Dentists Send More Kids to Hospital for Dental Work
By: Cierra Putman
Updated: March 7, 2012
It's a disturbing trend, local dentists are sending more kids to the hospital to have their teeth fixed. Dentists said they're seeing preschoolers with 10 and sometimes or more rotten teeth that they're forced to fill, cap and even pull.
It happened to two of the Adams' children. Eileen and her husband are average parents playing and trying to keep their kids healthy by making sure they brush regularly.
But it wasn't enough to keep 8-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Derek out of the operating room.
"It finally got to the point where I was brushing her teeth and she was screaming in pain," Eileen Adams, mother of threes, said. "I decided that that was the time to get to a dentist."
Emily and Derek had a total of 16 teeth worked on before age 2.
Shocking to some, but not to local dentists like Dr. Sean McLaren.
"We see kids like this on a daily basis," Dr. McLaren said.
He helps out at Eastman Dental where about 500 kids go to the OR each year most are four or younger.
Dr. Charles Brenner helps out at Rochester General where he takes about 10 percent of his patients to the OR.
Anesthesia may seem extreme, but the dentists said it's less traumatizing for small children.
"All they really know is they go into the hospital, they come out and their teeth are fixed," Dr. Brenner said.
Dentists said kids should have their first check-up after they get their first tooth.
Not getting checked-out and too much sugar are to blame. The sugar causes tooth decay which leads to ECC or Early Childhood Caries.
"We see this with prolonged breast feeding, prolonged bottle use and prolonged use of sippy cup," Dr. Brenner said. "When anything other than water is allowed to sit in your mouth."
Per the dentist's instructions, the Adams cut back on the use of sippy cups as well as reduced the amount of juice their kids were drinking. Two simple steps that cut back on the amount of sugar that wound up in their kids mouths.
"It becomes a test of wills but the parents have to get in there and do the job," Dr. Brenner said.
Dr. Brenner said he's noticed more insurance companies now cover OR visits for children. Which makes it easier for dentists to address these serious dental issues.
However, the dentists said parents must stay diligent so kids oral health doesn't go down the drain.
It happened to two of the Adams' children. Eileen and her husband are average parents playing and trying to keep their kids healthy by making sure they brush regularly.
But it wasn't enough to keep 8-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Derek out of the operating room.
"It finally got to the point where I was brushing her teeth and she was screaming in pain," Eileen Adams, mother of threes, said. "I decided that that was the time to get to a dentist."
Emily and Derek had a total of 16 teeth worked on before age 2.
Shocking to some, but not to local dentists like Dr. Sean McLaren.
"We see kids like this on a daily basis," Dr. McLaren said.
He helps out at Eastman Dental where about 500 kids go to the OR each year most are four or younger.
Dr. Charles Brenner helps out at Rochester General where he takes about 10 percent of his patients to the OR.
Anesthesia may seem extreme, but the dentists said it's less traumatizing for small children.
"All they really know is they go into the hospital, they come out and their teeth are fixed," Dr. Brenner said.
Dentists said kids should have their first check-up after they get their first tooth.
Not getting checked-out and too much sugar are to blame. The sugar causes tooth decay which leads to ECC or Early Childhood Caries.
"We see this with prolonged breast feeding, prolonged bottle use and prolonged use of sippy cup," Dr. Brenner said. "When anything other than water is allowed to sit in your mouth."
Per the dentist's instructions, the Adams cut back on the use of sippy cups as well as reduced the amount of juice their kids were drinking. Two simple steps that cut back on the amount of sugar that wound up in their kids mouths.
"It becomes a test of wills but the parents have to get in there and do the job," Dr. Brenner said.
Dr. Brenner said he's noticed more insurance companies now cover OR visits for children. Which makes it easier for dentists to address these serious dental issues.
However, the dentists said parents must stay diligent so kids oral health doesn't go down the drain.
