Open Wide

One of the most attractive physical qualities about a person, in my opinion, is pretty white teeth. That being said, I am a little over the top about brushing my teeth. In college I remember getting into a conversation with some friends about how I brushed my teeth something like 5+ times a day. I recall one of them scolding me that I was going to wear the enamel off my teeth (which is not true - I asked my dentist!:)). Dave and I often laugh at how quickly I wear out my toothbrushes. His is in better shape after a month of use than mine is after a week.

From the time Caleb began cutting teeth, I've been concerned about making sure we keep his pearly whites pearly white too. Dave and I try our best to keep our little boy's teeth healthy by brushing them twice a day. As you might imagine this is sometimes a feat when Caleb decides he does not want his teeth brushed. Any parent who has ever tried to get a toddler to open his mouth when he has made up his mind against getting his teeth brushed can empathize with the difficulty of such a task. 

Despite our best efforts to keep his teeth in pristine condition, to my dismay several months ago I noticed some spots on his teeth that looked discolored. Most people probably wouldn't even notice but in my obsession, I did. While the dentist originally told me kids don't start coming for check-ups until age five, this concerned Mama decided my two-year-old needed a trip to Apple Valley Dental. I've never had a cavity and was not about to let him get one if I could help it. 

I wasn't sure how this trip would go, because, like most little boys, Caleb is very active. We took him to the dentist once before because he had bumped his teeth on some cement stairs last Mother's Day and it looked like he had pushed them up into his gums slightly. On that visit he was tentative about opening his mouth for the dentist to see. This time he was a whole year older though and was cooperative the whole visit opening his mouth just like the dental hygienist and dentist asked, letting them check out his teeth. He did get scolded a bit for trying to push the button that makes the chair go up and down, but what toddler could resist really? However, after the initial exam was complete, the hygienist did let him push the button and even made him a balloon out of a glove for entertainment until the dentist arrived. This balloon definitely came in handy for distracting Caleb during our wait since he wanted to crawl up and out of the chair repeatedly, push the chair button, and check out what was going on in the hallway.

And the final verdict? Caleb's teeth are great. The hygienist said sometimes baby teeth are just slightly discolored at times but his are healthy nonetheless. Shew! She also complimented Caleb by saying he was so cooperative that he could probably come back at age three for his first cleaning if we want. Good job, Caleb! You make your Mama proud. :)