Dentist Visit

Julia had her first dental visit last week. I called for an appointment and they put her in for the next day thanks to a cancellation. This gave me pretty much no time to prepare her for the visit. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find out they talked about yellow teeth and had a demonstration on brushing the yellow teeth to get them white at her school the same day I made her appointment. Talk about timing!

When I broke the news to Julia that she was going to the dentist, she made her voice sound so small and cute and said "I don't want to go to the dentist." I started talking up the dentist and told her how much fun it is and that she would get a great gift after her visit - REALLY hoping they still did the child jewelry thing since I forgot to check when I made the visit. This still didn't win her over and I let the subject drop because I couldn't help but laugh at all the protests she put up about getting her teeth checked.

After making a big deal about visiting the dentist with everyone we came in contact with, Julia came willingly to the dentist and she did great! The dentist was new to me since we had to switch based on the new health plan. Julia (and me!) was happy to see tvs in both the waiting room and treatment room so Julia watched cartoons while waiting. She wasn't sure about getting her teeth x-rayed, but she did pose for the photo and the person taking the photo was thrilled with this. Apparently, not many children Julia's age will let them take the photo, but then not too many have Julia's temperament, either. She let the dentist count her teeth and she commented on how well they looked and told us both to keep up the good work (I appreciated the kudos!). Then, she had her teeth cleaned with bubble gum flavor paste- of course! - flossed, and a fluoride treatment applied before she got to pick out her new toothbrush and toothpaste. Julia loved the way her teeth felt and flashed her pearly whites at everyone who asked about her visit. When it was all over she got two cool gifts - a dinosaur ring and a weave bracelet.

Waiting for the dentist

After Teeth Cleaning

Afterwards we went out for breakfast at a local bagel shop. Julia loved all the special attention she received and I was pleased that there wasn't anything wrong with her teeth to make the experience unpleasant. Since her visit, Julia has been asking to brush her teeth more which is a welcome change from her giving me a hard time about brushing. She loves her new toothpaste and brush and is even looking forward to her next visit in six months.

Thanks to the entire dental staff for a successful visit!