Is the Dentist Really That Necessary?

Yes. You do have to force her to endure the procedures. My now-twelve-year-old was the same way, and his dentist had to schedule him at 5pm for every appointment, because his screaming and hollering would drive her other patients away. I used his fear of the dentist as a motivator for him to brush his teeth carefully every morning and evening, and last time we went to see the dentist, he had no cavities--- amazing, given the amount of candy he manages to chow down on. The long and short of it is, if you let your kids' teeth rot, you are handicapping them in numerous ways, not least of all that the stigma of poverty attaches to people with rotten teeth.

Hi Michele,
As a dental professional of 20 yrs who is married to a dentist I will tell you that regular dental visits are VERY critical for everyone. Preventative dental care is much easier to handle than the alternative. If your daughter is so afraid, find a pedodontist. (children's dentist) If you think the battle is bad for check ups and cleanings, try dealing with fillings and extractions. As to the fluoride treatment, ask if they have a rinse instead of trays. If your daughter hasn't had any cavities so far, opt for x-rays once a year. Sealants are a terrific procedure for preventing cavities on the biting surface of back teeth. A pedodontist is really your best bet. Email me if you have ANY questions.
Sincerely,
L.

The options to proper dental care and check-ups is tooth decay and loss, infections in the gums, massive amounts of pain and even bone loss in the jaw (your teeth actually help feed the jawbones and keep them healthy and strong). So nope ... not critical at all.

Definitely look into a pediatric dentist for her or even just a "different" dentist. It might help solve some of the issues she has with the dentist.

However, IF that doesn't work and she still has problems ... yes you can and SHOULD "force" her to have what needs to be done. Most kids don't like doing their homework or going to school but we make them do it anyway, because in the end it's what's best for them. So are regular dental check-ups and cleanings to PREVENT worse problems down the road. I know the battles don't seem worth it but the alternatives are SO much worse.

The best way to keep your children's teeth healthy are healthy diet, lots of brushing with NON floridated paste, especially after carbs, ( I keep a toothbrush pack in my truck), allow them to chew Gum with ZYLITOL in it- which kills the bacteria when you can't brush, and take Cod liver oil- the omegas in it will help keep teeth from rotting.

I am a firm beleiver in not letting the dentist have free riegn. Every tooth in my mouth, and my siblings, was filled by age 10.Why? my mom had EXCELLENT insurance, and boy did they take advantage of it.

Dental sealants give the highest estrogenic effects for the least exposure. If you wouldn't hand your child 8 birth control pills, dont do sealants either.

Floride is a poison. I dont allow them to touch my children with that stuff. There are studies that say this stuff does not help with cavities at all. Even dentisits have said it.

My kids have perfect teeth. My 7 yr old son has never been to the dentist. The food kids eat will make a big difference on the acidic effect of the saliva. veggies, and meats and small amounts of fruit will give a better saliva than a carb and juice laden diet.

I'd call around for a dentist who paints on the flouride: those spongges are one of my worst memories of the dentist, but my kids haven't had to endure them. I think that dental health is very important for many of the same reasons mentioned below, but also because it's not like you can LOOK and see a cavity. Preventative care (cleanings, sealings, and x-rays) beat an emergency root canal or other horrid mouth problem any day.

We use a pediatric dental office; they see kids through age 18, but most are little guys 12 and under. The whole staff is friendly, they sing, and really center on the kid rather than the procedures. My kids like going- x rays and all. If you call 1-800-Dentist they can tell you dentists in your area that accept your insurance and specialize in pediatrics or whtever specialty you are looking for.

Dear Michele,

As someone with an overactive gag reflex, I can sympathize with your daughter, but it is vitally important to see the dentist regularly.

As a child, my family did not have dental insurance, and I did not see the dentist until I was 13. I have all kinds of problems with my teeth that could have been corrected with regular dental care, not to mention I am (still) kind of scared of dental work!

My son has been seeing the same dentist since he was 3, and he loves going to the dentist. I think having a pediatric dentist was a big part of that, because they specialize in children's care and have more patience with them.

My niece has to be sedated at the dentist, which causes all kinds of problems for her mom, because the closest dental office theat does pediatric sedation is about 60 miles away, but she takes her, because it's so important.

Hope this helps.

As a dental assistant I have to say YES. You can ask that they do x-rays once a year. But think about it...you only get two sets of teeth in your lifetime! If you are lucky that is 80 years. It is well worth taking care of them and part of that is visiting the dentist. Maybe ask your dentist if you can have a slightly longer visit, have the hygienist explain a little more about what they are doing, show your child the x-rays and the anatomy of their teeth.
As a child I would hyper-ventilate in the chair I was so scared! It is one of the reasons I became a dental assistant, to get over my fear...and I did! Sometimes all that is needed is a little more attention, guidance and understanding. And let's face it, it IS only every 6 months. =)

i agree that it would be good for you to find a dentist who will take the time to explain the procedures more to you. they are doing much more than just xrays and fluoride. they are checking lymph nodes, which help control the immune system. they are checking for overbites, underbites, etc. all these problems can be really hard to take care of and can lead to jaw problems, premature tooth decay, and other issues if you don't catch them early. they are looking for wear and tear from teeth grinding, etc. it looks like they are just doing a quick check, but a lot of things are looked at in those few minutes.

i had sealants, braces for over 5 years, the WORKS. xrays revealed i had an adult tooth growing in on TOP of another tooth. i have had so much oral surgery, it's kind of silly. then again, my dentist always tells me i have fabulous teeth, and i can guarantee i'd have a frightening mouthful of teeth had i not gone through all that during childhood!

Yes, yes, yes...totally worth it. I agree with all that the others have said. I would find another dentist. My kids have gone to the dentist since they were 3 and they pretty much love to go...why...because of him. He has totally let them lead the way and he does what they feel comfortable with. My kids are twins and my son has had way more done then his sister (they are almost 6). My son has had them cleaned and polished and x-rays...my daughter has not yet, but he checks her teeth out and makes sure they are doing ok. If there were problems, he may force it a bit. She knows that once she is 6 she will need to have them polished/cleaned and we will prepare her for it. Now, I have a dentist who does all his own cleanings...it is just him and his wife in the office (no assistants..he does it all himself)...he is a former dental school instructor at UCLA and has worked and USF. He set up a small office in the town he grew up in so he could practice how he felt best.

Let me tell you, preventive care is much easier then the alternative...I have had to have a ton of dental work in adulthood and I don't wish that on any of my kids.

So, I would keep taking your daughter to the dentist and try to prepare her (and the dentist) ahead of time as much as possible. Has she watched you get your teeth cleaned yet...that is what I think I will do with my daughter so she will know what to expect.