Pearly Whites

Although our pediatrician said we could wait until age three, Lainey took her first trip to the dentist this past weekend. We've been diligent about brushing her teeth--and she finally has become cooperative in the process--but, a few weeks ago, I noticed her top teeth were greyish along the gum line and freaked out. Since she's on our dental insurance anyway, I went ahead and booked an appointment and prepared myself for the worst. We practically have to sedate Lainey at the ENT's office, so I envisioned screams, tears, flailing arms, and hard kicks. It was not helpful that I had to book the appointment during her nap time (or wait four weeks for another Saturday appointment that worked with our schedules).

I spent Friday night and Saturday morning prepping her by talking all about the dentist and showing her pictures of the doctors online, so she'd be familiar with their faces (only to arrive and find a new doctor that just joined the practice).

All my worry was for nothing. She did GREAT!!! She wouldn't let the hygeinist use the electric toothpolisher on her, but she did let the dentist scale her teeth without any struggle. I was floored!Perhaps the parade of gifts that were brought to her throughout the visit helped...stickers, a rubber ducky, a balloon. And when she was done, she got quarters to pick a prize from the vending machines (you know the little guys you see at grocery store entrances). Did I mention that she got to choose a DVD to watch on not one, but TWO, TVs in the examine room...one on the wall for when she was sitting up and one on the ceiling for when they leaned her back. Heck, I want to go to this dentist.

And as for my distress that we had neglected her teeth and they were rotting away, they were just stained from her Vitamin D drops. The discoloration came right off with the scaler. The advice was to have her drink a little water after she takes them. Easy breezy!



A smile this great must be protected!