My Little Tooth Fairy

Monday afternoon, I noticed a bump on Ri's gum above her front tooth.  I only noticed it when she smiled.  I didn't think much of it but called the dentist and made an appointment for the next morning.  But by the next morning, it was gone.  I almost canceled but they said to come in anyway.

Left - Monday afternoon: Right - Tuesday morning

Ri is our clumsy child.  She falls often and doesn't have very good balance (now I'm going to look into getting her involved in something that will help her because she's developed a habit of falling the wrong way).  Somehow, she always smacks her face.  She's had multiple instances of trauma where her teeth were bleeding. **I can remember when she was a year old and her and her cousin (who is about 4 months younger than her) were toddling out to the back screened porch and Brynn kinda rolled out but Ri sorta fell out - probably onto her face.  This was my first realization her balance and such wasn't all that great**

So when we got to the dentist, I showed them the picture I took the day before.  Then they wanted to do x-rays.  The dentist came back shortly after and said the tooth would need to come out.

Say what??!  This was a complete shock to me!  I had even made plans with a friend after the appointment.  I thought everything was fine now.

Apparently, the "bump" on her gum was an abscess.  It did go away but they said it'd eventually come back and that it meant there was an infection.  And infections are dangerous (which I did know).  I guess this isn't all that uncommon either and it was, indeed, due to her falling and hurting her teeth so much.  Her right cheek was also a bit swollen already.

I snapped this before she went back - her last picture with both front teeth! 

Once I got over the shock that she would have to lose her tooth, I asked how they'd do it.  They said they would wrap her in a blanket and she would be awake.  I could feel tears welling up.  I was so scared for my little girl.  I didn't want her to be afraid and confused about what they were going to do to her.

They did give us the option of coming back the next morning and they would give her a drug that would basically give her amnesia but she'd still technically be awake.  Thankfully, Septtro was able to leave work and meet me there.  He made the decision to go ahead and do it then (besides waiting would have been more worrisome for me and it was more dangerous to wait since it was infected).

We were told we could both go back with her. They'd give her laughing gas to help calm her down and then a numbing gel and then the shot of numbing medicine - and she'd be watching tv.  The girl doing it said they may not have to restrain her if she laid there for her.

Both Septtro and I went back with her but as soon as I laid her down and saw the "restraining blanket" and board they had, I could feel myself starting to get upset.  I knew if I got upset in front of her that it'd make it worse so I told her I was going to go check on Kaylee and that Daddy would stay with her.

When I left the room, I told another dental hygienist I wanted to go somewhere where I couldn't hear her cry if she cried or screamed.  I ended up staying out there with them.  It was distracting, which was good, and they were SO nice - coming up to me and hugging me and encouraging  me.  I did feel like such a weenie.  But most of them were moms and I think they understood how much moms don't want their children to feel scared or pain.

It only took about 20 minutes and they were done.  They said she did great!  Hallelujah! They didn't have to restrain her.  Praise Jesus!  Although Septtro did say she got upset when the dental assistant blocked her view of the tv and of Daddy when she was putting the medicine in her gum and she had a hard time calming down after that. But, no restraining!!

she did great keeping her "band aid" on

 Of course, we got ice cream afterwards.  There was very minimal bleeding, which was great.

 She went back to playing almost as soon as we got home.  I actually had to slow her down a bit.  She never once acted like she was in pain, although I did keep Tylenol in her for the rest of the day, just in case.

I'm still getting used to her new smile and I still get sad when I think about what happened - especially because it was such a shock.  I have nightmares about losing my teeth so it's gonna take some getting used to.

I know it's just cosmetic.  But it still makes me sad she had to have it removed prematurely.  She could get a fake one but she couldn't eat with it in...and I think it'd be more for me than her.  Honestly, I don't think she has the slightest clue that her missing a tooth is a big deal; much less how serious the situation could have been if we didn't get rid of the infected tooth.

She earned those stickers!

I'm so thankful to the Lord that she's ok - that we caught it when we did and that she didn't appear to be in any pain at all...before or after.   

poor tooth - in a coffin

They said the other tooth could become infected in the future because usually when kids fall, they hit more than just one tooth so we'll have to keep an eye on that one.  

Maybe we should get her a helmet....or a mouth guard.  :)