Post-Dentist Update

Well, Sweet Pea and I were going to walk to the dentist's office because it's so very very close to our house. However, the sky just kept getting greyer and greyer and I looked at the forecast online and it said rain would be starting imminently. There were drops on the sidewalk when we stepped out the door. So we drove.

Before we left the house Sweet Pea told me that she was a little scared about the drilling that would be done on her teeth (I had explained the steps of the process that the dentist would use to fill her cavities). I tried to quell her fears but obviously the unknown is always scary, even when somebody who has been through it tells you things will be fine.

I carried Sweet Pea from the car to the office just to get to the door more quickly and safely through the crazy drivers in the parking lot. When we stepped through the door the receptionist caught sight of us and called out, "HI, SWEET PEA!" in a very cheerful voice. She's really sweet and great with kids. Sweet Pea, however, didn't really remember the receptionist and seemed a little weirded out that she knew her name. ha ha -

Sweet Pea began to be concerned again in the waiting room but played with the toys and we chatted while we waited. Then the hygienist (not the same one she had before, but a very sweet and good-with-children young woman just the same) came and get us. Sweet Pea wanted me to carry her back to the room and then I couldn't pry her off. She had real fear in her eyes - near panic - and no matter how much I talked to her calmly and asked her what she was worried about, etc., and no matter how much the hygienist tried to gain her trust by asking her if she liked kitties (Sweet Pea had taken one of her favorite cat stuffed toys along), Sweet Pea would not let go of me and sit in the chair. Then the dentist showed up and that freaked her out even more; a new person in the room, a strange man (who she had met before but probably didn't remember meeting), etc.

So I looked at them when I couldn't get Sweet Pea to let go of me and the hygienist suggested trying Nitrous Oxide. I agreed it was worth a try. Sweet Pea got to choose what she wanted it to smell like - strawberries, bubble gum, or orange - and she chose strawberries. The hygienist produced a red thing to go over Sweet Pea's nose and got it hooked up to the Nitrous hoses, and we managed to get Sweet Pea to agree to sit in the chair so that she could have the Nitrous thing on her nose and smell the strawberries. From there things got much better and she got smiley and almost giggly. They don't call it laughing gas for nothing, I guess!

The dentist applied the topical anesthetic to her gums and Sweet Pea didn't even squeeze my hand or twitch when he stuck her with the novacaine needle and shot it into her gums/lip. She did GREAT through the whole procedure. I was/am so proud of her. Her teeth look great now (the front upper two didn't look very good with the decay in there - eww) and her only gripe is not being able to feel her lips very well. I guess it takes longer for novacaine to wear off in children than adults. I remember when I was little it seemed to take half a day!

After the procedure Sweet Pea got to go choose a toy to take home, and she got to guess how many gumballs were in a glass jar full of them and if she guessed right, she will win a bunch of board games. She didn't guess right, though, I can tell you that right now. She was way under. But it was fun for her to try.

Then we got smoothies and sandwiches and came home. The Bug, who was napping when we left, was STILL napping until about 5 minutes before we walked in the door! Sweet Pea always used to nap really well on grey, rainy days too. The Bug slept for over 2 hours today. Her usual nap time is an hour and a half. Wowzers!

Well, there's the update. Better update the families via e-mail now!