Filings in Baby Teeth: Yes or No?

Yes. They can abscess in a moment and the infection can go to the heart or brain and cause serious health issues, even death. If the pediatric dentist says fill them then follow the experts advice.

Yes. If you don't manage the cavity now, it could turn in to a root canal which is far more painful and expensive.

what is your other option leave them so they get larger and rot? Yes fill them and if you don't believe he has them get a second opinion.

My 4-year-old just had two small cavities filled. We brush his teeth and floss every night, and he does not drink a lot of juice or eat a lot of sweets. I do not ever remember having had cavities as a kid -- I was about 30 when I had my first one! However, I had my son's cavitiies filled. The dentist told me the cavities can affect the adult teeth. Other moms I've talked to have said their kids have also had cavities. Our theory is that dentists know more about teeth now than when we were kids, and maybe we all got cavities too but just didn't have them filled.

I'd get them filled. My son is 7.5 and has only lost 4 baby teeth...he could have those cavities a long time if they're not fixed.

Here's an option that we used when my son was 18 months old. Our dentist from the Children's Hospital in Boston recommended we apply a tiny amount of a flouride gel called GEL KAM every night after brushing, before sleep. It hardens the cavities/teeth and stopped them from getting worse until my son was old enough to get some work done without being put to sleep. It is made by Colgate. Some people use it as a toothpaste but our dentist had us use it as a topical application. It re-mineralizes the teeth. Regular use does cause some light brown staining but his teeth will be falling out soon anyway. You can get GEL KAM by asking for it from the pharmacist...it is not a prescription but they usually keep it behind the counter. It comes in pleasing strawberry and other flavors.

I would really think twice about putting your child through a filling process and possibly traumatize him for life from further dental treatments. It depends on his temperament. I would seek a second opinion from a pediatric dentist if yours has never heard of GEL KAM as a very promising and effective intervention to use with children's cavities. The Boston Children's Hospital Dentistry Dept. is very cutting edge and surrounded by research hospitals and universities.

Also, if you end up considering sealants, be sure to ask for a sealant that contains no BPA (bisphenol A), an endocrine disrupting chemical found in many plastics and other materials, including some sealants.

Best of luck to you!

as opposed to what? my daughter had some too, i was so surprised and upset, but i dont know that there are options, are there? you cant do nothing, right? they will rot. what you do have options with is the type of treatment she will get. my daughter got lazer xray- they say its 1/4 of the radiation of regular xrays. i also opted for no gas and she did fine. its a pediatric dentist, so there are distractions galore, and she did fine. spongebob is kind of like that gas anyway, lol!

I'd say yes. If he's 4 now, it could be 1-2 yrs till his first baby tooth falls out, and if the cavities are in molars, he could have them rotting in his mouth till he's about 10 yrs old and that's just asking for trouble and complications.
Brushing is great, but you need to floss, too. Some people just have weak enamel (it can run in families) and they just develop cavities no matter what they do to try to avoid it.

No! Put him on kid's cod liver oil for 6 months first to strenghten his enamel and bones. The vitamin D in cod liver oil is great for health in general. It's what I am trying right now with all my kids.

To make a long story short, I have a friend with celiac disease. When the disease was at its worst (undiagnosed), her body was not absorbing nutrients well. She got 13 cavities within a year in her previously strong, good teeth. She had to start taking calcium and vitamin D and other supplements to stop her bone loss. It wasn't just her teeth but all her bones were brittle and weak from her disease. So I believe even if you are generally healthy eaters and are brushing well, if your teeth are getting cavities easiy, your body is deficient in Vitamin D.

I would get it done but ask you dentist about BPA in the fillings. I just saw an article about how BPA is and has been in the new kind of fillings and studies are being done as to whether or not it is harmful to children. I believe the ADA says it's ok but for years we've been told not to use bottles or pacifiers with BPA so why would I put it directly into my childs mouth? Nothing wrong with questioning the dentist.

Yes to fillings...the cavity can go into his adult teeth as they grow in.

My son has 2 fillings in his baby teeth because by the time he loses the these, molars, they may become infected and damage the roots and permanent teeth. He is 9 and still hasn't lost the teeth so I guess it was a pretty good idea.
We just did novacaine and did fine. THey gave him the numbing gel first, he never knew what hit him.
Be sure to watch him while the novacaine is wearing off as he might bite his tongue and not feel it.

My older daughter, who is 8 right now, had cavities at 4. I was concerned like you about getting them filled. Think I was more worried about how she would handle the process, but the cost was crazy too. However they were back on her molars and when the dentist said she could have those till she was around 12 or 13 that sealed it for me, get it done. She lost her first 4 front teeth right around 5 and 6, but has not lost another tooth yet. If you have concerns about the proceedure talk with his dentist. The pediatric dentist we had at the time let me stay with her and made her feel comfortable, they did not have to sedate her but did use nitrous oxide to relax her. She did great and had no trama to the procedure after, she still likes going to the dentist.

My oldest had many, many fillings in baby teeth - definitely get them filled. Most cavities in baby teeth are on molars and those teeth don't fall out until age 10-12 and you don't want to go years with tooth decay - bad for permanent teeth and painful too.

I also had fillings when I was young (I think my first one was at age 3 or 4) and they were done with just novacaine. My son goes to a pediatric dentist though and they use laughing gas - he's not knocked out but he doesn't feel anything, so it ends up being a quick and painless procedure. Go for the white (mercury-free) fillings - you may have to pay the difference if they're on back teeth but IMO it's worth it to not worry about having the mercury in their teeth and they look so much better. Our dentist doesn't even offer silver fillings for kids.

I have 4 children ages 13, 17, 20, 21. I had 2 children that only had a few cavities. For one or two I filled it at about about age 5. For the others one, I chose not to. My apsolute choice is not to. They will be losing them soon. You are waisting your money. Keep a good eye on them and make sure he has no pain with them. My children did not and the cavity did not bother or cause the tooth coming in to be harmed...like they often say can it happen.
Good Luck!

I would ask the dentist when the bad teeth will fall out. If the teeth will be comming out soon then don't bother. But if the teeth will not de falling out till 10 or 11 then fill them. My son got fillings in his baby teeth at age 5 at age 10 those teeth arestill in his mouth. I didn't want him to go years with pain in his mouth.