My primary teeth rotted away often years before the adult teeth emerged. I wish I knew more about the why’s and wherefore’s about vulnerable teeth and CF but it is remarkable. A post some time back described CFers as being so typical that he could pick one out of a crowd. His description of CF teeth set me back. I see them every morning and night in the mirror, just as he described the discolored glassy looking teeth that keep’s my smile small.
The best thing I have seen is having your daughter’s teeth “sealed”. The dentist who sealed my niece’s teeth guarantees the treatment against cavities for ten years so at the $25 per tooth starting four years ago is hopefully worth the investment.
Lots of stuff conspires against a CFers teeth. Amylase, the digestive enzyme in saliva, is very helpful in controlling enamel eating bacteria. Amylase is the single greatest cavity fighting agent and CF patients often have sub-standard saliva. By concentration of the enzyme, salinity, total volume or viscosity of saliva, or a combination of several issues reduce the cavity fighting ability of your saliva.
Like the rest of our bodies, a certain microbial balance exists in the mouth. When things are constantly out of whack from nearby infections, antibiotics or anti-fungal drugs given for treating other infections disrupt the balance in the mouth potentially. Sorry but I know of no great oral cavity probiotic.
Then there is sugar. I am certain you have this managed but my dentist told me a cautionary tale involving just a little sugar. My dentist has a lot of older patients. A man, nearing retirement was constantly coming in with new cavities. Something had changed because historically he had good dental health. After about the forth cavity in as many months they were puzzling over why this could be happening. When asked about sugar, he said he as a spoon with his coffee in the morning and again in the afternoon. When asked about other fluids, he noted that he just nursed his coffee throughout the day. Ding! The patient’s new coffee habit was in effect washing his mouth with sugar every ten minutes all day long. Quantity isn’t to be confused with quality in dental health. Sometimes it is not logical.
If sealing her teeth is out of the question or not the right solution, my dentist recommends ACT Restoring mouthwash three times daily. With a child, I don’t want to guess, but maybe asking your dentist about a prescription tooth paste could trigger him to consider if a stronger toothpaste is appropriate.
LL
