So, this isn't a new picture of Rea, but since my camera is broken - (HUGE bummer) - I'll have to improvise! I'm shopping around for a new one, but in the mean time I'm going through blog-updating withdrawls and am forced to use old pictures. Too sad.
The latest drama in our house has to do with all things teeth...
It all started a couple weeks ago when Rea woke up SCREAMING, yes actually screaming, in the middle of the night, howling about her tooth being "missing." It was 12:30 am, so I have no idea what woke her up and made her think to check her teeth, but she did indeed have a LOOSE tooth, NOT a missing one. It took an entire HOUR to calm her down and explain that this was normal (even though she's on the early side of normal, according to our awesome dentist) and that ALL her teeth would fall out soon. That was SOOOO the wrong thing to say.... "What do you MEAN they're all going to fall out?!?!?" (sigh)
So far, it hasn't come out, but the really strange thing is that a day later, while on the WAY to the dentist, Ma-lak announces to me, "Hey, Mom" (they've decided to start calling me MOM now, instead of Mommy. Not liking it so much...) "I think my tooth is loose." Sure enough, the exact same tooth that Rea has loose is now loose for Ma-lak too! Weird, huh! He seemed to take it much better than Rea, by the way.
Speaking of tooth drama, Ma-lak has had 4 of his 6 cavities filled, and has one more visit to go. Yes, that's right, my 5 year old has 6 cavities!!! The first visit was pretty traumatic (more for me than for him - he did great) His mouth and tongue were numb, and at one point on the way home I caught him in the rearview mirror taking out his bite guard and chewing on his bottom lip and tongue! He was so swollen, he looked like he'd been in a fight! He kept saying, "I think the dentist forgot to make my tongue smaller again!" I felt so horrible, but thankfully the second visit went much better.
So, this is to all of you moms out there! Throw away all of your fruit chewies! GO! Run to your cupboards now! Or maybe just enforce brushing and flossing a little better than I did and know that they DON'T do a good job by themselves, no matter how well you think you teach them! Please learn from me as a BAD example!
Here are a few things I've learned:
1. The floss sticks are really good for little kids - sooo much easier than string!
2. Straws are helpful if they do drink sugary stuff, it helps miss the teeth.
3. Flouride tablets are awesome and they're really cheap if you have your dentist just write you a prescription for them.
4. The funny character tooth pastes are fun for kids, Oral B has a bunch of cute ones...
5. Even if you only help your kids floss several times a WEEK, set a schedule so you don't miss it and you're not so overwhelmed thinking, "I have to make sure they all do this twice a day!"
OK, I'm done with my lecturing!! Hope these were helpful tips! You do NOT want to experience nitrous oxide with your preschooler...
On a funny note, we were at church this weekend and I noticed a little boy sitting behind us who was wearing braces. Rea kept looking at him and didn't say anything for awhile. Finally she leaned over and whispered, "Mommy, why is that boy wearing a necklace on his teeth?"
Happy flossing!
No comments:
Post a Comment