My 5 Year Old’s Teeth Are Rotting

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I need some advice. I have a 5 year old who is very uncooperative at the dentist’s office. Her mouth is a mess. There is decay on quite a few of her teeth. However, what has me really worried is the back teeth. She has decay on all of her molars and one of them is starting to lose structure. Like the tooth is crumbling. I am at my wits end. I have heard that back teeth have to stay in her mouth until she is twelve years old. I have no idea how I’m going to do that. I brush her teeth every day, twice a day, but it never makes a difference. Do you have any advice for me?

Carla

Dear Carla,

The first thing I am going to suggest is that you see a pediatric dentist who offers dental sedation options. Your daughter has a serious situation going on. In fact, I’m guess there is an infection brewing that could turn into a dental emergency. Sedation will allow your daughter to sleep while the work needed to be done on her teeth is completed. I would not put this off.

While her front teeth can come out without long-term problems, you are correct that the back teeth need to be saved until her 12-year-old molars come in. Your dentist may find that the teeth need a pulpotomy, which is essentially a child’s version of a root canal treatment as well as a dental crown. For children, stainless steel crowns are standard.

If for some reason, the back teeth are too far gone to be saved, then make certain her dentist adds a space maintainer to it. This will keep the space protected until she is the right age for her permanent molars and prevent her other teeth from shifting or crowding into the space.

Now, let’s address this decay. I can tell you love your daughter and are doing everything you know to take care of her and her teeth. With all that you are doing, this decay is more than I would expect. This makes me wonder if she is a frequent snacker. If your daughter has snacks and lots of juice drinks or sodas, it could explain the level of decay you are seeing.

One of the biggest decay fighters we have is our saliva, which has bacteria fighting minerals in it. However, if we eat or drink a lot between meals, then it does not have enough of an opportunity to do its job. I’m going to suggest you limit her snacking to no more than once a day. If she needs drinks between meals, give her water so there isn’t any sugar getting on her teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Seth DeJean.
We treat autistic children.