2 Year Old with Cavity

Hi M.! I know what you're going thru... I have 2 daughters who strongly dislike going to the dentist. While I'm certainly no "herbal freak", a friend referred me to a product called RESCUE REMEDY. About 30 minutes before the doctor visit you squeeze 1-2 drops under the child's tongue. I was very pessimistic about this, but it worked. It even calmed my hyper (and terrified) 2 year old down! Hope this helps!
~Jenn~

I too was shocked to find out that my 3 year old had 2 cavities and then the next time around he had 2 more cavities. He does eat candy and sweets, but not to the extreme and his teeth get brushed twice a day also. I felt like a failure. The best thing that I did was take him to Camp Tooth (one in Quantico and one in Dale City). They are awesome there. At the dentist that I was taking him to previously, they would do a filling with no novacaine since it wasn't too deep. After having to hold him down and both of us being in tears by the time they were done, I said no more. I took him to Camp Tooth, and he has had two minor root canals with crowns with minimal tears. Both times he went back to daycare after he was done, at his request! They also teach you and your child the importance of flossing and brushing. My 4 year old reminds me every night that he needs to floss. Best part, they don't allow you to have any guilt!

Make aure you see a pediatric dentist. Mt kids have been going to our family dentist for regular check up since they were 2, the baby hasn't gone yet. But a few months a go my oldest who is 7 broke 2 teeth chewing on legoes and one ended up getting infected before we could have it pulled. Anyway, when we went for the consult the dentist was awesome. The had tv's on the wall in each little cubicle, he got a prize like every 2 minutes for something. He even said, "Do they think I'm 4?" Anyway, they explained they would use nitrous oxide to relax him. I freaked out and call my ped but he eased my fears and the appointment went great. So I guess my advice is definatley see a ped. dentist and definately get a consult before you have any major work done. Ethan did great and he's 7 but there were tons of other kids there. The other cool thingis they had a playroon with a huge tree fort he kids to play in in the waiting room. Very kids oriented. Also, relax yourself. If he sees you upset, it may upset him. And maybe you could find someone to go with you that way if you get upset you can leave and come back in when you calm down. Good luck!

M.,
I was in your shoes about 2 years ago. My now 4 year old had a cavity right in the middle of his two front teeth. I was afraid that he would not deal very well with the dentist and the filling of his tooth. But I sought out a pediatric dentist who's office was very inviting and he felt comfortable when we walked in. He was also allowed to bring his favor teddy bear with him to the office where the tooth was to be filled. They of course put him under and he slept through the entire procedure. But the important part is finding a good pediatric dentist where you and your child feel comfortable.

PS. The surprising part is the cavity came from my son drinking a lot of apple juice because he didn't care for milk. I didn't think apple juice was a bad thing.

Good luck with the dentist.
R.

Hi M.. I have never been in your situation but I do know a great Dentist. He is a family dentist, but he is great with children. My daughter started going to him at 3 and she loves him. His staff is also great. His name is Robert Zebrowski, and he is in P.G. county, Greenbelt to be exact. Hope this helps.

I would definitely recommend a pediatric dentist. They are trained to work with little ones and can handle whatever comes their way. My oldest was (and kind of still is) such a Momma's Boy and I thought he'd scream in terror when he went to the dentist for his first time but he loved it. Ours has a little play area in the front and then the rooms are decorated in a kid-kind of way and they play movies in the back. It's really nice and very helpful for both parents and kids. Good luck!

K. - stay at home mom of 2 boys, 5 and 2

hi
My son who is now almost 7 had a rough first dentist visit too. He was 3 and the dentist said he had 3 cavities which i just couldn't believe. I took him for a second opinion but ended up getting them filled. i recommend going to a dentist that specializes in children. We went to "Growing Smiles" in Bel Air and they did a great job making my son feel welcome and at ease with the process from the receptionist to the dentist they were very accomidating to me, the nervous mom, and my son.

My son is 4 and has language/speech delays (20 mos level) and has sensory integration issues. I completely empathize, my son freaks out when I tweeze my eyebrows... he thinks I'm hurting myself. Is he more comfortable with men or women... mine feels more safe with men (ie. his daddy, grandpa, uncles, etc) He would probably do better if his dad took him. Dentistry is something we haven't even explored yet with ours. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but I really do empathize.

My son will be going for his first checkup appointment in April with pediatric dentist, Dr. Jane Delaney. I got her name through several parents from preschool. They all gave glowing reviews.

I'm crossing my fingers that this is only a checkup and that there won't be any cavities.

Good luck.

Find a Pediatric Dentist. Not just a family one, but one exclusively for peds. It will probably make all the difference in the world for you.

When you call to make the appointment explain your concerns and the office will offer suggestions to you. Your first visit will only be a consultation. They should not be doing the filling then. When you return for the filling they will know what to expect and make recommendations for how best to fix the cavity. A little happy gas, numbing gel on the gums, novacaine shot, or something else.

Good luck.

Hi M.,
I'm sorry to hear that your son has a cavity. I'm in your boat as well, I have a daughter that had her 1st cavity at 3 year old, and six month later we found out she has 5 cavities!! So yeah, definetly find pediatric dentist. I sat in the chair holding my daughter while the dentist did the work, And she did good, cried in the begining, and was kind of scared of the thing the sucks the saliva out. But never even made a noise when had a couple shots in the gum and cheek. So good luck!!

I have three boys, two of whom have had major dental work before their 2nd birthday (my third doesn't have teeth, yet). We lived in another state when my oldest needed to first see the dentist. Once I set the appointment they sent out a personalized book with my son's name and the Dr.'s name. The story detailed exactly what would happen at the appointment. It was wonderful. I'm sure you could find books at the library or the book store. Read them often and the process won't seem as scary to you little one.

Another trick I used for Dr. appointments was a helium balloon as a reward for cooperating with the nurses and Dr.

Good Luck,
C. M

Hi M.,

I have no advice for you, unfortunately. However I am in the same sort of position as you so I know what you are going through. My son just turned 3 last month and needs to get his teeth looked at but he too hates going to the doctor and getting his hair cut. So how do we convince our kids to sit still for a few minutes, I would like to know =). Surely the dentist can't clean or even look over a child's teeth when they are thrashing their bodies. I will be watching your post for some adivce. Best of luck to you and your son.