Everyone has such different teeth. DD's father has never had a cavity, and he is not the most diligent tooth-brusher. I have fillings in nearly every tooth and I floss and brush daily. I just have very weak teeth.

I'd ask the dentist how strong he/she thinks SD's teeth are overall. Maybe a small bottle of mouthwash that she can carry in her purse and swish her mouth out with after meals on the go?

I honestly think a lot of it is just genetics.

I have never had a cavity; my brother has never had a cavity; our mom has never had a cavity.

DD (knock wood) so far seems to have the same genes, her teeth are fine. She is getting a retainer (this Fri, actually) but that's a separate issue.

SS, on the other hand, had his first cavity at age six. He's had two more since then---so three fillings, and he is only 8. :(

His mom has horrible teeth---she is VERY prone to tooth infections and has had tons of cavities.

I don't think it's a question of dental hygeine, I think (at least in his case) it's just crappy genetics.

He has a special mouth rinse, though, and he also gets his teeth coated with this special enamel stuff once a year---again, supposed to help.

I have to agree with the genetics comments. None of my 3 SK had been to a dentist ever until SD14 had to go to get braces. Once they all went the SD14 & SD13 need braces. No cavities for any of them. SS11 has the best teeth of them all. No braces or cavities. (They joke and say he got all the good genes). Its the overbite or crooked teeth that they get. They all have bad eyes also.My DH, his brother and sister all had to have braces and have bad eyes. No cavities though.
My mom has bad teeth so does my brother. I am soooo thankful I got my dad's teeth (He has the good genes).

we all have bad teeth, but DD's teeth are better than mine and ex's. part of it is genetics. but we also lived most of our lives in the land where there is either none or limited amount of flouride in the water, it effects your teeth forever. DD currently lives in the country where again there is no flouride or very little, i keep telling her to use paste with fluoride. my mouth is full of fillings and crowns. not fun...

Same here :-(
I brush twice a day, I floss every day, but I also love chocolate...

FDH has really strong teeth, only 1 filling and he's 33 yrs old.

I know that it varies per person, SD might just be unlucky, but not brushing regularly doesn't help either. She pretends she 'forgets'.

Do you guys still have to remind teenagers to brush?

Right PO1~~ I forgot all about the fluoride. I didn't get any when in my water either growing up. Maybe that's part of it.

But I never had braces or needed glasses, so I guess I'll take what I can get! :)

I have a friend whose two year old had a cavity and she brushes her teeth diligently. Genes...

SS has the good teeth genes, luckily for him. He does not eat much sugar or junk food though so that may help, and he loves his milk.

I've got the good teeth genes too; when my grandmother was in her nineties every time she went in for surgery they'd automatically try to remove her "dentures" upon seeing her age - except they were her teeth! It's offset though by the appalling eyesight genes. You win some, you lose some. :-)

I say genetics. I get blamed for DD having had so many teeth problems bc she lives with me and is so young (9). First fillings were at age 6 and quite a few. I always get the nasty emails saying why did DD need this or that done, you need to brush her teeth every morning and every night.

I don't have teeth problems. I had a few cavities as an adolescent but nothing since about 14. I was blessed with very straight teeth while both of my siblings had everything down to the headgear appliance. ExDH on the other hand has awful teeth and told me once his mom has really weak enamel and they all have had lots of work done.

When DD went to the dentist at 5 they told me she had deformed molars that were caused by a high fever during infancy, which I remember her having. She had 5th's disease and was very sick. So most of her baby molars were capped. She had one permanent molar capped when it erupted bc it was not formed at all. But somehow I always get blammed. Dentist says (and I have gotten three opinions) it's partly genetics partly the fever thing. They call it hypoplasmic enamel.