Ryne has had a "dead" tooth ever since he fell in our old house and hit his mouth into the newly tiled bathroom floor. I lucked out, because I literally have two friends whose dads are dentists. I ended up getting to talk to one of them that night and Ryne has been going to the dentist ever since!
We noticed over the weekend that his gum had started to swell above his tooth. I had remembered them telling us to watch for this so I called right away Monday morning and they were able to squeeze him in today! I've literally never seen anyone so excited to be at the dentist. This was the face he made when he realized he could get a prize at the end if he was good!
They did a couple x-rays to see where his permanent tooth was at. If it was descended far enough, they'd pull his baby tooth. If it was still pretty far up there, they'd give him medicine and try to buy his baby tooth some time. After examining the x-rays, our dentist decided the best choice would be to do medicine for now. His permanent tooth is still up far enough that he didn't want to pull his baby tooth so soon. We are hoping the tooth will survive at least another year before he has to pull it! You have no idea how much of a relief this was. I knew if his tooth had been pulled, I wouldn't hear the end of it!
Even though they didn't pull his tooth, they still put those nasty mouth pieces in so that they could get a x-ray of his teeth. I couldn't be in the room, but I could hear him gagging like crazy and the hygienist telling him to breathe through his nose. He seriously did a better job than I do! That was enough for him to deserve a big 'ol bowl of ice cream when we got home! (Okay, honestly..if he would have done terrible I still would have let him have ice cream because I needed ice cream!)
I always get embarrassed when my kids are able to pick out a prize because they always want to take more than one. Is it really my fault though when I tell them no but then everyone is always so nice and always goes, oh it's fine! Well now you won't think it's fine, because pretty soon you'll have a four-year old take a whole tray of rings and think it's ONE prize. Apparently one ring isn't as cool as a whole tray either. This little man was clearly not impressed!
I'm so lucky my mom isn't working and can watch the other kids when we have appointments like this. It's also nice getting one-on-one time with them. I especially feel like I don't get that with Ryne since he is in preschool part of the day and is as independent as a preschooler can get! Cross your fingers this tooth doesn't get infected anymore and that I won't be the person who has to go with him if/when he gets it pulled someday!
Side Note: Apparently the going rate for a tooth is $5 now. FIVE DOLLARS. Hello! We got $1 and that was making bank when I was little. Some kids got quarters for their teeth, so I remember thinking I had an awesome tooth fairy when I'd find a whole dollar under my pillow. Is inflation just that insane that we pay $5 for a tooth that we just throw away?!
I guess I better start saving for my kids' tooth fairy. Good bye Taco Tuesday, hello tooth fairy fund!
xoxo
J
