Eli's New Smile

I don't think I ever mentioned it here last winter, probably out of embarrassment, but Eli had cavities. The worst on his two front teeth from me not flossing them. I almost fell on the floor when Brian came home and told me "9". Shut up! That's what happens to kids that eat candy all day and go to sleep with bottles of soda.  After going from disbelief, to anger at the "money gauger" dentist and then anger at myself, we got his teeth fixed all at once.  It confused me because I always brush his teeth, never drank soda/juice, but he does have the same deep molars as I do. In the front teeth the cavities were pretty deep, but the dentist was able to save them with lots of work.  I beat myself up, but at least they're just baby teeth.  His front teeth were fixed and molars sealed while he snoozed away, never learning to fear dentists.  In fact, he's excited to go.

Six months ago his teeth checked out fine.  But two weeks ago I noticed that one was a little loose, just in time for his next appointment, but didn't worry since he didn't complain about pain.  Apparently the nerve had died, there was infection, and his tooth was not longer connected to the root.  To prevent the infection from spreading to other teeth he had to go on antibiotics and .... lose his front tooth.  So, for the next two or three years, this will be his smile.

He carries his little tooth around like it's a toy and shows it to friends when he can. When we tried to prepare him by telling him his tooth had to come out he asked "Why? Me no brush my teeth, it turned black?"  I try and scare him with the consequences, like my mom did to me, so he is happy to brush his teeth. I told a little white lie and said that he's getting bigger and that big kids lose their baby teeth.