Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

After several weeks of rescheduling, I was finally able to get Jack a dentist appointment last week.  This was his first visit, and I wasn’t sure exactly how he would do with someone poking and prodding around in his mouth.  At home, he does pretty well with brushing.  His daddy and I still help a little, but he has learned to brush around every tooth, rinse (and spit out) with water and he has graduated to “big boy” toothpaste.  He thinks big boy toothpaste is very “spicy.”

We arrived at the dentist and had to wait a few minutes in the waiting room.  There was a kid corner with toys and books.  One of the books was the Berenstain Bear book about a visit to the dentist.  We quickly read it to give him an idea of what the dentist will do in his mouth.  Kudos to the office for supplying this book, because I am pretty sure it made him relaxed and excited to get his teeth cleaned.  We walked back to the chair and met the hygienist.  She was extremely nice and had her own method, or should I say tricks, on how to clean a preschooler’s teeth.  She explained every tool she used in his mouth and what it was for as well as complementing him every time he listened to what she asked of him.

Jack ended up doing a great job. I had positive thoughts, but was prepared to hold him down in the chair if I had to.  Sometimes I think he does better with strangers than with me… kind of scary.  The dentist came in and took a final look and said his teeth looked great and had lots of space for his permanent teeth.  To that I said Yippee, no braces in the future?!  Unfortunately, if his permanent teeth are anything like his mommy and daddy’s were, I think we are out of luck and he’ll need a lot of orthodontia.

We are set to go back in six months for another visit.  We’ll see if he is just as successful then as he was last week.