Dentist Drama
This week we have made three trips to the dentist. Kelly took Kate and Soren on Tuesday morning. I went on Wednesday morning. Then I took Megan and Emily Friday morning (today). Most my kids are real troopers! I hope I have told them how great they are for sitting in that big chair and trusting total strangers to stick sharp objects in their mouths!I have one child though, that HATES the dentist! Today was Emily's third time at the dentist and she has yet to cooperate for an x-ray. She won't open her mouth for the assistant to clean her teeth or even to let the dentist check her teeth unless she has been handsomely bribed and then, she still only opens part way!
Today, we may not have gotten x-rays, but somehow (mostly a lot of prayer!) we got her infected and decaying tooth pulled out! They put her on some funny gas and she relaxed enough to actually open her mouth for the dentist. He was GREAT and so kind and careful as he gave her the numbing medicine. He worked slowly and even though she started crying when he started pulling, he got that tooth out and now she is home and hungry and proud of herself! She should be! For a girl who won't open her mouth, she did a really hard thing today! I had to step out at one point so she would not see my tears as I thought of how scared and helpless she looked with the gas mask on her face. Her eyes were watery and she kept telling me how tired she felt. It was so sad and yet I knew we had to take care of her tooth.
Unfortunately, she does not feel courageous enough to go back for the cap and fillings my little sweet tooth needs. We have to visit a pediatric dentist to see about having her completely sedated while they do ALL the dental work. We don't know if we can afford it, but it would be worth just about anything to save me the heart break, drama, and exhaustion of taking this little girl to the dentist!
This photo is of Kate and our old dentist, who committed suicide (scary, I know!) but Emily did not want her picture taken today because she looked "too weird" and didn't want anyone to laugh at her.
posted by jenn | 3/10/2006
5 Comments:
I am dreading Kaitlin's first visit to the dentist. Who do you see?
Oh the woes of going to the dentist, I still hate it as an so I don't blame the kids at all.
My kids' dentist has been really fantastic. He's a pediatric dentist and really great with kids. But that may all change soon because Rachel is going to need a tooth pulled. It never grew in fully. I'm not looking forward to that at all.
You poor woman! I am so sorry for you. However, having closely examined the teeth of your children (I helped them floss) I can vouch for how necessary these visits are. Hang in there a while longer. Knock Emily out if necessary.
Oh, I can so relate. We go to a pediatric dentist (Dr. Howell on 800 N. in Orem) and they are great there, but Lucas has been a terrible, terrible patient! He wouldn't cooperate for x-rays or exams, wouldn't even let them brush his teeth, even though they just let the kids stand up at a sink! Last year we had to have him under a general anesthetic to get some fillings and a tiny surgery that he needed. They did sealants at the same time, since they could never usually get him to lie down in the child-sized dentist's chair.
Then Jill suggested that I wait in the waiting room instead of going back with him. What a difference it made! The first time I did that -- about 7 months ago -- he was fabulously cooperative! I don't know if it was because he is getting older or if it was just me not being there. Anyway, I took the boys in for the 6-month check last month and found out that Lucas needed 2 fillings. Oh dread. But I also found out that he could play Game Cube during the procedure. Oh the joy! He really surprised me with how well he did. Now Max is wondering if he can have a filling!
All I can say is: 1. go to a good pediatric dentist. They have their ways. They call everything by funny euphemisms to make the instruments and procedures less scary. 2. I'm sure she will become a better patient in time -- hopefully very soon!
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