Cavities

Q: What causes cavities?

A: There are many factors which can lead to dental decay. Excessive sweets, sticky snacks such as raisins, fruit roll-ups, gummy bears or hard candies and sweetened beverages such as Gatorade® can cause decay if not brushed away quickly. A balanced diet is as necessary for your child’s dental health as it is for the rest of the body. The use of a bottle, while sleeping, with anything in it other than water is a significant cause of cavities in very young children, as is breast feeding at will if your child sleeps with you.

Q: Can baby bottles cause tooth decay?

A: Sending your child to bed with a juice or milk-filled bottle, or anything other than water, may cause serious decay in his/her primary teeth. If your child goes to sleep while feeding, the American Dental Association recommends that bedtime bottles be filled with water only.

Q: Can my baby nurse at will if they sleep with me?

A: The presence of milk—even breast milk—during sleep can significantly increase the chances of tooth decay.

Q: How can I best prepare my child for the Novocain shot? I want to explain that the shot will only hurt for a few minutes.

A: Why worry your child for nothing? We don’t give Novocain shots in this office. We use flavored "jelly" and "sleepy drops." You can assure your child that everything will be explained before the appointment by the doctors and the staff. You can describe to your child that their tooth will feel tingly or be taking a nap for a little while.

Q: Will my child be frightened by the equipment in the dental chair?

A: It’s true that your child will see some amazing new things. But the dental assistants and the doctors will talk about everything we use. Here are some of the things your child will learn about and some of the words we use:

— the mouth mirror;
— the tooth counter;
— the raincoat for cavities and sealants;
— the toothpillow may be used if they get tired of keeping their mouth open
— the toothbrush to catch the sugar bugs
— the white star or the princess/prince crowns

Q: Is it necessary to fill cavities in baby teeth?

A: Absolutely. There are a number of reasons to fill a cavity in your child's baby tooth. A cavity is an infection and it is unhealthy to have an untreated infection in your child's mouth. Also cavities are, in a sense, contagious and if your child has an unfilled cavity, they are more likely to get more cavities. Ideally we are able to fill the cavity before it gets too large and causes pain for your child or creates a situation where the tooth needs to be taken out.

Of course, we always take into consideration each child's unique situation and at what stage in dental development they are.

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