Dentist Visits: It’s Like Pullin’ Teeth
Pun intended folks. Pun intended.
Our eldest man cub has had the past misfortune of being traumatized due to a specific visit to the dentist. A little over a year ago, Isaac needed some cavities taken care of. The dentist who "helped" remedy that situation was far too rough. Watching him put two caps on what was left of the teeth in question, made my hair curl, among other things. Needless to say, any trip to the dentist following that has not been as successful as we would like. However, we have found an amazing Bio dentist who actually LISTENS, and shares the same concern for our children's oral health. So we are on track to getting Isaac comfortable with the dentist again.
Over a year ago now, when we discovered that Isaac had a problem with one of his teeth, our initial thought was that he had chipped a molar and we had no idea. Come to find out, he had some cavities that we couldn't see. The dentist we saw, as I mentioned above, was so rough with Isaac. He thankfully felt nothing during the capping of those two teeth, but afterward, he was an inconsolable nightmare. I took him to another dentist following that for a second opinion. The first dentist wanted to cap eight of my son's teeth. I didn't agree with that at all.
Well, since Isaac was then traumatized, it was next to impossible to imagine getting any work done. He wouldn't allow a simple polishing in the office. Only Paul or myself could brush or help brush his teeth. The new dentist then recommended putting him out to handle the other six teeth. Which by the way, he said he would only recommend capping three of the other six teeth, then drill and fill the smaller cavities. I'm glad I took Isaac elsewhere for a second opinion. Unfortunately though, that work did not get done either. This dentist wanted $1,700 for this procedure. We had dental insurance, and this facility wanted that much money out of pocket?? What sense does it make to take your child to a Pediatric dentist, if the insurance covers next to none of it?? Anyway, here we are over a year later, across the country, finally getting my poor son's teeth taken care of.
Roughly a month ago, Isaac chipped another tooth. It happened to be one we knew had a cavity. It was only a matter of time. He had an x ray done and we were given a referral to an oral surgeon to have two teeth pulled. They couldn't get him in for nearly three weeks. In that time, the tooth in question eroded away. He had half of his molar left by this past Thursday when we saw our regular dentist again.
They successfully polished seven of Isaac's teeth before he had a meltdown. That's more than has been polished by any dentist in over a year. He will allow me to use dental tools to clean the plaque away and floss, but he won't allow any dentist to do so. That's still a success as far as I'm concerned. We were given a second referral to the oral surgeon to add two more teeth to the list to be pulled. Isn't it an interesting thought, that one dentist said to cap eight teeth, the next dentist said to cap three teeth and fill the other three cavities, and now we have a dentist stating that only four teeth are actually a significant problem? What is it about doctors and dentists wanting to do so much unnecessary work?? Anyway, after another hour and twenty minute drive one way for final x rays before the procedure, we were ready to get all of this over with.
On Tuesday, Isaac and I were out the door by 6:15am. No food or drink allowed. Ya know, the usual. I stopped for a coffee. Cuz ya know, all these details that I left out about some attitude I was getting from the secretary at the oral surgeon had me on edge. I was doing them a favor.
We arrived early. The secretary was good with Isaac. They had a penny smasher machine in the waiting room. And a huge saltwater tank. Isaac was impressed with both. We made out with four smashed pennies on this escapade.
He brought his Mario blanket we gave him for his birthday two years ago, his "Cypher" dog that he's had since he was born, courtesy of Uncle Steven and Auntie Bobbin, and he had to wear his Mario jumper. I had him fully prepared with what to expect. I didn't pull punches with him. It never ceases to amaze me how parents will goo goo ga ga their kids. I get it. There is a way to talk to kids that is different, in some ways, than adults. But let's be real here, these kids are gonna be adults one day. Stop babying them like they're stupid. The last thing they are is stupid.
ANYWAY, he knew about the gas. And the extra "medicine" that he would get after the gas. He knew he would be sleepy. He knew he would be completely unaware that anything happened after the gas. The one tidbit I left out was the IV. Just cuz if I said "needle" he would never have walked into the room. I called it the extra "medicine" that came after the cold gas. We were golden.
Annnnnnd then, we got in the room...The blood pressure cuff. Of all things, the blood pressure cuff made him lose it. He finally convinced the nurse to take it off and he stopped crying. I had to leave the room. Not by choice. I would have sat and watched. I'm not squeamish. Apparently, there's a rule that says I can't. Whatever. As long as you don't do inappropriate things to my sleeping child, you and I will get along just fine. If I find out otherwise well...use your imagination the unspeakable pain I will inflict on your person...Don't poke the Momma Bear.
I was told prior to leaving the room that if they were unable to get him calm with the gas, that he would have to undergo this procedure in a hospital. Answer me this: How is what I described above any different than being sent to a hospital? You still get the gas, the IV; you sleep. I see no difference. But I digress. And, I may have told the nurse who followed me out and rudely told me to go to the waiting room when I stopped for a moment in the hallway that "The dentist better do a good job. The last guy messed up my son. This one had better NOT." Imagine there were more choice words in those sentences. Don't get snarky with me! I don't know what it is about these Northern people, but they are RUDE! There's this thing called manners where I was raised. And we use them. Just sayin...
I had just texted Paul what the dentist said, how Isaac behaved from when we left the house to when I left the room, and began reading Mama Bear Apologetics, when I heard Isaac screaming. Face palm to my head. I thought the gas hadn't worked. My stomach dropped. Soon after, a nurse came around the corner to tell me they were done. I was out in the waiting room for less than ten minutes. More like seven minutes. I couldn't believe it!
When I thought I heard Isaac through the walls (because the waiting room is on the front side of the room he was in), he had been taken to a recovery room and was waking up. When I got to the other room, he was lying on a bed freaking out over the blood pressure cuff again. I stepped out a second to laugh. Again, of all things, it was the blood pressure cuff.
I asked for some gauze. Got him distracted with biting down on it. He saw the band aid on his arm and was gonna attempt to tear it off. He said, "WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?" Remember I said that the IV came AFTER the gas? The dentist said he was 100% unaware. Didn't feel the IV at all. So this band aid was a foreign object on his arm that he did not remember getting put there. He then got upset because he thought he didn't get the teeth pulled. He thought the gas hadn't worked. When I told him that it was all over, he said to me "I did it? They're gone?" I told him yes. And he smiled this crazed Gollum/Smeagul smile that nearly caused me to lose my composure. I was trying so hard not to laugh.
It is now Saturday. It's only been four days since Isaac had four teeth pulled. It seems like it's been much longer already. I guess that's a good thing. It wasn't as awful of an experience as I expected given Isaac's past trauma. He did amazing! And I didn't end up in jail so ya know, win win in that respect. We did find one more cavity however after all of this....it's small, but it's not in a good spot. With some calcium supplements, and a good cleaning from Mom, I believe we can prolong another dental trip for a bit. I don't want to overdo it with him. We have to take what progress we can and not push him too much.
Isaac is doing well enough that he has eaten wonderfully. I did have to pick a popcorn hull out of one of the holes last night. I was not thinking when I promised popcorn for Friday. And we ventured out into this lovely little historic town today for a breath of fresh air. We got lunch at Wayback Burgers (AMAZING), then visited a small coffee shop, an antique store, a pet store, and a tea shop full of lovely handmade goodies. I have a feeling that last shop may be a good spot to put up some of my soaps and infused oils, and maybe a bit of wine bottle decor. The shop owner was a sweetie.
As I type this, Paul is playing Red Dead Redemption. It has a cool story line. Ethan is playing a Mario game of some sort on the switch. The elder man cubs are watching their dad. And David is sleeping. I intended to paint some more today but you see what happened there. I guess we needed to get out for some fresh air more than we needed to do housework.