A Visit to the Dentist

This morning, Will & Sophie and I were out the door bright and early for a visit to the dentist. This was Sophie's first and Will's second visit.

You can read about Will's first visit at age one here: http://arae-ashley.blogspot.com/2008/07/trip-to-dentist.html. Obviously, we waited two years to take him back instead of the six months they recommended. Oops! But I know his diet and dental habits are good so I wasn't too concerned. This calendar year, I've added Will and Sophie on to our "family" dental plan (with insurance) so the kids will be going more routinely now.

I was on my own for this appointment, so I had to go prepared. Sophie was on my back in the Ergo carrier while I filled out papers and Will played with a small toy I brought from home. We were called back before I completed the paperwork, so I juggled writing on a clipboard while talking to the staff and holding Will's hand during his cleaning. Thank God for the carrier because I didn't have enough hands and Sophie was perfectly content on my back! Here's Will before his cleaning. He's wearing the shades they put on the kids to block the light shining down on them. :)
At Will's first visit, the dentist only briefly examined his teeth and showed me an easy way to brush them (have parent sit and child stand between parent's legs facing away from parent - tip head back so mouth is pointed to ceiling - this way parent can support and keep child still while having easy access to mouth) so this was his first actual cleaning. He wasn't crazy about the little sprayer and suction tools - or the sunglasses! - but he was pretty good and sat mostly still. At one point mid-cleaning, Will announced very matter-of-factly "I'm done, mommy!" A friend of our family was the hygenist today and she did a nice job and commented that Will's teeth look very healthy.

Sophie only has four teeth (two on top, two on bottom) so her "check up" was almost nonexistent. She layed in the chair for maybe a minute while the dentist examined her mouth with one of those tiny mirror tools... and she did not like it at all. The light was shining on her and the dentist was not all that tender about it. Not that he was gruff... but, well... I'll explain more in a second. Typically, the first appointment at this age is mostly educational but even that part was pretty nonexistent today. He asked if she took a pacifier or sucked her thumb and I said that she did suck her thumb. He said "Well, we can't cut off the thumb!" And that was it.

The hygenist and clerical staff were all very friendly and the office was clean and nice, but honestly, the dentist himself was... a little annoying. I remember thinking that the first time I met him when he listed all the things we'd likely have to do in regards to Will's dental health, i.e. clip his frenulum (that piece of gums under the top lip) because it was connected really low and his top teeth were far apart, braces to correct an overbite, etc. Not to say that those aren't issues that may need addressing, but as a first time parent, it came across as "Cha-ching! Here are all the things that are wrong with your kid and that my office will be making money on". Today, his frenulum is fine (regressed?) and his front teeth have come together. So when he told me Sophie's looks low too, I let it roll off my back. We'll worry about that IF it's still a problem in the future.

The main reason for my frustration today was that when the dentist realized I am a dietitian and that I work mainly with mothers and children, he spent the entire appointment trying to sell me on this xylitol supplement/beverage product he'd created and telling me how I can/should incorporate it into my counseling... which, again, would put money in his pocket, by the way. At first I tried to politely listen and discuss it with him, but he seemed completely oblivious that I had my hands full with both kids and couldn't give him my full attention... and yet he went on and on. He even went so far as to say that he'd call me at work and give my name (as a promoter) when speaking to pediatricians in our building... without asking me if that was okay! It was just weird and I felt like my kids (my ultimate reason for being there!) were totally overlooked and that his own agenda took priority. Meanwhile, both kids looked a little uncomfortable there and he wasn't making that easier at all.

Oh well. Will and Sophie got a clean bill of dental health. :) Will goes back in six months, Sophie in a year. And then after Sophie turns three, I think I'll switch them both to our family dentist, whom I like very much.

P.S. - Sorry for the vent!