Dental matters

For those of you who don’t like the dentist, please know that this post doesn’t contain any in-depth descriptions of dental work.  It does, however, contain lots of information about kids who love the dentist.  Which might be almost as bad for some of you.

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Hannah’s lost tooth today has been loose for a long time.  The replacement was growing in behind it, though, so it wasn’t actually booting the primary tooth out the way it should have.  Hannah wasn’t big on helping it along too much, so I made an appointment, just to make sure the process was going okay, and the dentist quickly and painlessly helped it along. 

Hannah was given a tooth locket necklace to put the tooth in, and she proudly wore it all day long.  She couldn’t wait to get to bed tonight.  She has a special pillowcase – on loan from Grandma – that Michael and his sister used for their teeth – it has the tooth fairy (who looks strikingly like Tinker Bell) embroidered on it, and a little pocket to put the tooth in.  She wrote a letter to the tooth fairy.

Naomi, when she heard we were going to the dentist, was excited.  I had to explain that it was just for Hannah’s wiggly tooth. 

N:  But I think she’ll want to look in my mouth, too.

Me:  Not this time, but you’ll have your teeth cleaning soon.

N:  But WHY won’t she look in my mouth?!? [She’s beginning to get weepy about it.]

Me:  It’s just for Hannah’s wiggly tooth.  But don’t worry!  Your turn will be very soon!

We got some books about teeth and dentists from the library recently – since their dental exams and cleanings are coming up – and the girls both really enjoyed them.  Naomi wanted the dentist book for her bedtime book for about a week straight.  Yeah.  I don’t know.  But they both love the dentist. 

After today’s trip to the dentist, Naomi was full of games and stories.

N:  Singing Bird lost a tooth, but it was full of decay.  It was black.  The dentist didn’t want to touch it, because she didn’t want to get decay on her gloves.  But the decay was hurting Singing Bird’s gums, so she had to get the tooth out.  Tooth decay isn’t good for gums.  The tooth fairy doesn’t take black teeth, but Tinker Bell does.  The tooth fairy has a closet full of clean teeth, and Tinker Bell has a closet full of black teeth.  The tooth fairy has a magic machine that takes the black out of the tooth.  You just put it on the tooth and press a button.  But the tooth fairy doesn’t know how to press the button, so I have to press the button for her.

Hannah’s knowledge of the anatomy of teeth has been helpful with losing this tooth.

H:  Mom, I think this must be the crown, because I’ve never seen this part before.  Also, these holes must be where the blood vessels and nerves go.  They’re really small holes, though!  It’s hard to believe all that stuff goes in there! 

I, myself, am not a big fan of the dentist.  But my life is much easier since my children are, so I’m not complaining!