I took my almost 3 year old daughter to the dentist yesterday and they had to put a silver cap on her tooth. so they gave her two different kinds of medicine to knock her out well the nurse came out after she feel asleep and checked her oxygen level she got a real funny look on her face and said she will be right back. She came back and said for me to lay her on her back so I did and she said we need to put her on oxygen she isn't breathing normal. so we took her back and she was doing okay it came up alittle and they did her tooth as she was finishing up her level dropped again by this time I am scared todeath. she put the oxygen over her mouth and it came up a little they were trying to wake her up rubbing her chest and talking to her and she just open her eyes alittle and was still out. so they let her rest for a few minutes and tried waking her up agian and she woke up and shot straight up and was crying. I picked her up and held her and the nurse told me to wait alittle while before we left they wanted to watch her they checked it again and she was fine. came home and I am still scared so she fell asleep on my chest so I could feel her breathing. Know I have a few questions.if she ever has to go under local anastecia(sp?)I should definitly tell them about this. Do you think they could of gave her to much medicine and overdosed her alittle and she has a twin brother and they were both born premature and they had to have to steroid shots while pregnate with them for there lungs do you think that this could be a factor in what went on. It has got me concerned and I would like to know what I should do. because the nurses and dentists yesterday didnt' give me a lot of information.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 02:05 pm:

I would definitely talk to your pediatrician about it. And if you are ever in a position where your daughter needs to have anesthesia again, you should tell the doctor her birth history and her experience with this dentist treatment also.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 02:50 pm:

What a scary experience! It seems like they might have given her a little too much medicine. Like Ginny, I think I would talk to her doctor about it.

By Dana on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 03:32 pm:

No advice at all on what to do, but I am so glad she is doing better. I would be terrified! Did you call her ped yet? I would call just to make my own self feel better.

By Amecmom on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 04:30 pm:

As a new mom, I guess I'm not up on all the latest in baby dentistry. Is it normal for a dentist to cap a 3 year-old's tooth, when it's just going to come out when she's 8 or so? My sister is a dentist, so I guess I should ask her.
I'm sorry you had such an awful and scary experience. Without a doubt call the pediatrician right away, if you haven't already. You should have the doctor see her in the office to evaluate her, just to make sure she is okay.
Ame

By Momoffour on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 09:33 pm:

She has a dr appt Tuesday the earliest they could get her in. but the nurse said that it could have been anything that being a preemie at birth would factor in alot. The reason the capped her tooth was because she had a pretty bad cavaity and it wouldn't hold a filling. I am beginning to think that if they cut there teeth real early they tend to have bad teeth when they get older. My oldest daughter now 8 has had capps fillings and everything else done to her teeth she had her first tooth come in at 3 1/2 months and Josie had 2 teeth at 3 1/2 months and they both have bad problems with there teeth.

By Annie2 on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 11:23 pm:

That is a scary thing. Talking to your doctor about it is the right thing.
I once saw a young child who had ALL of her baby teeth capped because she had "baby bottle tooth decay". Well, maybe they weren't actually capped, but maybe silver replacements after pulling the bad teeth.

By Fionadeassis on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 11:51 am:

My ds had his teeth in early and also had bad decay by the time he was 2(I breastfed,he never had a bottle,and had never ever had juice or candy)...we brushed his teeth twice a day from when the first came in.

The dentist put him down with general anesthetic to fill his 2 front teeth and 2 molars on each side. When ds came out, he had a 'silver cap' kind of thing on 1 molar.The dentist said that when he drilled it,it turned out he needed a root canal so he went ahead and did it.

It kind of bothered me and worried me(I really didn't want any mercury in my kid's mouth)...and I wished the dentist could have come out and asked us first.The dentist has a really good reputation and is a personal friend of someone I know(she reassured me that he is not a shady character)..so I didn't say anything...

I read somewhere(maybe here) that the first teeth don't even have roots...so that a root canal is never needed on tiny children...don't know if it is true or not....
maybe Ame,you could ask your sister...

As for the trouble with anesthetic-we weren't too scared because ds had been under before for some minor surgery and did ok....but it is something I would really talk to a pediatrician about-just to be on te safe side!

fiona

By Amecmom on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 03:36 pm:

Wow! I had no idea baby teeth could be so much trouble! My son's teeth came in early as well. Though I've been giving him water after every bottle and brushing his gums long before his teeth came in, it sounds like this may have no effect. Does fluoride help at all?
My sister is not around this weekend, but I did an internet search of primary teeth and root canal and came up with this helpful website. Yes, root canal is performed on baby teeth and it's called pulpectomy. This is the site:
www.talbotsklardds.com/rootcanal.htm .
I'm so glad your little girl is fine and that the dr's office did not seem to concerned. It's a lesson to us all how vigilent we have to be about our children and their medical treatment.
Ame

By Cat on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 04:10 pm:

Wow, how scary! I'm glad your little one is okay.

Fiona, my oldest had a root canal on a baby tooth and the dentist didn't tell me, either. I was furious (and dh was even madder!). The dentist thought he had told me they were doing a root canal and not just a regular cavity fill. It was actually a previous fill that needed to be replaced. Needless to say, the dentist will make absolutely SURE I know what's going on next time. My youngest had 6 cavities (yikes!) filled in December. The dentist made sure to tell me one was very bad and may need a root canal, but he'd come out and tell me first if it did. Dh wanted me to find a new dentist. I figured it was just a miscommunication and he's great with the kids, so we'll stick with him. Heck, he didn't even get mad when Robin bit him last year! lol He's a keeper!

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 06:48 pm:

DEFINITELY tell your pediatrician about that. Even if she wasn't a premie or had the steroids, it's a concern. Some people have serious reactions to different types of anesthesia. You should find out exactly what drugs they used and keep that information somewhere. In the future, if she ever has to have surgery or more dental work, make sure the doctors/nurses/anesthesiologists know her complete history, from birth to this particular situation.

By Melana on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 07:35 pm:

ok, about floride, it can be more damaging than effective, don't give it to your kids unless you're on well water because most cities have it in the water already.

By Marcia on Thursday, April 1, 2004 - 12:59 am:

Baby teeth do have roots. The permanent teeth come up and wear down the roots, and when they are gone, the teeth fall out. The orthodontist or dentist just explained that one to me.