Dentist - trying to find safe treatment for my daughter

by Khat
(Boca Raton, FL)

My 4 1/2 year old daughter has SPD- and I'm frustrated trying to find medical professionals that understand her needs.

When she cries at the dentist, they think she is misbehaving and want me to leave the room. Of course, I am her advocate and I won't leave her to feel terrified.

I did leave her a year ago prior to surgery and after the procedure, she was terrified. She literally could not sleep AT ALL for weeks afterward.

My daughter now needs extensive dental work as she has cavities on every tooth. Two dentists tell me the decay is due to having bottles- which she never had (they don't believe me) and she stopped breast feeding 3 1/2 years ago.

The dentist today told me my daughter was SO SMART to gag during the exam as she knew it upset me! I was furious- what a stupid thing to say. She gags as she always has, as her brother does, because she cannot eat most foods and textures...

Then she told me she shouldn't snack during the day, only three meals...I told her the neurologist and pediatrician disagree. And my daughter doesn't eat candy or sugary things, doesn't like juice. Oh well, the dentist thought I was lying. She repeated herself three times.

SO- my problem is to find out that other parents have done. We could do the work under general anesthesia but she would be terrified until she was put under, away from me, and the neurologist doesn't recommend general anesthesia unless it's very necessary.

Another dentist will wrap her up, use nitrous, but no other drugs- and I won't be there. She will likely not fall asleep but cry during the whole ordeal, which includes pulling one tooth and putting steel caps on 6 others!

IDEAS???

Of note is that she has 8 permanent teeth already, at age 4 1/2 so she has extreme premature dentitia, already.