First dental cleaning

[judecorp]

Punk had her first official dental cleaning this morning at 9am. I actually had to wake her at 7:45, which is kind of like being in Bizarro World. She woke up once at 6 and I snuggled her back to sleep and then she just kept sleeping. Score!

Anyway, the dental excursion was a success. I'd been talking it up for about a week - how she was going to go to the dentist, would have to open her mouth wide and say, "Aaah," how they would be touching her teeth and brushing with a special spinning toothbrush that tickles, etc. I really wanted it all out there so she wouldn't wig out. Usually she's pretty excited about everything but you just never know.

So we get to the waiting room and they weren't ready for her yet and she was super duper antsy, all, "Is it time for my appointment yet?" Finally they called her in and the hygienist put on gloves and Punk opened her mouth and said, "Aaaah!" which was amusing because the hygienist wasn't even doing anything. Finally the dentist came who was very sweet, asked me if I had any concerns, and I let her know that I took Punk to a different dentist (that I wasn't jazzed about) at around 18 months because she has these white spots on her front teeth, but that they haven't gotten any worse. She said she would check.

First she looked at all of Punk's teeth and then she used the pick thing and told Punk she was just counting the teeth, which I thought was genius. She did a little scaling really quickly and then Punk had some buildup on the back of her bottom front teeth so she actually had to dig it out and Punk was pretty chill about it. Then they got to the tooth polishing part and Punk actually didn't like that, saying several times, "I don't like this, Mama!" but the dentist worked quickly and the hygienist and I helped hold her hands. They flossed quickly. Then they painted flouride on her teeth and did a quick rinse. And that was it! She got a toothbrush, 2 stickers, and got to pick a prize from the prize drawer (she of course picked a "fancy" ring).

The dentist said she didn't see any signs of cavities, and that the white spots looked like an enamel difference (rather than a problem) that might be genetic because I have some, too. She said she saw the tiniest overbite that is likely from pacifier use and I let her know that Punk is giving her pacifiers to her pediatrician on Wednesday at her 3-year check up. So that was a non-issue.

We have an appointment in six months and I can't believe my kid is old enough to go to the dentist! One thing that I thought was interesting was that there were three dental chairs all in one big room and three kids got their teeth done at the same time! It was good for peer pressure for Punk (they were bigger kids) but I imagine it could be complicated when there is a freaked-out kid freaking everyone out.

I am super proud of my big girl who sat in the dental chair for her first big girl cleaning!!

Comments

[kaleidoscopeeye.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it went well. Zach and Izzy started going when they turned two, and they always have build up on the inside of the bottom front teeth too. I brush there like crazy now that I am aware of it, but it still builds up, darn it.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I took Punk before two and it was a freaking nightmare. I tried to be proactive and take her to one of those kid places that have movies and all of that, and honestly, she just screamed and screamed and they hardly looked at her. So I switched dentists to a pediatric dentist (but not an over the top kids place) near my pediatrician and decided to wait until I was sure she wouldn't flip. :)

I always try hard to brush behind her bottom fronts because everyone builds up calculus there, but dang, she always has her tongue in the way!

p.s. Do you floss your kids' teeth?

[kaleidoscopeeye.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't braved floss yet. Eep.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I haven't either. Her teeth are still pretty spaced so I haven't bothered, but maybe it's time to like, get them used to it? The dentist flossed her teeth today and she was fine with it, but I think it would be different for me. I might get some of those cute animal flossers or something and try that.

[tea-soaked.livejournal.com]

Carys goes in September and I am hoping she will be just as relaxed a Punk was.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Punk really responds well to preparation. We talked about it for a week, about how she would have a dentist appointment, that a dentist is a special doctor that checks and cleans teeth, that they will have a little mirror, and a spinning toothbrush, etc. etc. And it's usually hard for me to brush her teeth well because she is SO squirmy and always chewing on the toothbrush, so we did a lot of "the dentist wants you to open your mouth wide" and practiced a lot. It's funny because she opened her mouth at every single person in scrubs she saw, like she was ready!

She was a bit squirmy and she did have the little flip out about the spinning brush, but they didn't seem at all fazed by it and moved quickly, which was nice. They said she did a great job and I'm sure Carys will too!

[mythicalbeast.livejournal.com]

So I'm down with the punk is cool stuff, cause I mean this has been pretty much for sure for years. But the part I found most interesting is the "fancy" ring. Not only that she picked it, but that you felt it noteworthy for your sake? her sake?

I said it on your twitter-pic the other day in different words, but I can totally picture her breaking hearts in the most after school special way in a number of years, pink backpacks and all. I just hope she doesn't break her mama's heart first. You love her fiercely and that is one of the most wonderful things about all your Punk'd Updates.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

K, it's comical because I have the girliest girl child in the history of the universe, which leads me to believe wholeheartedly that it is NOT nurture. :)

You love her fiercely and that is one of the most wonderful things about all your Punk'd Updates.

You'll make me cry.

[(Anonymous)]

Just for some peace of mind.. I've always had white spots on my front teeth. My dentist said they're, as you said, a color difference in the enamel, and it's nothing to worry about. Glad to hear everything went smoothly! As a kid I never liked the tooth polishing part either... the toothpaste they use tasted nasty.

<3 Sassette