My son is 5 1/2. He has horrible teeth! Evidently a small mouth with lots of teeth crammed in. The first time we took him to the dentist when he was four he had to get nine fillings for cavities. One of which they were concerned about a possible pulpectomy (sp?). The pulpectomy was not performed. The second time he went he had five cavities filled. One of the initial fillings was a top front tooth which is now loose. We went to the dentist today and they have stated that this tooth will have to be pulled (evidently there is new decay behide the filling as well as minor infection) and they want to place resin crowns on the other top three front teeth. I am apprehensive about pulling teeth. I have no idea when he was supposed to loose this tooth and how long he will be without a tooth. Should we look into a bridge of some sort if it will be a long time before his adult tooth comes in. If we do have the tooth pulled should we also have the crowns done. Oh what happened to the days when you just look forward to the tooth fairy:) Look forward to your response!

If the dentist has told you the tooth is decayed beyond repair then your only option is to have it removed. The dentist will do an x-ray and can tell how soon the permanent tooth is expected to erupt. If it hasn't fully formed, it may be best to get a pedia-partial (child's denture) to hold the space open until the permanent tooth comes in.

Keep in mind your son is a kid and should not be left fully responsible for his dental hygiene. As the parent you should teach him proper brushing/flossing techniques and help him to be sure he does a good job. He should be brushing at least twice a day and eliminate/reduce sugary snacks and drinks. You can get some "disclosure" tablets from your dentist to help him see the plaque on his teeth which will encourage him to do a more thorough job at brushing.

I am shocked. So many cavities in such a young child. Poor kid. His new tooth would come in around 6half to 7 years old. Cut back on sweets and clean his teeth.

Thank you for your response. I am reaching out trying to get some serious input on a serious problem and the response I am getting is we should be cutting back on sweets and brushing his teeth. We have been hauling this boy to the dentist four times a year for the past two years because we do care about him and his health/hygiene. If someone would like to help instead of stating the painfully obvious, I am all ears.

I did offer help: follow the advice of the dentist and have the tooth removed. Have a kiddie partial made to hold the space open.

If the information was as "obvious" as you say, your son wouldn't be in this predicament. As humans we get 2 sets of teeth- the first one is for practice. So now that all those teeth are ruined, it's time to adopt better dental routines to take care of the 2nd set (permanent). The only way to get a third set is to purchase them.


You say you're apprehensive about pulling teeth; do you prefer they rot out instead?

The reason the dentist wants to remove the tooth is due to infection. If the baby tooth isn't removed the infection will affect the adult tooth that is developing and it could erupt looking damaged.

The advice Nikosmom gave you is right on the money!!

You say you take your son to the dentist 4 times a year, I hope this is for a varnish fluoride treatment. Between visits you really need to take a serious look at everything your son puts in his mouth. Read the labels on everything he eats and drinks. Be sure sugars are not in the top 5 ingredients.

The decay on his front teeth sounds like baby bottle caries. Does your son drink from sippy cups? Is he drinking juices, milk or God forbid pop between meals instead of water? Let your son drink from a straw, this prevents the sugars from washing against his front teeth and gets swallowed before giving them a sugar bath.

You say his teeth are "crammed in" which means YOU have to floss his teeth EVERYDAY. You also have to brush his teeth for him at bedtime. Boys need parental help with oral care until they are 10-12 yrs old. Make sure you are using an ADA/CDA approved fluoridated toothpaste and don't let him swallow it. Now is the time to nip this in the bud, you have a second (and last) chance with his adult teeth.