# Yellow spots on teeth



## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

DS (12months) has a yellow spots on his front top teeth, right where there's a slight indentation in the front of the tooth (if you touch your tooth with your nail, you can feel it - near the gums). We brush his teeth twice a day with toddler toothpaste, and I've even tried to "scratch" it off with my nail, but it won't come off...I can't imagie what they would be stained from. Any suggestions on how to get his teeth clean and white again?


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## boigrrrlwonder (Jan 18, 2007)

Even though you've been brushing his teeth really well, it might be a cavity. I'd start looking into finding a good pediatric dentist ASAP.


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## mamarabolli (Jun 28, 2006)

Both my 2 dd's had this on their top 4 and bottom 4. I've seen all dentists in NYC and they all said it must be genetic. Their spotting started on the bottom, and over time grinded down naturally. If they grinded down to the point near the root, I would have intervened. I still have no exact diagnonsis, but decay. Every dentist did mention, it would have happened if I brushed religiously or not.


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## lily7 (Aug 24, 2006)

Sometimes too much fluoride can cause spots. Is the tootpaste with fluoride? Do your LO drinks fluorinated water?


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

We just started the toothpaste (no fluoride) in hopes of getting rid of the spots...before we were just using a toothbrush with water. We drink spring water at home, and ds only drinks tap water (fluorinated) when we eat out. I'll make an appt with the dentist then...I thought decay would start around the edges of the teeth not in the front...


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## milkmamamerina (Sep 29, 2008)

Get to a dentist. My ds had the same thing at about 20 mos. It was the start of decay. He did need fillings, but since they were front teeth, they were able to do white ones to preserve his smile. Also look for a dentist that doesn't fully sedate your child. We had an oral solution that made him drowsy but not out. then they put him in a "burrito wrap" and went to work. It still was pretty traumatic on me, but my ds didn't remember a thing. He didn't even show a bit of anxiety when we returned for the follow up.


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## Medusa (Mar 25, 2004)

My DS has yellow spots on his teeth. His dentist says they are evidence of some physical trauma or illness went the tooth was developing. (pertussis in our case). The body leached calcium and minerals from the developing teeth causing the weak, yellowish spots.

The spot are far more prone to decay so you have to be mindful of them, but there really isn't anything else you can do about them.


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

Get to a ped dentist ASAP








This is how ds's decay started. If you get it soon enough hopefully you won't have to go through what we did.


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## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

It sounds like tooth decay to me. There are many threads like yours in the dental forum here.


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

I've made an appointment. Unfortunately, the dentist that was recommended to us won't see anyone younger than 3, and I had to make an appt with someone else.

The dentist I made an appt with asked me if I breastfeed at night and said that could be one of the causes and to try to stop doing that...
Any thoughts on that? We cosleep, so usually it's an all night diner.


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

While I don't think nursing causes caries, I think once caries have started I don't think nursing helps.
We decided to partially nightwean ds.
At first I cut down nursing to twice a night.
Then we nursed, brushed teeth, then he'd nurse again at 3am. Soon it was 6am. And now it is 7:30am.


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dawncayden* 
While I don't think nursing causes caries, I think once caries have started I don't think nursing helps.
We decided to partially nightwean ds.
At first I cut down nursing to twice a night.
Then we nursed, brushed teeth, then he'd nurse again at 3am. Soon it was 6am. And now it is 7:30am.

Ds falls asleep nursing...I'll have to think how to get him to fall asleep some other way...we've tried just rocking, walking, dancing, but he just gets very frustrated.


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

Ds used to fall asleep nursing too. I thought it would be an impossible transition but it took about a week to get him from nursing with the light off to nursing with the light on.

I started the transition by rubbing his back while nursing him to sleep.
I tried to change the nursing time by asking if he wanted stories first or nursing first. He usually chose nursing first, so then we'd turn out the light and I'd ask if he wanted his back rubbed. He'd say no and say he wanted to nurse. I'd tell him we would nurse in the morning and I could rub his back or tummy. He'd fuss for about 5 minutes then he'd say yes to a tummy or back rub. He'd sleep for 2 or 3 hours then wake and I'd treat that as 'morning'. Each night he seemed to sleep longer, so 'morning' became later and later if that makes sense.


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dawncayden* 
Ds used to fall asleep nursing too. I thought it would be an impossible transition but it took about a week to get him from nursing with the light off to nursing with the light on.

I started the transition by rubbing his back while nursing him to sleep.
I tried to change the nursing time by asking if he wanted stories first or nursing first. He usually chose nursing first, so then we'd turn out the light and I'd ask if he wanted his back rubbed. He'd say no and say he wanted to nurse. I'd tell him we would nurse in the morning and I could rub his back or tummy. He'd fuss for about 5 minutes then he'd say yes to a tummy or back rub. He'd sleep for 2 or 3 hours then wake and I'd treat that as 'morning'. Each night he seemed to sleep longer, so 'morning' became later and later if that makes sense.

It sounds like your ds was probably a bit older than mine is now, but it does give me hope. I'll try doing the back rub tonight. Thanks!


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

He was 14 months.

You can always try and if he's not ready, stop what your doing and try again later. I'm always amazed what ds is ready to do and I wouldn't have known unless I tried.


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## sweetieberlin (Mar 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *boigrrrlwonder* 
Even though you've been brushing his teeth really well, it might be a cavity. I'd start looking into finding a good pediatric dentist ASAP.

ita!! this is what happened to us!! yellow spots that ended up being on the front top teeeth


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## hollytheteacher (Mar 10, 2007)

Hey also, post your questions regarding cavities and night nursing in the breastfeeding forums...there are some knowledgeable ladies over there wtih lots of links and info regarding this issue. Make sure NO dentist tells you to wean!!


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## jackson's mama (Apr 27, 2003)

I took my DD to the dentist for this just last week! She's 20m and has yellow ridged spots on her top teeth (the ones just to the side of the front teeth). The dentist told me that it's a defect in the enamel, probably as a result of illness when she was a baby or an illness I had while pregnant (this is what I think it was, as her twin sister has spots as well - her appt is next week - and I had cholestasis when I was pregnant).

He did tell me that the enamel is probably weaker in those spots than the rest of her teeth so good brushing is essential to keep decay from forming there. As much as I hate that she has yellow spots, I was a little relieved to know that it wasn't decay as a result of me not doing my job of brushing her teeth!


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## boigrrrlwonder (Jan 18, 2007)

My child has ECC and I chose not to nightwean. Human milk does not cause caries - it's not like formula. However, you have to make sure that you do a REALLY GOOD JOB BRUSHING if you are going to nurse at night, because human milk plus food/formula will cause decay.


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## kdtmom2be (Aug 26, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milkmamamerina* 
Get to a dentist. My ds had the same thing at about 20 mos. It was the start of decay. He did need fillings, but since they were front teeth, they were able to do white ones to preserve his smile. Also look for a dentist that doesn't fully sedate your child.

Just wanted to add that if your dentist is still using amalgam fillings, go find another one!! Most dentists that are up-to-date on thier knowledge will only do porcelain fillings now and it has nothing to do with preserving your smile and everything to do with leaching mercury. If only my insurance carrier was so pro-active


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## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *boigrrrlwonder* 
My child has ECC and I chose not to nightwean. Human milk does not cause caries - it's not like formula. However, you have to make sure that you do a REALLY GOOD JOB BRUSHING if you are going to nurse at night, because human milk plus food/formula will cause decay.

I agree and I will not night wean it's way out of my comfort zone as far as parenting a little one goes.


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## sweetieberlin (Mar 30, 2007)

my ds has cavities and we are working on finding another dentist, as the last one refused us treatment, because I wouldnt nightwean, AND use flouride toothpaste..







:


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## lmk1 (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sweetieberlin* 
my ds has cavities and we are working on finding another dentist, as the last one refused us treatment, because I wouldnt nightwean, AND use flouride toothpaste..







:

How does a dentist even examine the mouth of a 13month old? I can't imagine my son allowing a total stranger to open his mouth to look at the teeth. Our appointment is on Thursday, and I'm sure the dentist will have some plan for fixing the cavities, so what is the best way as far as sedation? Is it even safe for a 13month old to be sedated?


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