To the Dentist

Today we had our first trip to the dentist since we moved to Indiana. I found a pediatric dentist in LaPorte that takes the kids' insurance so we packed up this morning and left the house at 6:45 am to be there by 8:00 (my kids didn't even know that time of day existed!!!) .

Emma had been to the dentist a few times before we moved but she would NEVER let them take an X-ray. She was too scared. Today was totally different!! She hopped right in the chair and let the lady do it like nothing! This was Jackson's first trip to the dentist and I was a little worried. Someone had suggested when Emma was little that we bring her with us for cleanings so that when it was her turn she would feel comfortable going. That worked pretty good for her except for the X-rays before. I hadn't had the chance to do this with Jackson because he was still too little to come along before we moved. Still to "curious" and wouldn't sit still. So anyway, I was nervous that he would be scared with having never been there before. Also, Daddy decided it would be a good idea this morning to tell him "the dentist won't hurt you." Jackson wasn't even thinking that but the comment made him think it and he started asking if the dentist was going to cut him and why it would hurt. Daddies don't know how to talk to kids like Mommies do :)

Well all the worrying was in vain. He hopped right up in the chair and let them do whatever they wanted to him. They scraped and cleaned and flossed and did a fluoride treatment and he could not have cared less.

If you'll notice in the pictures, he insisted on wearing his fish slippers and I figured that wasn't a battle that really mattered so there he was fishy slippers, sunglasses and loving life on his first visit to the dentist. Hopefully they'll all be that good.

Side note: If any of you have kids and are able to, I highly recommend a pediatric dentist for kids. I think that is what made the difference for Emma with the X-rays. Everything was done in a big open room, they had prizes for the kids before and after their cleaning, balloons, pictures and most of all, a staff that is used to being patient with kids.