When I visited Mug's pedi office at his 3-year check up, they seemed to be a little disappointed I had not taken him to the dentist yet at 3. I mean, I did not know it was that urgent {even though my dentist-in-training SIL told me to do it looooong ago}! A couple months ago I finally cracked and went to MY dentist for my own teeth issues. I saw where the pattern was going here. I had not been in 4 years. Well, 8 fillings, a root canal, a tooth infection, then extraction and an impending dental implant later...I called to get Mug an appointment. Praying his teeth are not hereditarily related to mine. I used myself and my teeth misfortunes as a cautionary tale to him. "See. Mama loves sweets. And look what eating too many sweets does to your teeth." He was disgusted. It worked. One day, we were reading books before nap. He flashed his pearly grin at me and it made me so happy. He was adorable. "Mug," I said, "you have the prettiest smile." To that, he grabbed my face, sincerely stared into my eyes and almost with a sense of pitty in his tone, he replied, "Mama, you just don't." And there it was. All of my scary teeth stories had paid off. Slightly at my vanity's expense.
In prepartion to visiting the dentist, I started reading this book. I know there are a lot to choose from out there, but I genuinely laugh out loud at this one. I think it's witty and it really is perfect if you read it in a slightly old, Brittish woman sort of voice {not sure why I do, but it feels right}. We read it a ton weeks leading up to it. The last page of the book is the best. "And NEVER bite your dentist while he works inside your head. Your dentist is your teeth's best friend. Bite somebody else instead." That really tickled Mug's funny bone.
The morning of his appointment {2 weeks ago}, he cried from the moment he got up. On the way over, Brent got him excited with a promised breakfast afterward. With that, he bravely hopped up in the examining chair. Dr. Cox said that 1 in 50 kids will actually get on the chair without sitting in their parents lap. Mug did it with such ease!!
He said the even trickier part letting him look in the mouth for more than a few seconds. Mug let that dude dig in his mouth for over 5 minutes!!! He said it was by far one of the best first visits he had ever seen. The only reason he stopped is because Mug looked up and said, "Hey dad, I'm getting pretty bored of the dentist." Everyone burst out in laughter. That was a first.
After a dental education {most kids get cavities on the inside of their back molars to start}, a cheap toothbrush, floss, a little hourglass timer for Mug to use while he brushes, and a hungry Mug, our first dentist appointment is under our belt. And I am happy to report, we are cavity free {at least for now}. 
4 comments:
SO funny! He is SO brave! I am going to have to bookmark this post when we gear up for our first visit to the dentist! We have some serious teeth to grow before then... we're slow in that department! Well done Mommy!
Oh mercy, you may have to take Creighton for me. I DREAD his visit. He cries at the sight of Dr. Nesmith with that wooden stick just to check his thorat. I'm certain it will be horrible to go to a dentist appointment. Stress just thinking about that one!
I'm so glad for you and mug!! Hollyn goes at the end of May, and I am already nervous about it!!
Last night, Mira had an accident in the bathtub and chipped her two front teeth. I didn't see it happen, since Brian was the one bathing her, but my understanding of what happened is this: Brian and Mira were playing some Super Fun Bathtub Game and Mira got so excited that she just had to ram her face into the side of the tub. Seriously. She didn't slip, didn't fall, she wasn't even standing up. So when people ask what happened, I can't even really say "she fell in the tub". Instead I think I'll say "she had a momentary lapse in judgement".Anyway, back to last night. Brian got her out of the tub and held her while she cried and I immediately got on the phone with a minor emergency clinic to see if they could help me decide whether she needed immediate care. (It was after office hours, so I couldn't reach her pediatrician.) The person I talked to at the clinic said that they wouldn't be able to do anything for her because she was so young and they didn't have the means to anesthetize someone under the age of two. So they recommended I call Dell Children's Hospital, which I did, and holy cow, let me just take a moment to say that the nurse I talked to there was In. Creh. Di. Bul. She took my info quickly and then went straight to trying to diagnose the severity of the injury. Her questions were direct and clear and very much in the interest of determining the best course of action for Mira. If any of the moms reading this ever has an after hours problem, I highly recommend calling Dell Children's Hospital.
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