them so I wanted them checked.

Basically, the middle lower two teeth which are permanant ones are so yellow and caked with hard calcium looking stuff. The dentist was very suprised and said you would not expect to see teeth like that until late teenage years. Unfortunately, it is genetic. My husband's teeth are terrible and he has to go to a hygenist 4 times a year minimum to keep them under control.

Anyway, we now have to take my son to the hygenist and the dentist basically said this is the youngest patient he has ever refered.

On top of this, my son has complained about one of his teeth hurting. The dentist said they are overcrowded in his mouth and that he is probably heading down the route of orthodonture in the future.

Let me just add that this is a dentist I trust - recommended to me by someone in the profession. So I believe him (and how could you not when you see the state of my son's teeth?)

I am just very sad about it all.

well my son (also 6) has this quite often on his second teeth - when I asked the dentist he said it was calculus (sp) and it formed on young teeth as they still had ridges on them and hadn't become smooth yet so the stuff had something to grip onto. He said don't try and remoe yourself as you could do damage but chiseled it off quite painlessly and effortlessly and quickly. He didn't even say You aren't cleaning them properly, so just assumed it was nothing to worry about.

How interesting. And how different from what my dentist said. He did say it was calculus - I just couldn't remember the name until you said it. But he definately said that it was unusual to see so much that it was almost covereing my son't teeth. Not sure what to think now.

it gets on his inside edge of the four bottom teeth despite not having loads of sugary or sweet things and cleaning teeth twice a day. and concentrating on giving those teeth an extra brush.

My daughter (11) has been to the dentist a few weeks ago and I was worried cause her teeth in the last 6 months had started to go that yellow colour mainly on the bottom front ones but could be seen in other places too.....Dentist was great and said it was indeed Calculus and recommended a scale and polish. She had this done and some tablets to show her if she missed any bits cause it shows up blue. Think this is done once a week or so to keep it in check and they are called disclosing tablets. Anyway I suddenly realised the other day that this all started to happen when I bought her a new toothbrush and decided to get her an adult one as she was growing up. I had bought her a good one too with bells and whistles on..but have gone back to what we always used prior to this which was Asda kids range..so far so good and no recurrance of the yellow gunk...hope this helps. For what is worth she never has any sugary drinks..only fresh juice milk or water, has limited treats just at the weekend and that treat is usually chocolate she generally never ever eats any other sweet stuff but has a biscuit with her lunch every day. Hope th at helps

My dd is 91/2 and has the same calculus build up on her bottom front teeth. She goes to the dentist every six months to have her teeth cleaned and checked.

We find it is better when we floss her teeth regularly.