Clean Teeth?

Hi M.! I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter and we took her to a pedi dentist at 1 1/2 and again a couple of weeks ago. She also had stains exactly where you are saying and when she went to her first visit they told us that those were from milk. That it sits on their teeth and eats the top layer of their teeth and he used a "dentist" term for it, but I can't remember! He said not to worry (don't ignore a serious problem) but that she will lose these teeth anyways. He also said a lot of children get them, but not to let her drink milk at bedtime to go to sleep and brush her teeth before bedtime and no more food/drinks after brushing. We've followed his rule for the last year and when we took her to her second visit a couple of weeks ago, he said that her teeth look much better and to keep up the good work. I hope this helps!

Hi M.,

A regular dentist doesn't know how to deal with a wiggly infant or toddler so they recommend you wait till the child is 3. A pediatric dentist will recommend the child has his first visit when he starts cutting teeth. Since you have some specific issues to discuss with a dentist, I would suggest you find a good pedi dentist. If you're anywhere near Southlake, your son will LOVE Sandra Armstrong ###-###-####. She's near the intersection of 114 and 1709.

Good luck!

M.
www.GoodHealthMadeSimple.com

I didn't take my son until he was 2...like my ped doc told me to. But the discoloration would concern me. I would take him to a dentist just to be on the safe side...even if he tells you it's normal & to brush more. Better safe than sorry. :) If you get the right dentist, then you're son will cooperate. My son let them take x-rays on his 1st time!!

Have you tried flossing, too?

Yes! You do need to take him to the dentist. I had a problem with my toddlers teeth that the pedi didn't catch. (And I have a great pedi, we have used him for 11 years I trust him.) And I was always under the assumtion: no dentist needed untill 3 years old.
It turns out that my 2 year old has had a tooth problem since they have erupted (very little tooth enammel), and just had to have 4 pulled this past week. We used Drs. Hyde, Bailey and Creamer. Dr. Creamer was awsome! Thier office is highly rated on this message board. Hope this helps!

Unless your child has cavities, do not be too concerned. You can take him to a dentist, but unless the difference is very noticeable, like parts are white and parts are dark brown, your dentist will suggest the same as your pediatrician, just routine tooth brushing. Children's first teeth grow out in many different ways, some even look like they come out with plaque built it. Some parents have perfectly white teeth and have children with pearly beige teeth, but it's normal. Your pediatrician's education is good enough to detect a problem in this area. Your child will start loosing his teeth when he is 6 or 7, and that's really when routine checkups should begin.

I have been told different, my pediatrician told me to start taking my kids to the dentist at 1 year. I really though it was ridiculous but I went ahead and started taking my kids 1-2 yearly for dental exams, its very quick and easy, they brush the teeth with flouride the dentist looks at the teeth and gums and he is done.

I would think it couldn't hurt to take him to the dentist, if not just to get a qualified opinion from a dentist. Pediatritians may mean well, but they are not dentists. My little girl is 15 months old and I took her to a pediatric dentist right after she turned one. Of course she was not too thrilled with them messing around in her mouth, but really all they did was use a tooth brush in her mouth. They do wait until they are older to do serious work, but it is a great experience to get your child used to going to the dentist. This way it is something they just do every so often, rather than it being sprung on them when they are 3 and know that they do not want a stranger looking in their mouth.
I hope this helps! :)

I have been taking my daughter since she was 13 months. They actually did a complete cleaning for her. No x-rays at that point. The doctor did a great job. His name is Dr. Randall Barkley. I absolutely love him. He is located on Hulen in Fort Worth near Vickery Blvd.

Good luck to you.

I have a 14 month old who had his first trip to the dentist last month. From their perspective, they would rather the child come in around their first birthday rather than wait until they are 2-3 years old as some suggest. I was having similar concerns as you and the dentist was able to take care of it in less than 15 seconds with a quick cleaning. They were also able to show me some other techniques for brushing his teeth that are much easier and allow me to get to some of the spots where I was having trouble reaching before. He went to Dr. Weiner and Plocheck in Southwest Fort Worth. They specialize in pediatric dentistry. He saw Dr. Plocheck who was absolutely wonderful! Everything was geared around children and they dental assistants were well trained, super patient, and did an excellent job with such a young patient. I would highly recommend their office.