Every time I take our 9 yr old to her pediatric dentist for a checkup and cleaning, she has at least one new cavity. I don’t understand this, because every day I watch and assist her as she flosses and brushes her teeth, and still she gets cavities. The pediatric dentist’s questions make me feel like she thinks we don’t know how to floss and brush correctly. I took the extra step to ask the dental hygienist to make sure we were doing things the right way. She was very kind and gave us some tips, but there is nothing major that we weren’t doing. By the way, I strictly limit my daughter doesn’t drink soda, and I limit her sweets to one day twice a month. Why is she getting so many cavities? Thank you – Nevis
Nevis – It is frustrating to be proactive about your daughter’s oral health and still see her have repeatedly have cavities. Speak with your daughter’s pediatric dentist about your concerns and ask for her help.
If she is maintaining good oral hygiene, there may be other factors that are contributing to the cavities. Diet, medication, health issues, vitamins, and genetics can affect our oral health. Ensure that your daughter drinks plenty of water throughout the day to reduce the amount of acid in her mouth, which promotes bacteria and decay.
It is also possible that your daughter’s cavities are related to a medical condition. Ask your daughter’s dentist for recommendations on extra steps that you can take to help fight cavities, or that the dentist can provide to help. If the pediatric dentist is unable to determine the cause of the cavities, your daughter’s pediatrician can look for medical conditions that might be contributing to tooth decay.
If no problem is found with your daughter’s physical health, the problem might still be related to oral health. If her pediatric dentist can’t seem to identify the source of the issue, consider getting a second opinion.
This post is sponsored by Naperville Dental Specialists.
