I took my six-year-old daughter to the pediatric dentist last week and she discovered three cavities on my daughter’s back teeth. We’re very diligent about brushing in our household. I still do most of the brushing myself. So, I was naturally alarmed and looking for potential causes when I learned what was going on.
The pediatric dentist asked us a few questions about my daughter’s diet and, when I mentioned she sometimes ate fruit snacks, she abruptly stopped me and told me that was what caused it. I couldn’t even get a word in edgewise after that.
I want to be clear that the ones we have at home aren’t just junk—they’re made with real fruit. We don’t even do soda at our house. Is it possible there’s something else going on here?
Thank you,
Justine
Dear Justine,
Great question! You’ve provided lots of details which is very helpful.
The Fruit Snacks Could Be a Problem
It’s not the fruit content (or lack thereof) that’s the problem when it comes to fruit snacks. They’re sticky and compress into grooves of teeth where they tend to sit much longer than other types of food do. That’s probably why your dentist pointed to them as the culprit. You didn’t mention which surfaces of the back teeth developed cavities, but they usually form in the grooves. It makes sense that the fruit snacks would be involved. That doesn’t make them the enemy per se, but, certainly, you’d want to remove that residue as soon as possible after brushing.
Note, this also doesn’t rule out other possible causes, but when it is the biting surfaces of the back teeth like this and other teeth or surfaces aren’t impacted, it’s typically related to diet and hygiene.
Your Daughter Should Have Sealants
What’s perhaps the first red flag here is that you say your daughter is six and is getting cavities on her back teeth. That’s somewhat common with younger kiddos because they’re not great at scrubbing all the way back there. So, usually starting around age six, pediatric dentists start placing sealants on those grooves to prevent cavities from forming. Maybe your kiddo is a young six and this hasn’t come up yet, but it probably should have been discussed by now. Bring it up with the next dentist she sees so you can protect the other teeth.
You Should Still Do the Brushing
It’s good that you’re still doing most of the brushing, but you should probably be doing all of it at this stage. It’s usually not until a child reaches age six that they can start brushing on their own with supervision, but some kiddos develop the skills months or years later. If your daughter can’t tie her shoes yet, she’s probably not ready for solo brushing either.
Your Pediatric Dentist Should Have Heard You Out
The final red flag here is that the dentist wasn’t willing to hear you out. That’s concerning. You’re an involved parent and are trying to provide the best care for your child. If nothing else, she should have taken the time to explain why she felt the fruit snacks were the issue and/or how she ruled out other causes.
There’s also no mention of what she recommended to help prevent more cavities. Did she talk about brushing? Sealants? Fluoride? These are all absent from your note. If she didn’t bring them up, she should have.
All these things combined suggest it’s time to look for a new provider in addition to trying to prevent more cavities.
This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, a general dentist providing pediatric dentistry services in Auburn, AL.