A Trip to the Dentist

We visited the dentist this past Tuesday. Here are the twins in the waiting room with the "look of impending doom." I felt so bad for them. It really wasn't fair. Our appointment was scheduled for 9AM and I made sure we got there, not a minute sooner. I didn't want them to have to wait and worry about what was going to happen. However, they were already behind schedule 20 minutes. We sat and waited our turn. The more time that passed the more worrying they did.

Kai and Elli have been to the dentist a few times for cleanings, x-rays and sealants. This is the first time that they had been where they were having fillings. In Kindergarten last year, there was a little girl in their class that had a lot of dental work. Apparently, it was a bad experience for her because she went to class and told all of her classmates about the horrible and painful shot she got in her mouth. Since then, Kai & Elli have been so scared to go back to the dentist

Kai and Elli have been to the dentist a few times for cleanings, x-rays and sealants. This is the first time that they had been where they were having fillings. In Kindergarten last year, there was a little girl in their class that had a lot of dental work. Apparently, it was a bad experience for her because she went to class and told all of her classmates about the horrible and painful shot she got in her mouth. Since then, Kai & Elli have been so scared to go back to the dentist.

I scheduled them to use the laughing gas to calm them. I spent time explaining that the doctor would use a numbing gel before giving them a shot and that they would only feel a poke and some pressure. Considering we had this 20 minute wait, the kids sat and pondered over the shot part of our discussion. Finally, they called Elli back. Kai seemed somewhat relieved that she had to go first!

Elli's heart was racing and she was breathing heavy. She was a trooper though; she only had a few tears and no big fit. I stood beside her while she climbed into the chair and she squeezed all of the blood from my hand. My skin was very white around her little grippers! The Hygienist said "I am going to ask Mommy to leave now and I am going to get things ready for the doctor. I plan to tell you all about this cool stuff." I didn't think Elli was strong enough to squeeze harder but she did. I asked the hygienist, "could I have just another minute with her?"... I could not believe my ears when she replied, "No, we are on a tight schedule, we have to keep moving and we are behind schedule as it is. You will need to wait in the waiting room." Elli said "Mommy, I want Kai." The hygienist explained to Elli that Kai and Mommy had to stay in the waiting room.

My heart was racing and my blood started boiling. In my head, so many scenarios of next moves are playing out. My inclination is to first tell her where to get off and then grab my children and tell her that I am going to fix her scheduling issue and instantly put her way ahead! But I resolve to standing just outside the door with my arms folded and eyeballing her every move. I told Elli, "Honey, mommy is going to stand right back here in the hallway. I can see you and I am right here." Elli seemed ok with that. The hygienist gave me a disgusted look but didn't say anything. She spoke softly to Elli and went on to explain everything. She put the mask on her and told her to breathe through her nose. Elli is still so upset she is not listening and she continues to breathe through her mouth. I am still watching and waiting.

You see in my mind, I am thought I would traumatize Elli more by creating a scene than to see if this less than friendly hygienist would realize the error of her ways. My patience did pay off. The hygienist realized the longer Elli remained upset, the longer she would breathe through her mouth and the longer she breathed through her mouth the longer it would take before the doctor could begin to do the fillings. The hygienist got a chair for me and sat it next to Elli and then she politely asked me to see what I could do to get her calm and to take whatever time I needed. I wanted too much to do the nanny-nanny-boo-boo-stick-your-head-in-doo-doo dance but I didn't. I even refrained from the i-told-you-so smirk that I love to share with people!

I sat with Elli and talked about what our plans were for the day, the week and the weekend. We talked about shopping and clothes and my personal favorite.. Hannah Montana (said with huge sarcasm!). Before long, Elli was giggling and telling me she felt silly. She said she couldn't feel her feet and then through her legs up in the air and said, "MOMMY! Are my shoes still on?!" I laughed and told her she was fine and her shoes were still on.

The hygienist returned to the room when she realized Elli was calm. Which, by the way, it only took me just 5 minutes of conversation with her. The doctor came into the room soon after. I returned to my place in the hall with my arms folded and watching them with my Eagle-Mom's eye. Kai kept running into the hallway to see what was going on and I kept sending him back to Pop-Pop. I didn't want him to see anything that might scare him. He was so worried for Elli. It was very endearing.

Soon, I gained confidence in them and my nerves settled. Then I returned to the waiting room. Here and there, I spot checked things but never let Elli know I was around. I could hear Elli getting upset and when I would return to my spot in the hall, I could hear the doctor reminding Elli to breathe through her nose. The hygienist and the doctor both ignored the fact that I was not following the rules and they continued to treat Elli with soft words and kindness. It is a hard concept for a 6 year old to breathe through their nose when their mouth is open. Because of this, Elli would sober up, so to speak. Constant reminders would return her to her tipsy state.

Before long it was all over. Elli was finished. She had 3 of 6 cavities filled. We will have to return later to do the rest. I think she was relatively surprised at how simple the procedure really was. She kept repeating, "it wasn't bad at all, it really wasn't.... i worried for nothing." I took Kai back to see Elli. She told him it was a piece of cake! With confidence, Kai ran off to the other room for his turn. I sat with Elli for a minute or two while she sobered up and then I took her to Pop-Pop. Then I went to be beside Kai. He was so brave. I could tell he was scared but he didn't want me to know so I pretended not to notice. I rubbed his head and told him I was proud of him for being so brave. His tough exterior faltered for a moment and his eyes welled up with tears, but he called them back and pulled himself together before any fell. I assured him I would watch from the same spot in the hallway and I reminded him to keep breathing through his nose.

I stepped into the hallway for a few moments and then returned to the waiting room. A few minutes later I noticed that the doctor had shoved a chair into the hallway. He never said a word about it. He just quietly pushed it into the hallway. I wonder how many annoying Mommies he has to deal with on a daily basis.

Kai had to have two baby teeth cut in half on either side of 2 permanent teeth on the bottom. His permanent teeth were stacked one in front of the other like shark’s teeth because there was no room for them. The dentist removed half of the teeth on each side to make just the right amount of room for the permanent teeth to move in to the space he was making. In addition, there were two cavities that needed to be filled.

Kai's procedure was over quickly, as well. I sat with him as he sobered up and the first thing he asked was about his teeth that were cut in half. Extremely concerned, he asked, "Mommy, will the Tooth Fairy still give you money when you have only half of a tooth under your pillow." I had to laugh, Pop-Pop answered before I could and said, "Of course, Son, but you will only get half of the money." Kai looked very disturbed until he realized Pop-Pop was teasing him.

The rest of the morning Pop-pop and I kept reminding them not to bite their lip. They were both still numb from the injections and would play with their face. Elli would wipe her face on her shoulder repeatedly because she thought that she was drooling. At one point I caught her touching her cheeks while smiling and then unsmiling and then smiling again. I asked her what she was doing. She replied, "Am I smiling on two sides or just one?"

My oh my, what an adventure. We go back again in two weeks for Elli's remaining fillings. Wish us luck!