(So, this calls for a post from mom… and please PLEASE PLEASE don’t say, “well, at least it’s just a baby tooth.” I know there are MANY worse things in the world, but mom will snap if she hears one more person say that.)
Ok, so I’m the first to admit that I cringe when a see a poor child with a rotten or discolored tooth. Being a tooth/teeth nut, I just hate it. So, it only seems appropriate that one of my lovelies has one MISSING… at least for another 3-4 years until a new one grows in.
Here’s the scoop on my little Quinn: as posted before, he shipped his tooth while on vacation in South Carolina last week… we go to the dentist today (5 days later)… Quinn has been expressing very mild discomfort when I brush his teeth, but nothing major. We show up at the dentist, and I start: “so… do you think we can bind it? fill it in? what will be the least painful? will it turn colors?” The dentist takes one look at the tooth, and to my horror, says “hon, this tooth needs to be pulled.” WHAT? I don’t even get to stare at a dead tooth for 3 years before it falls out? You are going to PULL my babies tooth? Wahhh….
An x-ray confirmed that not only did the tooth need to be pulled, but that the fall had severed his nerve and he should have been in severe pain. Bad ass Quinn strikes again.
So, she gave me the option of putting him to sleep in a few days to have it pulled or to just numb him and pull it now (no doubt with pain involved). Given my travel schedule and wanting to keep from putting him to sleep for such a procedure, we (well, I) elected to pull it. So, I spent 5 minutes (while they were prepping the HUGE shot for his front gums) telling him that while it was going to hurt, we needed to pull his tooth and that he needed to be a brave boy, and that the tooth fairy was going to come, and that we’d have ice cream, and that he’d look so tough, and that we’d buy a special “brave boy toy” and that, and that…
It was 10 minutes later that Quinn confirmed for me once and for all, that he is more courageous than any adult I know. I swear, I don’t know if it’s because of all the injections, medication, procedures, etc. that they were exposed to early in life, or not, but that boy is made of steel. The dentist was even amazed at how brave and strong he was through the process (she said the shot in the front tooth is the hardest part, and while we had one dentist, two hygienists and one mom to hold him down, all he did was squirm oh-so-slightly and say, “dat hurts.”). Muffin.
Bravery at its finest. After we picked up a toy and a tub of ice cream, we headed home to prepare for the tooth fairy. Then, my favorite part of all… as I gave him one final hug (of many that day) before going back to work, it occurred to me exactly what he looked like. I said, “you are just my little pirate.” The look on his face was nothing short of elation. Upon realizing that what I said was true, he threw his arms in the air, let out a squeal and ran over to hug me. Who knew someone would be so excited to look like a pirate?
I guess Halloween is right around the corner and mama’s gonna save on a costume!
