Daughter needs teeth out

[Guiltymum1]

Name change as feel so guilty. My daughter is only 4 and needs four back teeth out as holes are so bad. Dentist is lovely and says we're not the only ones but doesn't help this horrible feeling I've got.

Has anyone had a younger child to under GA for teeth out?

Hiya. I know how you feel. My ds had front teeth out at 3 as night bf had ruined his teeth. Was very hard i wont lie. Just make sure you take someone with you. Was very traumatic. As dentist says it happens to alot if children. Dont beat yourself up about it. His 6 now stil waiting for them to grow back.

Yes! My 5 year old has hypomineralisation and recently had a back tooth out and a few crowns put in under GA. He had terrible side effects from the GA and he had to be sedated post-op. Turns out he had an adverse reaction to a medicine they gave him. Apart from that, he was back to school the next day and he got really lucky with the tooth fairy giving him ‘paper money’!

Does your child have a medical condition that has caused the decay? What can you do to stop future decay?Horrible time for a small child to go through.Ask the dentist how you can prevent this happening again.Yes, I would feel terrible if it was my fault.

Aww thanks for your replies.

@star8 thanks for advice. I'm very nervous about it. Was hoping it would happen during summer hols but waiting list seems long as didn't want her to kuss any school.

@alittleadvicepls thanks it's good to know he bounced back. Dentist said kids can be resilient with things like this so I'm hoping we're the same.

I already feel a bit better knowing it's not just us. Thank you.

I'm not sure that breastfeeding was the only cause of your dc's tooth decay. See breastfeeding.support/breastfeeding-and-tooth-decay/

If you brushed your dc's teeth before giving the last bf of the night, and they didn't fall asleep with milk in their mouth, breastfeeding should not have been a cause.

@Guiltymum1 - it's natural to feel guilty. I would too. If your dd's tooth decay is caused by her diet and a lack of tooth brushing, not a physical problem you didn't know about/couldn't have prevented, then this is a wake-up call for you. Ask your dentist for guidance on how to brush your dd's teeth after this, and make sure your dd has regular checkups. I hope the extractions go well.

@Ragruggers no medical conditions, dentist mentioned bf and over the last two years not having dentist check ups. We know what to do in future which is mainly being so strict with getting the back teeth as that would be a bit of an ordeal as dd has bad reflex. And yes I do feel terrible.

Thanks @bloodyunicorns that link is useful as I am not convinced bf is the main reason. For us it certainly hasn't been that we've not been bothering to brush teeth, was just hard to get those back teeth. The rest of her teeth are perfect. This was picked up a few months ago at our first check up since Covid restrictions and since then we're strict with diet, two minute brushes including us getting to the back.

We see lots of children in hospital having teeth out on a weekly basis. Some are because it’s a medical issue/weak teeth, majority is just poor dental hygiene where children’s teeth are rotten and need many out. Lots of dental hygiene health promotion is needed as well as better access to dentists!

it’s quick and children recover after anaesthetic but it can be a bit traumatic when they first wake up mainly because of the anaesthetic feeling rather than awful pain, lots of cuddles with pain relief at home for the rest of the day.

Ah - I bet it's the reflux. My dd is 18 now and had bad reflux as a baby that has continued on and off. She has needed fillings in her back teeth over the last year, and our dentist said that reflux is likely to have caused the decay - imagine corrosive acid coming back up - see e.g. pidcgr.com/oral-health/acid-reflux/

I'd ask your dentist for suggestions to help prevent this in future. Our dentist painted fluirode sealant onto dd's teeth twice a year - maybe this will be suitable for your dd?

@Mybeautifulfriend22 thanks it's good to have such an insight to what it's like just now for situations like this. Thank you for your advice on how to deal with post op. It's certainly a wake up call for us .

@bloodyunicorns at our appointment at the beginning of the year the dentist put the "fisherman's friend" sealant on which has helped with any future decay (along with the thorough brushing routine!).

I guess I need to focus on now and the future to get through the extraction and prevention for the future too. Mum guilt never goes away though.