May 2015
My name is Joanna and I'm a neglectful mother.
I'm not typically a big player in the Mommy Guilt games, but when you commit an otherwise preventable offense, I think a solid round of self-loathing is warranted, if not plain well-deserved.
My daughter is 3. She has her first cavity. And not just one, but two. And not just cavities, but ones that need to be filled. And she has to be sedated. And if the conscious sedation doesn't work, she has to go under general anesthesia. ALL BECAUSE I NEGLECTED TO CARE ABOUT FLUORIDE DROPS. And let her graze on food all day. And only insist on brushing her teeth at bedtime. And don't floss.
But really, does ANYone floss their toddler/preschooler's teeth?!?
Well, we sure do now.
My name is Joanna and I'm a neglectful mother.
I'm not typically a big player in the Mommy Guilt games, but when you commit an otherwise preventable offense, I think a solid round of self-loathing is warranted, if not plain well-deserved.
My daughter is 3. She has her first cavity. And not just one, but two. And not just cavities, but ones that need to be filled. And she has to be sedated. And if the conscious sedation doesn't work, she has to go under general anesthesia. ALL BECAUSE I NEGLECTED TO CARE ABOUT FLUORIDE DROPS. And let her graze on food all day. And only insist on brushing her teeth at bedtime. And don't floss.
But really, does ANYone floss their toddler/preschooler's teeth?!?
Well, we sure do now.
GAH! We do the same! except Farrah likes to brush her teeth a few times a day just for fun, but we aren't super strict about it. did the toothpaste you used at night have fluoride in it? My close friend is a pediatric dentist and she if you brush with fluoride and let them swallow, it is the same as the drops...she also SWEARS that there is a genetic component to the amount of saliva one produces and even if you do everything right, kids still get cavities. Don't be too hard on yourself! You'd be surprised at how many parents (no matter education level) aren't aware of teeth issues in cities without fluoridated water.
ReplyDeleteWe have always been super lax about things I randomly deem "unnecessary," like the Vitamin D drops for breastfeeding infants, and fluoride. We didn't use fluoride toothpaste at first, because Francie mostly just liked to eat it. This all happened right when she turned 3, in March, but for some reason I never posted the blog. Since then, we brush 2x daily, use toothpaste with fluoride, and give her chewable fluoride nightly, which she actually loves. I grew up with nearly all my baby and grown-up teeth needing fillings, and was always told I just had "weak enamel." What was interesting to me was the dentist telling me about the nature of grazing all day, and how that promotes decay. My mom had terrible teeth and was a grazer. I have terrible teeth and am a grazer. And the same goes for Francie. Also, we all have major sweet tooths. And I like to have a drink, like coffee with cream/sugar, and I drink it nearly all day long. Lessons learned.
DeleteUgh, same here. Our pediatrician was like, "just distract him and you should be able to get in there and floss". Which makes me wonder if he is in fact the first two year-old she's met. We have started brushing after lunch in addition to bedtime, and now that he can take the chewable fluoride tablets and is the one in our house who reminds everyone to take their 'vitamins', well... hopefully the impact of our neglectful mothering is reversible :) If it makes you feel better, there are a lot of preschoolers in the school district where I work who have veneers. Veneers.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. Veneers. I had to Google that one. I've had every dental and orthodonture procedure under the sun, and even I haven't had veneers. I think the thing that tripped me up the most about the whole experience (back in April or so), was that I consider myself an educated, informed, medical-understanding parent/professional, and still I fell victim to making the "wrong" decision for my child. Big picture, cavities/fillings are not that big of a deal, but it was such a head-trip at the time. And the flossing thing, well that's still up for debate. I give her those little flossers and tell meself that's good enough. And also, her teeth are far apart right now, so there's nothing actually stuck in there. Note my continued denial of appropriate oral care?!?
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