DD needs a filling... help please...

[GentlyDidIt]

Hello, I was royally bollocked by the dentist yesterday as DD needs a filling. We are going back in 2 weeks' time. He says she will need injections beforehand.

I have overcome a severe dental phobia, as a kid I needed fillings at every visit and have taken REALLY good care of DD's teeth because I didn't want the same for her. We have sweets about once a week, and she usually drinks water, milk or very weak sugar-free squash. Brushing twice a day with supervision. I'm mystified, and I feel like total crap about it TBH.

Can anyone tell me

1. Is it really uncommon for a 6 year old to need a filling?

2. Is there any alternative? Dentist was so cross I didn't want to discuss yesterday, particularly over DD's head.

3. How on earth do I prepare her for it?

I had fillings when I was only slightly older than that. My mum never allowed me to have sweets, fizzy drinks, or anything like that, and the dentist said that I just have weak enamel - maybe this could be the case with your LO?

If she does need a filling I'm not sure that there are any alternatives, but would it hurt to go back to the dentist and ask? I think the best way to prepare her for it is to make sure she knows exactly what's going to happen and, most importantly, to try and stay calm yourself throughout the whole thing (I realise you might find this hard).

There was a thread about something similar earlier this week which you might find helpful WRT preparing children for the dentist - here it is

There are lots of reasons why teeth decay: chips & breakages, genetics etc.

TBH I would expect any health professional NOT to have a go at me at all and I'd be seriously thinking about not seeing them again. They are there to provide a service not berate you

Is is a baby or adult tooth that's affected?

my DS2 has just had to have 5 baby teeth removed.......they were so weak they were crumbling.

the dental hospital we went to were lovely tho. we went thru all my pregnancy history plus his history of meds etc and it all comes down to a genentic issue whereby the enamel hasn;t formed properly. in part from the meds during pregnancy to stop me delivering early, plus he has had lots and lots of meds for bowel probs....and meds are highly sugary, which is hell on teeth without decent enamel.

dentists have a great way of making us feeling like the worse mums ever if our children have teeth issues, but as my dentist said (I have found a lovely one due to MY phobia!), some people have weak hair, others get poorly easier, still more others tend to break bones easy................and so you will therefore get some with weak teeth.

is it really needed tho for your DD.are they baby teeth that will soon fall out?? if so, and they are not causing pain, is it really worth the stress of putting her thru somehting that is stressing YOU out??