Do any of your kids brush their teeth at school?

Mommy F. ↓

Tue, Jan 05 2010, 11:54 am

One of my kids is really prone to getting cavities.
He needs to see the dentist every 3 months instead of every 6 months.
And each time he goes he has 1 or 2 cavities!
We brush and floss his teeth and he eats healthy, he's just prone to getting cavities.

I was thinking of sending a toothbrush and toothpaste and disposable cups for him to brush his teeth after lunch at school. Has anyone ever done this? Will the teachers just think I am crazy? Is it too embarrassing for a kid to make them do this?

Thanks for your help ladies . . .

amother

Tue, Jan 05 2010, 12:00 pm

Mommy F. wrote:

Are you kidding? I am thrilled if I can get them to brush once a day at that age. Twice a day takes much longer to establish. And floss? Did you say floss?
Some children are more cavity prone, and you seem to be doing the best you can. You can try to let him brush in the morning, when he comes home, and again before bed, but that should be more than enough.
Some dentists provide a coating to treat the teeth so that they should get less cavities.
Other dentists decide there are cavities where there are none.
I think if you decide to allow your son to be the only one in the whole class brushing his teeth in public, you are definitely going to need lots of money to pay for therapy for his mental health.
As with all things, moderation is the key, otherwise he will be obsessed with this for life.
Simply my humble opinion, no offense intended.

MetroMom

Wed, Jan 06 2010, 8:11 am

Did you consider adding rinsing with ACT to his brushing regimen? It makes a tremendous difference! I have one child with very weak teeth as well and my dentist recommended it. It really is a 'tooth-saver'. Literally. I believe that Listerine makes one too, but ACT is better recommended.

DovDov

Wed, Jan 06 2010, 4:07 pm

If he's only four and a half, then these are baby teeth, right?
Given his history, be very proactive in getting sealants put on his permanent teeth as soon as they come in.

Has he ever seen another dentist? Dental diagnosis is notoriously unreliable and as a PP said, some dentists just "find" things ot treat that no one else would treat. I'd definitely take him for a second opinion just in case your doctor is overly aggressive in treating minor issues.

I'd also be proactive about making sure he gets enough calcium in his diet.