keeping teeth healthy while treating lows

[SarahKelly]

I am just wondering what you guys use to keep your babes pearly whites healthy. Isaac has at least one low a day and often it's not when we're able to get to a toothbrush after. When I say low I mean between 65-80 with IOB, so I give a little something like a glucose tab or a roll of smarties to keep his BG up. So, Isaac has had a lot of trouble with decay since dx and we have tried everything the dentist suggests (you should see my cupboard of stuff!)...but it doesn't seem to be helping.
Any ideas?

[nebby3]

My dd was also dx at 19 months old. She is almost 11 now so 10 yrs with D almost. So far she has had no cavities. HonestlyI think some people are just more prone to decay and I am not sure D has anything to do with it. Also I think once decay gets in once it is harder to combat.

I would avoid sticky sweets (which it sounds like you are). Juice boxes with a straw are a good choice especially at night because the juice will hopefully bypass the teeth altogether.

Beyond that I would look into natural ways to prevent and even reverse decay. I have read a little about such things online and while some of it sounds quacky. There are other bits I would at least try if my child was having lots of problems. Some of it just involves supplanting certain vitamins for example.

Good luck

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

Maddie has had surface sealing of her teeth - it's been done a few times - and she hasn't had any cavities ( though who knows, maybe the bonding had noting to do with that)

Is your son old enough to chew sugarless gum? (obviously not a nighttime solution) I have been advised by my dentist to chew a stick of gum after a meal if I'm out and can't brush. (it sounds so much like quackery that I'm compelled to link http://www.ada.org/1315.aspx)

[swellman]

Molar sealants once.

Brush twice a day - after breakfast and before bed - adult fluoride toothpaste.

Tap water probably once per day.

Occasional juice with straw and occasional tablet at night.

2 dentist visits per year with cleaning and fluoride treatment.

Not one cavity.

[Beach bum]

Sealants
Fluoride treatments at each visit
Brush if possible after treatment, if not then water and as I always say "a super brush at bedtime"
Sugar free gum if your child is old enough. Our dentist feels that when brushing isn't an option, then this is a good alternative.
Avoid chewy snacks (ie. fruit snacks, gummies) as a form of treatment when possible. Our dentist said that the fruit snacks just love to wrap themselves around the teeth and make a home. He likes gels or frosting since they don't bathe the teeth in sugar, just passes by pretty much. So what we do is use that kind of stuff at night when we know that brushing is a challenge (would you want to get up and brush your teeth after treating a low)


Both my kids have had cavities, this is with brushing fairly diligently. I think some people are just more prone to it. We have found though that cutting down on the amount of chewy snacks has definitely helped avoid more cavities.

[hawkeyegirl]

Another big fan of sealants here. Actually, both kids' teeth have been sealed.

We also avoid almost all gummy snacks and treats, and would never use them at night.

[manda81]

Our kiddos both have sealants as well, and our dentist recommends having them just do a water rinse (or drink water) after tabs/juice.

[Lakeman]

My child has had one cavity and it was a doozy. She ended up having the tooth removed. Fortunately it was a baby tooth and will be replaced by an adult tooth later. In any case as a result I have learned a lot about tooth care.

We attempt to rinse after sugary treatments. Even at night she can sip her apple juice and follow it with some water while mostly asleep. Previously in the daytime we had her rinse with tea thinking it was slightly alkaline but have since learned that we were wrong - tea is acidic. (p.s. filtered water is acidic too. Mineral water would be alkaline)

Last year she had leg cramps and night terrors which have both resolved since she started taking magnesium tablets. (we asked the pediatrician for the correct dose and the clinic follows up when we visit to check the dose) The magnesium works like a charm for both issues. Why did I bring this up? Because I read online that some people get cavities as a result of an insufficiency of magnesium. And since the dentist told us that there is no way a child who brushes regularly could get the kind of cavity she had just from being treated for lows there "has to be" some other explanation for the cavity.

Yes, I too have heard that sugar free gum could help. We don't eat sugar free products but that could be helpful for those that do. Also I have heard one can brush without toothpaste and get 80% of the benefits of brushing with toothpaste. That lathery foam in the toothpaste does nothing for you. The abrasive action certainly cleans teeth but should not be done in a window ten to 20 minutes after eating because then it is more like scrubbing your countertop with acid - better to brush right away before the enamel has softened or wait until the acids have been neutralized by saliva. Saliva is a great medium for bathing teeth but it takes up to four hours to really completely do its job and if you eat in the meantime then it has to start over - another good reason to space meals apart rather than to graze all day. I suspect that saliva cannot do its job well if the body does not have the proper nutrients to keep its PH just right. I think the body uses minerals like magnesium to do this.

Not that any of us want to hear this but I read that insulin (any kind) in excess can result in low magnesium levels. Basically that means that the more carbs one eats the more of a chance that one will not have enough magnesium. This works in two ways. 1. our body uses lots and lots of magnesium to use insulin and process carbs and 2. insulin causes calcium retention and calcium is antagonistic to magnesium. That's kind of hard to believe so I googled a bit and here is one link:
http://preventdisease.com/news/12/09...epletion.shtml

[MomofSweetOne]

Along the lines of what Lakeman said, high BGs (which our kids all have) drain electrolytes out of the body. Our endo team told us this at one visit, but here's a link that talks about it: http://www.livestrong.com/article/35...e-in-diabetes/ When the electrolytes are out of balance, the body's pH is affected. When pH is affected, BGs are much harder to control. It can be a vicious circle, but when we keep an eye on my daughter's pH, her diabetes is much easier to manage.

My daughter has had no cavities (yet). I, however, had one that needed filled and another one that was just starting. Our dentist told me he didn't want to touch the starting one and to go home and google on remineralizing teeth. I'm thankful that he recommended intervening before drilling when he didn't feel it was necessary yet. http://health.howstuffworks.com/well...n-of-teeth.htm

[swellman]

Originally Posted by Lakeman

Previously in the daytime we had her rinse with tea thinking it was slightly alkaline but have since learned that we were wrong - tea is acidic. (p.s. filtered water is acidic too. Mineral water would be alkaline)

Tap water from municipal supplies is almost always alkaline.