Conference moira::parenting

    Some of the women in my Mother's group got the blues so bad they
    got pregnant again. We called it the baby blues. The Moms
    just missed having a baby.  
    
    I was blue when Marisa turned one for about a month. Marisa went from 
    being baby to a toddler in a blink of an eye. It stopped bothering me 
    when Marisa started doing real toddler things (riding her bike, 
    sitting still for stories, starting to talk...) I seem to enjoy this 
    next stage (including the temper tantrums) much more than the baby stage. 
    
    I am expecting again and I suspect I will feel it even harder when this 
    baby turns one since I don't plan to have any more childern.
    
    When you are looking back and remembering all the firsts and feeling
    blue, think about this...
    
    Marisa told me she loved me for the first time this year...
    
    Donna 

    Well you dentist will tell you that as soon as they have teeth they
    should bee seeing the dentist.  But we took ours around 3 years old. 
    Ask the daycare (if this is a center) if they will be having a dental
    hygiene session.  Sometimes they bring a dentist or hygienist in to
    talk with the kids.  You can always call your dentist and set up an
    appointment - make sure you tell them it's a first for your child.  The
    first usually consists of getting the child accustomed to the place,
    the people and the procedures.  They won't actually "probe" in the
    mouth until the child is ready.  To me that is the sign of a good
    dentist and you don't have to have a "pedi" dentist.  Any caring
    dentist should be able to deal effectively with the patient.
    
    Good luck!
    -sandy

Hi,

On my last dentist appointment, my daughter was 2 yrs 9 months and I asked my
dentist at what age I should start taking her.  My dentists office starts taking
children at 3 years old.  So, next month I will be taking my daughter.  They
told me they give them a tour and ask them if they want to sit in the chair.
If they are willing, then they show them the different tools and will clean
their teeth.  They will only do as much as the child allows on the first visit.
I'll let you know more after I take her.

Rosemarie

Re: dentist visit

We didn't take our son till he was close to 4 and then took him to the regular
dentist. 

What we did was I scheduled my visit about a week before my wife and son's
visit. I took him along with me so that he could just watch all the stuff they
did to daddy. The dental hygienist and dentist were extremly friendly and took
time to explain everything to him (and believe me, Zach can ask a *lot* of 
questions).

My son was fascinated by the whole thing. He got right down in there (if you
know what I mean) with the dentist and hygienist. At one point, all three of
them were about 6 inches above my mouth carrying on a very animated three-way
conversation with each of them taking turns sticking their hands in my mouth
pointing out all the fascinating things they saw. I think I now know what a
woman goes through when she has a pelvic exam at the OB.

One neat trick the hygienist to demo the teeth cleaner thingie was to use it
on Zach's fingernail to show how it felt. When we left he got all kinds of
toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys, etc., etc.

When he went for his visit a week later everything was fine.

Bruce

     My daughter had her teeth cleaned for the first time about two
     weeks ago (she turned 2 in July); my mom's a dental hygentist,
     so my case certainly isn't the standard dentist visit!
     
     At any rate, I asked my mom the same question you have. Her response 
     was that after all the baby teeth come in is the best indicator to
     set them up for their first visit; my daughther doesn't yet have all
     her teeth but, oh well, we took advantage of the opportunity. All the
     dentist does is clean their teeth with the polisher. (Make sure to have
     them use one of the kid's flavors - my daughter still talks about having
     "bubble gum" at the Dentist's!)

     Also, it helped lighten my daughter's fears of the electrical equipment
     by having my teeth cleaned first, where she could sit on my lap or
     on a nearby chair and watch.


   Julia

   re .4 : yes, good point at end of note...another helpful hint...
           we told my daughter that we were going to "tickle" her teeth. 
           She wasn't convinced we were simply brushing her teeth a "fancy"
           way - didn't look or sound much like a tooth brush!


 Julia

    I took James with me when he was 3-ish.  The hygienist cleaned
    my teeth, then asked James if he wanted to sit in the chair.
    Well, you know all the buttons and everything that a dentist's
    office has, and James is just fascinated with buttons, knobs,
    switches, etc., etc., so he had a ball.  Of course, he talked
    so much that I finally had to tell him to be quiet so the
    hygienist could clean his teeth!  
    
    I would wait till the child is closer to 3; then I would take her/him
    with me when I visited; then s/he can have her/his own visit with
    the hygienist.  I would NOT take the child with me if I were having any
    heavy work done.  For example, the secretary wanted to schedule James
    on the same day that I was having a filling dug out and replaced and
    I said no way.  (Dumbest damn question I ever heard!)

    My pediatrician recommended taking our son for his first dental visit
    at around 3 years old.  I called 1-800-DENTIST (I live in
    Massachusetts; not sure if this is a national 800 number) to get a
    referral for a pediatric dentist or one who is great with children. 
    They referred me to a dentist who specialized in seeing children and
    adults who are afraid of the dentist.  
    
    This dentist offered a free consultation.  The purpose of which is to show
    the child around, get him/her accustomed to the surroundings, take a
    ride in the chair, and allow the parent to ask questions.  
    
    My son is very afraid of new situations and people and wanted no part
    of sitting in the chair, and he pretty much clung to me the whole time,
    but I felt very comfortable there.  The dentist said that unless we
    feel that there are problems with his teeth, that he doesn't need to
    come for a first visit until he is closer to 4 years old, or unless he
    asks to go sooner.
    
    I plan to take my son with me for my next cleaning and to bring my
    son back for another consultation-type visit before his first cleaning.
    
    The dentist stressed the importance of the parents brushing the
    children's teeth, twice a day.  He suggested that you stand behind the
    child to brush; you get a better view and have more control.  And he
    said to be sure that your child is taking a flouride tablet if there is
    no fluoride in your water supply.
    
      

I brought my daughter who is going to be 4 in November to the dentist yesterday.
It didn't go so well because I could not convince her to open her mouth ! 
What's strange is that she went for the first time to this dentist last
spring and everything went ok. but this time she kept saying I want to go home 
and don't try to talk me into sitting in the chair !

After about a good 1/2 hr. of talking, and talking we left.  This is the
dentist that I always go to so I'm going to make an appt. at a kid's dentist
for her from now on.  In her pre-school they had a children's dentist visit
once and all I heard from her is how nice this dentist was (that he had mickey
mouse on the wall and all sorts of books & crayons in his office).


Sandy

    Christina went to the dentist for her cleaning last December, she was
    exactly 2.5 years old.  
    
    She did GREAT!  We had been talking about the visit for a couple of
    weeks so she was ready.  She loved the chair going up and down.
    The hygenist let her squirt water and push air out of the tubes.
    (Leanne has a 2.5 and a 6 year old herself!).
    
    She sat through the whole thing and was just perfect.  Then she got
    her little prizes (stickers, toothbrush, toothpaste, a ring) and she
    was very proud of herself.
    
    Just last week she had two teeth sealed.  Dr. Tom did that and again,
    she was fine.  I waited in the hall nervously and she was calm as
    a cucumber.
    
    My dentist is not a pediatric dentist.  When I asked him about
    what time is right to bring a child to the dentist, he said,
    "when they have teeth".  Seeing the dental models and getting
    praised for having nice teeth has also helped to make brushing
    much easier and productive!
    
    
    

    A few weeks ago my 6 year old son Michael had to have a procedure
    on a cracked tooth called a Pulpectomy.  It required Lidocaine and
    a silver crown.  That evening and for the next couple days, his
    bottom lip on that side, swelled terribly and looked like he had
    chomped on it pretty good.
    
    This last Monday, he had to go back for a filling on the other side.
    I had plans that evening so the last thing I told my husband was to
    keep an eye on Michael and make sure he doesn't chew on the numb area.
    I also asked Michael to be careful.
    
    By Monday night, his lower lip on that side had swelled to about 2x
    it's normal size. By morning it was 3x bigger and had a hole in it.
    Thinking he may have chewed on the lip, I sent him to school. When I
    picked him up at after-school care last night, the director pulled
    me aside and expressed her concern over Michael's lip. I hadn't seen
    it since morning so I assured her it was normal.  Then I saw Michael.
    His lip was still 3x larger than normal and was completely covered with
    slimey white junk. It looked horrible. At no time did it bother him,
    though.
    
    I ran home and paged the dentist.  Together we tried to figure out 
    what could have caused such a reaction. Was it the Lidocaine? Maybe
    it was the sulphites used as a preservative. Could the Benzocaine
    used to numb the injection site be the problem?  She offered to meet
    at the office and look at him but she lives a ways from the office
    so I told her I'd have a doctor take a look.
    
    The doctor said it definately looked like an allergic reaction but
    didn't have clue to which substance.
    
    Has anyone seen this happen to themselves or their kids?
    
    I'm going to contact our Allergist but in the meanwhile I thought
    I'd run this past the Parenting noters.
    
    Jodi-

    My son is 14 years old, and we just had our dental cleanings done. 
    The dentist wanted me to have sealants put on his back molars to
    prevent getting any cavities in them. I said sure, because the ones he
    had on his other teeth had done a great job since he only has had 1
    cavity in 14 years.  Well, just I received the statement from John Hancock
    saying that these services were not covered unless done before a
    certain age.  I just got off the phone with a John Hancock rep. and am
    I steaming.  The cut off age is 13, my son's birthday was 10/15, and
    the sealants were put on 11/3.  So if I had it done a few weeks ago it
    would have been covered.  This is not a small bill, it is $224.  I
    asked this guy how I was supposed to know this.  He said it was in my
    1991 booklet, or I should have called to check with them before I had
    it done.  I think that they should send a letter to you once your child
    reaches the cut off age so that you know.  They are the ones who have
    all the information in their files, they have a list with your childs
    birthdate, etc.  He said there is nothing that he could do.  He said to
    appeal it I would have to go through Digital personnel.  I am going to
    do that, but I don't know what will become of it.  Has this ever
    happened to anyone else?  I can't believe it!!!
    
    Well, I feel a little better having gotten this off my chest.  But,
    that guy is lucky I wasn't talking to him in person!!
    Cheryl 

    I know how you feel Cheryl.  This is one of those things. Since they
    have a cut off date what are they supposed to do?  Make an exception
    in every case?  If they do they might as well not HAVE a cut off date
    which would be fine with me.  Now get real, do you really think the 
    insurance co. is going to go out of their way to point out that an 
    expensive service has a cut off date since pointing it out will cost
    THEM more money?
    
    BUT, I know how you feel... it certainly pays to read the fine print.
    Thanks to your experience many of the rest of us will remember that cut
    off date.  Sorry that it happened to you.
    
    Jeff

    
    You might try appealing to  the benefits group.  I did this in a
    different situation, and found that being a squeaky wheel does work!
    
    The procedure is in the ubiquitous 'orange book'. Get an HR rep to show
    you where.
    
    Good luck!
    Jamd

Hi,

My son had a visit to the dentist on saturday and I found out that the black
spot on his tooth that I've noticed is a cavity and it needs to be fixed..

I need to some help in helping Andy adjust to this coming 'adventure'.  Andrew
is 4 years old and to me this is very early to be dealing with the kind of 
stuff that dentists do.   

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

/Penny

Is it on a baby tooth or a permanent tooth?  Has the dentist looked at it 
yet?

Sorry, no real advice on preparing him for the visit.  I'm going myself this 
Wednesday with Anthony (5) for our regular checkups and I'm bringing Samantha 
(3) along just to get acquainted to the dentist office.

Dave

    RE: .15 - we just got a book for my son called "Critter Goes to the
    Dentist", or something like that, by Mercer Mayer.  They are adorable
    books, and in this one explain about going to the dentist, and even
    getting a cavity filled.  Check with your local bookstore - they
    probably have it.  If not, let me know, if you live in Massachusetts,
    you can borrow the book.  I can be reached at 226-5132, or
    CTHQ::MacArthur.
    
    Barb

The dentist looked at it and he's one that said that we should have it taken
care of..  It's a back molar so it'll be around till he's about 12.   I just
hate hate hate! that he has to go thru this and I'm trying to teach him what
to expect..

And yes, I live in MA, - work up in ZKO..  Barb, I'll contact you offline..  
thanks..

/penny

    My son Ryan had a cavity at 3 1/2. I had my husband take him for the
    visit when it was filled, since I didn't want to have my innate fear of
    dental work preset Ryan's expectations. They filled it with a white
    temporary filling; Ryan went in alone and seemed fine with it. He
    didn't have novacaine, and said that it did hurt a bit, and that he
    cried a bit. But he seemed none the worse for wear, and still is
    willing to go for the 6 month checkups.
    
    Now, at 5/12, the filling needs to be replaced since it didn't hold
    well, and there is more cavity around it. Tomorrow my husband will take
    him for the filling again.  The dentist said he will need to drill a
    bit more and is undecided whether he'll numb Ryan's mouth with a bit of
    novacaine.  (All of this makes me cringe, even to write :-)
    
    We too have read the Critter book recently, and it raised no undue
    concerns or reluctance to go back to the dentist. I have explained
    pretty directy that the dentist will use the drilll again and we talked
    about what a noisy thing it is.  I'm just careful in the discussions
    not to state more than facts, and let him talk about whatever feelings
    come up for him (rather than mine:-)!.
    
    Best of luck - he'll probably do better than you think.
    

    I had to take my 3-year-old for a very uncomfortable medical test at
    the hospital.  She sailed through much to the surprise of the medical
    staff who said that most kids really freak out.  She whimpered a bit at
    the worst, but recovered right away.  She didn't seem traumatized at
    all and rarely referred to the test later, and that without any emotion
    other than pride.
    
    What did I do to prepare her?
    
    * Didn't discuss it until the night before.  No point in getting her
    worked up way ahead of time.  For a 5-year-old a week's advance notice
    might be more appropriate, unless your child gets too worked up with
    advance notice.
    
    * Controlled my own emotional expression about the impending test. 
    Stated clearly that both her Dad and I had had similar procedures, and
    that while it was uncomfortable it was over quickly and we both did
    fine.  Absolutely do not convey panic, fear, or other negative
    feelings.  
    
    Act confident even if you don't feel that way.  Think through the facts
    for yourself:  Exactly what your child will experience, and that it
    will all be over quickly.
    
    * Told her exactly what to expect.  Clearly identified the part of her
    body that would be affected and what the nurse would do.  Reviewed this
    twice to be sure she got it.
    
    * Was honest about how it would feel.  I told her it would be very
    uncomfortable.  She asked if it would hurt.  I said maybe a litte but
    not for long.  It is important to be honest.
    
    * Told her I would be right at her side all the time.  I left her side
    only briefly to get a book from a nearby chair, but spoke to her
    reassuringly while I did so.  She got scared when I was out of her
    sight even though she could hear me.  So I only did this once, and
    quickly.
    
    * Told her that she is a big girl and special, that she's the only one
    to have this test and should be proud.
    
    * Told her she could wear any nice dress she wanted, and we'd take
    snacks, books and toys, all her choice.  Brought a variety of snacks
    and fed her in the waiting room as soon as she was done with the test. 
    Brought a surprise present. 
    
    * Told her we'd be done by lunch and she'd go to her usual babysitter
    then.  I ended up taking her out for lunch and giving her ice cream.
    
    * Explained to her every step, however minor, as she went through it. 
    Maintained physical contact, such as handholding or stroking her head
    all the time.
    
    * Spoke to the nurse, technician, and doctor while she was listening,
    to understand myself what would happen and let her hear that I trust
    the medical professionals and work cooperatively with them for her
    welfare.
    
    Laura

    .20 is good advice.  One think I'd add is, that if I were the mom in
    this situation I would STRONGLY request (well, actually *I* would
    *insist*) that novocaine be used, unless of course the child had a
    known allergy to it.  No question to me about the preferability of the
    single sting of a novocaine shot over the cold blue h*ll of the drill
    hitting a nerve!
    
    Leslie

Since I happened to be at the dentist myself yesterday, I asked the
hygienist when they like to see kids for a first visit - she said around
age 3.  She said kids need at least one daily dose of fluoride on their
teeth and that the nighttime brushing is very critical - enough so that
the parents should really assist in getting the back teeth brushed since
according to her, most kids don't have the manual dexterity to brush
properly until they are 9 or 10.  This kind of surprised me since I've
always read that you should let the child do it himself to feel capable
and responsible for the care of his own teeth, but she said the back
molars are very cavity prone in young ones just because they aren't
really skilled enough (and yes, even if the teeth are just "babyteeth").

While I'm here, just a mention of one "game" that works with my 2 1/2 yr.
old son, Collin.  We tell him to brush his teeth to get out all the 
"sugar monsters" that got in there from eating sweets and other foods.
We'll say, "I see a blue one on the bottom in the back!" and he gleefully
brushes in that area then asks where another one is, and we keep naming
different colored ones until he covers enough areas. Only problem is
that it can sometimes take awhile because he has so much fun and keeps
saying "I think there's another purple one back here - better get it!"
and the like... 

Never a dull moment,
-Cori

    re .22
    What do you think the hygienist meant by "kids need at least one daily
    dose of fluoride on their teeth"?  I do give my sons fluoride drops in
    their juice daily but haven't gotten them to use a fluoride oral rinse
    since it cautions against use by children under age 6.
    
    Just curious.
    Lynn
    

I think she meant just the fluoride from the toothpaste. She said to get
the kids in the habit of brushing every morning and night (pretty
standard - didn't mention anything about special rinses.  However, there
are now rinses "for kids" (don't know about the age range) that do not
contain alcohol.  Kind of seems like a marketing gimmick to me, but I
suppose the more preventive care, the fewer drilling and filling
experiences to be endured...

-Cori

    
    Although you need to be careful that they do not get too much!
    
    My dentist says the correct amount of flouride is just enough that the
    child can taste it - not that inch long glob they show on commercials
    and that would surely choke anybody under the age of twelve
    
    
    If they eat too much there is a real danger of permanent discoloration
    of both baby teeth as well as permanent teeth. That is, a child with
    only baby teeth who is consuming a quantity of toothpaste may be
    affecting permenent teeth.
    My dentist showed me some pictures - not pretty!  Have you ever seen 
    someone with blotchy white patches on their teeth? One of the causes of 
    that is too much flouride. (I know there's a medicine that also does this)
    A problem is that the flouride usually is distributed unevenly, hence 
    blotches, also the color just is not natural.
    
    Again to quote *my* dentist; "there's enough flouride in the water that
    extra flouride from toothpaste is unecessary. Get the kids in the habit
    of brushing, and use only a taste of tothpaste; they don't need more.
    Good brushing habits are more important. "(paraphrased) 
    Ask your own dentist for more information.
    
    
    JAmd

Our dentist has encouraged us to bring our 2+ yr old to the dentist whenever
we go!  They are really great about it, and want to introduce the idea
 to the kids gradually (also the kids get to see mom/dad getting checked out).

I also have trouble getting my son to brush. 

fyi - not every town in Mass. fluoridates their water!  Our pedi had a chart
which showed that our town, West Boylston, does not (though my daycare town
does).  So I use the drops (when I remember) on non-daycare days.
I'm not sure about other municipalities.

Rachel

    BTW, thanks for the idea of 'hunting for sugar monsters hiding on the
    back teeth"!  We had lots of fun with that last night!
    
    
    JAmd

	re: Floride

	Our town (Milford MA) does not have flouride in the water either
	so Lauren is on some sort of vitamin drops with Floride.  She
	hates it and chokes everytime I administer it but it has to
	be done.  I tried putting the medicine in a nipple and getting
	her to suck it.  It worked once!  The second time she gummed
	the nipple and wouldn't suck.  Adding it to formula doesn't
	work either since she will not drink the bottle!  

	At what age can children start chewables?  And, do chewable
	vitamins have floride?  I figure that about 10-12 months
	they could but I'm not sure.

	re: those white patches on your teeth

	I had several and I had them removed!  They were just on the
	surface and my dentist did some sort of chemical/polishing
	procedure that removed them and the teeth look normal now!  

	Karen	

    
    
    As I understand it (could be wrong on this) the white patches from
    Flouride are not surface discolorations; they go all the way through.
    
    I'll ask next time I'm at the dentist's.
    
    
    Jamd

Our city also does not have flouride in the water.  We have put
one flouride drop in Lauren's juice since she was an infant.
This does not have vitamins without, the drop is small and 
tasteless (can also be put in her milk).  Might ask your
doctor about it.

    My daughter likes to brush my teeth, so sometimes we do a deal -- she
    can brush mine if I can brush hers.  It is pretty messy; I use a towel
    as a bib.  But she can see mine, so I think it is useful for her to do
    and I put up with the mess.  Sometimes.
    
    Beryl

     I am NOT looking forward to tomorrow!  AJ has a dental apointment to
    remove four of his upper front baby teeth.  The reason is a
    combination...  last week at the sitter's house he was playing in the
    backyard,  (AJ says) he was hit in the face with a large diameter
    plastic baseball bat.  (looks like a flintstones type club)  He did not
    show any signs of trauma, not a fat lip no excessive bleeding, but it
    did knock out a lower baby tooth. I found out about the bat thing later
    that night.  AJ just picked up the tooth, brought it into the house to
    the sitter, and went back out to play.
    
    Something didn't seem quite right, I thought he had already had a visit
    from the tooth fairy on this one, but wasn't completely sure.  I called
    the dentist after hours, I wanted to know how to tell a baby tooth from
    an adult tooth.  I had the tooth in my hand at the time.  He suggested
    that I have it checked in the office the next day anyway.  I waited one
    more day, so we could use the office closest to home, the one he is
    familiar with.  The dentist took Xrays, which showed the bottom tooth
    was a baby tooth, but the shock had loosened the lower two center
    teeth,which are adult teeth.  He put a temporary "splint" on these,
    instructed us to use a peroxide based commmercial rinse 2 or 3 times a
    day, brush *gently* with an extra soft brush, but the shocker was yet
    tocome.  His upper center and the one each side of those are being
    displaced by the adult teeth right above them, part of the displacement
    could have been caused by the trauma of the blow, but not sure.  Since
    the baby teeth are not even wiggling yet, we need to have those 4 top
    teeth removed tomorrow.
    
    The gal who made his apointment said he won't have a problem, suggested
    he would probably be able to go to school in the afternoon.   I was to
    say the least shocked by this!  They said they will use gas (nitrus
    oxide) and I'd like to think some novacaine, but I don't know for sure.
    
    Before all this, he needs to be seen by a renal specialist to determine
    why he has high blood pressure, and also a follow up chest Xray,
    because the one he had taken last week,in the throws of an acute asthma
    attack, was not quite normal.
    
    By the time I get through the dentist and extractions, I'll be lucky if 
    I'm NOT in tears from stress.  
    
    Thanks, I needed to vent!
    
    Lyn
     

    Even if he "can" go back to school in the afternoon following the 
    procedure, that sounds ridiculous to me, too.  I think you and he
    will need some special time together that afternoon to wind down
    from the stress.  
    
    Just one other thing -- please get a second opinion from another 
    dentist before you go ahead with this.  I have a friend who once
    had an adult tooth pulled based on his dentist's recommendation,
    then found out a few years later from 2-3 other dentists that it
    had not been necessary.  Sometimes we just don't think of getting
    second opinions on a dentist the way we would on a doctor.
    
    Jane

    Re the last, 
    
    Thanks for the support.  It's done and over, and I am trying to forget
    the ordeal!  It was a horror show.  He was resisting the "bubblegum
    nose" (for the gas) with that hurdle over come, I mentioned his *minor
    asthma* which is not a big deal in our lives, and the dentist
    *immediatly* shut off the gas and made it pure oxygen.  He "sobered" up
    quite quicky, before he had numbed the gums with the q-tip thing, and
    the shots in the gum were a horror of two people literaly holding him
    down.  I don't think the dentist (a pedi specialist too!) waited long
    enough, he seemed very rushed, impatient, and non tolerant at the time,
    to begin the proceedure.  I will remember for a long time hearing him
    scream out in panic "don't take my teeth!"  I really feel he could
    still feel what was happening.
    
    We had spent the morning at the hospital for a renal specialist, he is
    being worked up for high blood pressure. Then an echo cardiogram at the
    hospital, then the dentist, then an hour off at home, while mom does a
    con-call from home, then back to the hospital for a blood test, he
    protested less at the blood test than the dentist, then a chest Xray to
    check a recent irregular chest Xray.  This child is also mildly
    hyperactive, and was very anxious too all day, but still cooperative. 
    From all that we realized it was after 3pm, neither of us had eaten all
    day (per dentist request), so we hit the hospital caf for his favorite
    meal, egg salad sandwich, frozen yogurt, milk.  He also ate half my
    cream of something soup, and wanted more.  I only wanted a nap, but had
    to scoot home, change him into soccer gear and hit practice.  
    
    Then his father wanted to know why I looked "so beat"!  WHAT!!  I
    wanted to *beat* him!!  "and so what did you do with your day off
    dear?"  Is this justifyable homicide or what??
    
    He's fine, haven't gotten the lab results back, but he seems to have no
    long term effect fromthe day.  He went to school the next day just
    fine.
    
    Now arn't you sorry you asked, but THANKS for listening, and letting me
    vent.
    
    Lyn
    
    p.s. then the dentist sent me a bill for $15. for the Nitrus Oxide,
    that the insuance won't pay!

    
    I think it is getting near time for my 3 1/2 year old to go to the
    dentist. She is a pretty squirmy, sensitive kid who may not take well 
    to having a doctor look into her mouth (we won't get into the stories
    re: repeated enemas but I am expecting flashbacks).
    
    I'm looking for a good-with-kids-dentist in the Marlboro area as well
    as any advice you may have on preparing her for the first visit. Just
    so you know, I am not afraid of the dentist, she does brush her teeth,
    and she knows that mom has gone to the doctor because of boo boo's
    caused from not brushing and too much junk food.
    
    I'm also wondering about adding her to my dental plan. Is it worth
    paying the family premium to cover a 3-4 year old ?

    As for adding her to your plan .... my advice is, you should have done
    it already!  If she does anything to injure her teeth (like fall), your
    medical insurance will only cover it to the point that she's not in
    danger, but won't do a thing for anything cosmetic.  
    
    I think it's $1.50/wk for the dependent dental, and that covers as many
    people as you can put on there, including your spouse.
    
    A few cleanings will pay that back.  

We have taken our daughter to the dentist when we went for our appointments
for years.  When she started getting her own appointments (age 3), we told her
about what would happen, and about the hygienist we would see, Mary.   She
made a picture for Mary before the appointment and that helped in smoothing
things out.  Mary didn't insist on doing a full exam the first time -- she
told Xela about her tools and let her inspect them, then counted her teeth.
She just had her third apointment, and now Xela lets her clean a little and
polish and floss.  Now Xela also makes a picture for the dentist.  But we spend
more time with the hygienist, so we talk more about her.  Xela usually opts
to sit on my lap for her exam.  Our dentist has four small children, so he
gets along with her pretty well.  The hygienist is the most gentle tooth cleaner
I've ever met, so that helps, too.

We go to a dentist in Boston, so the location isn't what you are looking for.

We also read the Berenstain bears book about the dentist.

Good luck!

Beryl