3 year old/fillings/laughing gas?

We had a dentist appointment today to find out what to do about my daughters cavities. She has a couple tiny ones on her front teeth - due to breastfeeding at night when she was younger. Her dentist didn't want to do anything about them before because she was too young so we're seeing a pediatric dentist now.


Anyway - the dentist told me that we could leave them because they're so small and wait til she's older and not as likely to resist but I don't want to take a chance of them getting bigger and being more complicated to take care off so we're going back in two weeks to take care of. She'll be getting laughing gas to help her relax.


Today she was pretty good at the dentist - let her check and count all her teeth but wouldn't accept a cleaning. She clamped her mouth shut and said, "no way"


How can I get her ready for her fillings? I dont' know if she is going to cooperate. Does anyone have any experiences with young kids and laughing gas? Especially fearful kids?


Thanks

3 year old/fillings/laughing gas?
The theory on baby teeth is different than it is on adult teeth. Baby teeth will exfoliate and the permanent teeth will erupt underneath. Usually front teeth exfoliate around 6 yrs of age. If your daughter has small cavities, why not have her checked every 6 mos to see if the cavities have gotten any bigger? It may feel like you aren't doing the right thing, but believe it or not giving her a bad experience at the age of 3 may be harder to get over than letting the teeth be for right now and just watching them. As parents we do try to give our kids the best, and at 3 yrs old, it is hard to know how much they understand about what we are doing to try to help them. They may not understand and it may scare her more than it is worth. Also, you could try to get a second opinion and see if the second dentist concurs with your first DDS.


I would suggest canceling this appointment and just reschedule a cleaning again in 6 mos to see if they can determine if these cavities will stay about the same size or get larger. If you want documentation of their size, have the dentist xray the teeth and then compare xrays in 6 months. Also, ask your dentist about fluoride treatments or fluoride supplements. If your daughter ends up being cavity prone fluoride can help reduce the amount of future cavities she will get.
Reply:Laughing gas is actually really bad for the female reproductive system. Most dentists don't use it anymore, so I'm surprised your child's dentist does. It order to get her to let the dentist do his thing, you gotta make it worth her while. Bride her with something, so she'll cooperate. The gas really helps you relax, so once she gets it, she'll probably relax and be fine.
Reply:First of all, I agree w/the dentist. If its on her front teeth, she will be losing them in a matter of a couple years. Don't put her through the trauma (or what she expects to be trauma) for it. If you and her take good care of her teeth, the decay isn't going to spread too much, if at all. If it does, you can opt to have them pulled...when she is older.....if they don't fall out naturally.





I worked for a dentist and still fill in on occassion and have never heard, seen, read or been told anything about nitrous oxide (laughing gas) effecting female reproduction.
Reply:I have cleaned and worked on children as young 6 months and up alot of times you find that a general dentist wont work on small children first of all they are not equipt and not only that they are not kid friendly things are not at their level and for them . things have changed so much pediatric dentistry and the right office is and should be fun for the child to go to remember we dont use the same terminology that they usre a general office uses we use words that they understand so remember that when explaining to your child use the sleepy medicine and popcicle air we nver use the word blood we use the word red and never shot thats sleepy med so think like your child age they only hear the bad stuff and the last three words and remeber we may of had bad experience but our child doesnt have to they know if mommy or daddy is nervous so be positive . So for her treatment I would have them done first of all if they decay and dacay can spraed fast in children you dont want her to wake up one morning with a swollen face thinking I should have taken care of this and her teeth can become fragile so if she would fall or run into something her tooth could fracture at the gum line so while they are small take less trauma for her and easier treatment so she will have a more positive appointment. and its okay to give her the nitrus oxide it will just relax her andthey do give her more oxygen than nitris so she will breath full oxygen for a little bit after she is done we call it popcicle air because the children can pick flavors so she will be okay this is a good thing mom and the staff in pediatrics are trained in being with children from newborn up so she is in good hands maybe she can take her favorite movie to watch we had tv's on the ceilings for the children and children to better in the Am Appt and waiting for her teeth to wiggle out themselves can damage her permanet teeth wich is around 6 or 7