He's been avoiding the dentist for a while but I finally noticed some discoloration in his molars. The poor kid has 8 cavities, 2 of which needs root canals. We don't have insurance right now so I'll be paying out of pocket for all this work. Any recommendations on how to encourage better oral care with him? He's had probably 6-8 fillings in the past but nothing like this.
That’s a tough spot, but you’re not alone—teens can be stubborn about brushing. I’ve seen some families make it a routine to brush together at night, just for accountability. Electric toothbrushes can help too, especially if he’s not a fan of manual brushing. Sometimes seeing photos of what happens if you skip care (gross as it sounds) is a wake-up call for teens… worked for my nephew. Hang in there—it’s fixable, but yeah, I get how overwhelming it feels.
Eight cavities at once is definitely overwhelming, but you’re not the only parent dealing with this. I’ve seen teens turn things around, even after a rough patch like this. Sometimes it helps to break it down—focus on one small change at a time instead of revamping everything overnight. Even adding flossing just a few nights a week can make a difference. And yeah, electric toothbrushes really do help some kids stick with it longer. It’s tough, but you’re doing the right thing by tackling it now rather than letting it slide.
Even adding flossing just a few nights a week can make a difference. And yeah, electric toothbrushes really do help some kids stick with it longer.
I totally get the push for electric toothbrushes, but I have to admit, those things aren’t cheap—especially if you’re already staring down a big dental bill. We switched to a basic electric one for my daughter when she had a couple cavities, and it did help, but honestly, it’s the flossing that made the biggest difference for us. She hated it at first, but we found these cheap little floss picks at the dollar store and that made it way less of a fight.
I’m curious—did your dentist recommend a root canal right off the bat, or are they trying fillings first? When my son had a bunch of cavities, they were able to just do fillings, which was way less expensive (and less scary for him). I always wonder if dentists jump to root canals too fast, especially when you’re on a tight budget. Anyone else feel like sometimes the treatment plan is a bit... much?
