Alex went to her first dentist's appointment this week, and although she did great with her first cleaning we got some bad news. My poor little girl has 2 cavities!! I'm thinking she must have gotten my teeth, which means she may be in for a long future of cavities. Despite having my teeth sealed when I was young and being pretty good about dental visits, I always seem to end up with a cavity. They were able to get her in this morning to have her cavities filled, so I was the lucky one to take her. I didn't sleep well last night knowing what she would be facing--I was just glad she didn't know what she was in for. I myself dread getting a cavity filled, but I tried to talk about the experience with her to make it as un-scary as possible. Her appt. was for 8:00 this morning. She did great getting the novacaine (sp?) so I was getting my hopes up that she would be able to handle it OK. The dentist showed her the instruments, turned them on so she could hear what they sounded like (they say the sound of the drill is what usually freaks kids out). So far so good. Unfortunately, when it came time for the drill to go into her mouth, she lost it--crying, refusing to lay down in the chair...the works. Her stubborn streak came out full force and after about 10 minutes of trying to calm her down and get her back in the chair, we realized it just wasn't going to happen. If a 3 1/2 year old doesn't want to lay down and hold her mouth open wide, it's pretty hard to make her! So now we have to come back AGAIN, this time filling a prescription for some medicine that we have to give her to make her drowsy with the hopes that this will work. How awful!! I really wish they'd just knock her out and fill them so she doesn't have to go throug the trauma. Marlon is going to take her next time with the hopes that he can keep her in line better than I can. I've been honest with Alex and told her that although we had to leave today, we WILL go back and she WILL need to have the drill go in her mouth. I'm going to take along headphones and music next time with the hopes of trying to drown out the sound of the drill a bit. Our dentist is a family dentist, but I know there is a pediatric dentist in town, and I am just wondering if I should have taken her there where they may have been able to do more to relax her. I just hope she doesn't have to go through this again for a LONG time.
The trials of being a parent!!! All I can say is make sure you get your child to the dentist! Alex didn't complain at all about the teeth--she only once mentioned one was cold when she ate something sweet but that's it. One of the cavities was really bad--who would have known! I will be brushing this girl's teeth until she's 18. We let her brush her teeth too often by herself I guess--now we brush her teeth every time and let her brush them when we finish. She also brushes them every day at school after lunch. Guess she's just unlucky to have my teeth. Lesson learned.
The One With the Toilet Seat
4 days ago
4 comments:
oh jenn, how awful!!! i am so sorry that happened and now you have to back. i think finding a kids dentist might be a good idea. i have a friend who LOVES hers and they have all sorts of things for kids and the dentist is so gentle.
well your experience is making me get on the phone today to find out who takes our insurance over here! i've been meaning to get nolan to the dentist for so long, and even his pediatrician said it was time (when he turned 3) - oops. just one of those things i kept putting off. i'm praying nolan has my cavity-free teeth! :)
Poor Alex and you too Jenn! The pediatric dentist might be a good option--they probably have headphones and movies, music, tv, etc in the rooms to help calm little nerves. They also probably have beer and wine to calm big nerves too!
I can't believe she was good for the novocaine and freaked for the drill! I still freak if I have to get novocaine!
poor alex. No, Poor Mommy! it sounds like they did everything right at the dentist...showing her the instruments and such. there is a dora book out there "dora goes to the dentist"- maybe you can find it at the library? maybe it'd help if she saw one of her little friends (dora) go?? good luck! keep us updated!
Yes, I say pediatric dentist for sure! I took Grace with me this past July to watch me get my teeth cleaned and they ended up cleaning hers too. They found that her upper two back molers both had totally worn away along with a cavity in one of her other teeth. Since she was going to need extensive work they refered us to a pediatric dentist. She needed her back two capped (she calls them her gold teeth) and the other one filled. I acctually have no idea how it was when they did it, they tell me she did great. They do not let parents in with the kids you have to wait in the waiting room. I was really anxious aobut this, but think it was the best way to go. I guess they know that the kids pick up on their parents nerves. We have totally switched he to the pediatric dentist and she was just back for her 6 month cleaning and is now doing well. Edie will go as a tag along in June. I was told Grace is headed for braces, that should be fun! Oh, they did tell me they used good old laughing gas!
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