Samantha's first blog

Posted By pamelamyers on October 1, 2012

Oh, Doc Bressler, how Sammy hates you so.  You may be cavity busters, but you are NOT on my little girl’s top 10 list.  Today I took Sam for her 6 month checkup at the dentist. This was only her third visit.  As the last two were disastrous, full of screaming and crying, I had hoped this time would go better.  Wishful thinking. Sam and I had a long talk in the car about where we were going.  I explained what would happen, that I know it is weird having someone look in your mouth, but it doesn’t hurt, it will only take a few minutes, then you can have stickers and little toys, etc. etc.  She seemed ok with the concept and promised me she would not cry, and that she would let them look in her mouth and brush her teeth.  Ha!

I guess I should preface the story by saying that Sam is not a fan of anyone poking around in her mouth.  Not even me.  And she is not a fan of having her teeth brushed.  She endures it for about 30 seconds.  With no toothpaste. God, no toothpaste!  You would think it was rat poison the way she acts…So, having a stranger do these things to her, well, it does not go well.

We went in and she sat in the exam chair.  This is a huge thing.  She actually SAT in the chair.  She wanted me to hold her hand, but ok.  That’s fine.  And she let the hygienist recline the chair.  So far so good.   She took her stickers happily, she opened her mouth when asked!  Whoo hoo!  We are home free!  Yeah, not so fast.  The hygienist came at her with the toothbrush (yes, a TOOTHBRUSH not the instruments of torture that adults usually see) and she cringed away.  She looked like she was going to cry.  The little bottom lip came out and everything.  So I hugged her for a minute then we tried again.  No go. She wanted Mommy to hold her.  Which is fine, but at this dentist at least, my holding her involves me sitting knee to knee with the hygienist, Sam on my lap facing me, and my tipping Sam backward so her head is in the hygienist’s lap.  Oh, the screaming!  The agony!  You would have thought so anyway.  Sam flipped out the entire time she had her teeth brushed and flossed and given fluoride treatment.  It took all of 5 minutes but felt like an eternity.

When it was done and I hugged her for a minute, she was totally fine.  And demanded her little toys.  Of course.  Despite the fact that said toys were supposed to be a reward (bribe) for behaving.  Ah, well, little plastic dinosaur, Sam wants you so Sam will have you.  But on an up note, her teeth look great!  They are getting a little close together so they want us to floss (ha!) and said if orthodontics come into play we will probably be having that discussion at about age 10.  Her 2 year molars are fully in and she is healthy as can be, toothwise.

We stopped at my mom’s before coming home and she relaxed at bit. I thought she was ok.  She had eaten a piece of toast and was happily watching tv.  My mom and I were in the dining room having tea and Sam came in to get us.  The poor little bunny had thrown up all over the couch, the living room floor, and herself.  I don’t think she really knew what was going on.  She only threw up one other time in her life, when she was only an infant and I am sure she doesn’t remember that at all.  A few minutes before this all happened, I noticed her come in and grab some tissues and I did think, “what is she cleaning up now?” because she often grabs tissues or napkins to clean up the tiniest smudges of dirt on the floor.  Later, when I found them wadded up in a ball shoved between the cushions I felt so bad for her!  The poor baby tried to clean up the mess all by herself. 🙁  I changed her clothes and asked her repeatedly if her tummy hurt or if she felt sick and she kept telling me no, so I honestly think it was nerves.  The whole day was so scary for her that it just overwhelmed her.  Friday is her 3 year checkup at the doctor (who she doesn’t usually mind at all).  Let’s hope that day goes better than this one!

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