“Save your money, Mama,” is what the dental nurse told me as she pulled a loose bottom tooth from my 6 year-old daughter’s teeny tiny mouth. The tooth that happened to have a permanent tooth growing behind it and catywompus from her other permanent tooth. Oh, and by the way… that blow was but a precursor to the blasted x-ray “we need to fix five cavities” announcement. Five. And no, not her first five. I’m starting to lose count.
Did I mention that she’s six years old?!
Many fillings and orthodontics bills on the horizon.
And yet… we have much to be grateful for.
Laughing as the dentist told her to stick her tongue out at me. She did!
- Education. My children eat a healthy diet and brush their teeth. I was so grateful when the dental nurse reassured me that some kids just have bad teeth. Not a cartwheel statement, but it did lessen my Mommy Guilt. Oh, and I’ve been given hope that sometimes the permanent teeth are absolutely fine and cavity-free. It’s the babies that have issues. (Let’s hope that’s true for my girl!)
- I grew up going to the dentist twice a year, and just don’t know any differently. It never occurred to me to not take my children just as soon as they turned two. Finally… a good habit that I can pass on!
- My children love going to the dentist. I know! My 6 year old has gone to my appointments with me since she was but a babe. At 13 months, she walked over and put her mouth on the resting “water/spit suction thingy” and demanded, clear as a bell, “My turn!”
- We have a great dentist. After he filled our daughter’s first cavity a couple years ago (she was 4) we received a call that night… from him! He was just calling to see how she was doing. He called again tonight to check on both of us after our fillings today. (One of my old fillings had slowly worn away.)
- Dental insurance. We’ve always been covered. Never thought twice about it. It’s part of our medical insurance that we pay for each month (we’ve never had a “company plan”). Insurance reduces the sting when you have to make three trips for five cavities in the span of two months. I’m incredibly grateful that we can stretch my husband’s teaching salary to pay for insurance.
- Our miserly ways. This is why we don’t spend money on stuff, people! Because we are happy with what we have, we are able to save. Sure, I’d much rather spend the money on something else (anything else!) but… the money is there. For the cavities. For the orthodontics. It’s there! That makes these kind of things inconveniences, and not emergencies.
- It’s a few cavities. It’s not cancer.
God’s hand is on our finances. His hand is on our children. His hand is even on our dental work. For that, I am grateful.
I can relate to all you are grateful for! And it reminds me that I really must get my kids to the dentist – soon!
As an adult I had no cavities, then I carried twins. My announcement at the first appointment after having the twins was that I had 18 cavities to fill. The year before I had none!!! Those babies nearly sucked the life right out of my teeth!!! I too am grateful for dental insurance…whew I understand!!
Oh, I can relate. My youngest just had 3 cavities filled last year. Her oral hygiene isn’t any different than that of her older siblings, but they’ve never had any cavities. I have a friend who scrubs her kids’ teeth at least twice a day and they still have cavities, so I totally subscribe to the “some kids just have bad teeth” school of thought.
Thankfully, they’ve gone to the dentist from the time they were three or four (as early as our dentist would take them…whatever age that was) and they, too, like going to the dentist.
I will confess to inspecting their teeth every night as if they’re dogs or horses since the filling of the three cavities last summer, though. lol
Great post!! And great tips.
Those are definitely things to be thankful for.
Poor girl! She’s so brave! My girlfriend’s daughter had the same problem and the dentist told her that some children just have “softer” teeth…more susceptible to cavities. She also wasn’t giving her vitamins with flouride… that’s been working for us thus far. That and flouride treatments at each dentist visit. I hear you on the insurance… thank goodness our teachers get dental as well as health!!
I am sorry to hear that your dental woes are getting you down but that is a great grateful list:-)
Aww, wow! After talking to you today and then seeing the pic, wow! Praise God that you are able to get the work done and have a great dentist! That makes it so much easier on you and the kids!!
My girls actually have “hallow” teeth. The tooth is completely empty inside, just the outer shell of the tooth. It’s hard to detect this, but the dentist did xrays after the first and discovered many. They could be fine, OR they can bite down the wrong way and CRACK…..cracks in half. Weird.
They faithfully go to the dentist every 6 months for checkups and cleanings. Never miss an appointment, yet still have had a few cavities. It happens to the best of us. 
Again, we don’t have kids but we don’t spend money on stuff either. Two of my 4-legged babies (these are my kids!!) went to the vet today and one has degenerative joint disease which is going to require long-term care. Another one has a thyroid issue. And the vet isn’t cheap but, hey, they money is there and they have the best care possible.
My hubby and I both had extensive dental work done this year and, golly, weren’t we happy that we had been smart about how we spend our money then.
If it is any consolation, almost all of my baby teeth CAME IN rotten. They were discolored and I had many caps as a child. All my adult teeth are healthy and I’ve had no problems with them at all. It is possible that she will “outgrow” it.
My husband and I have a different dentist than the kids. One day when I was in there, I complained to him that Eric has never had a cavity, and totally doesn’t take care of his teeth as well as I do (and I have had many). They said it has to do with level of base/acid in your saliva, as well as the physical make up of your tooth.
It’s still not fair though, huh? (Says the gal that had a crown on one tooth, after having it filled two different times, by the time she was about 24.)
I am very fortunate. Both of my girls ended up with my teeth, meaning very few problems. We’ve all always been very conscious of our mouth care and our enamel seems to be good, thank goodness.
Just something to think about…
I didn’t know until I did this post recently that cavities can actually be *reversed*:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/cure-tooth-decay-ramiel-nagel.html
Kelly
Just talking about the dentist gives me the heebie-jeebies. The sounds, the smells… I shiver at the thoughts! I was traumatized as a kid by my first dentist and a zillion years later I’m still terrified.
Good post though!