Confessions of a Non-Brusher

The semi-annual children's dental checkup was this week.  I was bummed to hear that Braden needs a filling, but positively dismayed to find out that Rebecca has two cavities!  WHAT??  This was her first-ever dentist's visit!  I brush her teeth every morning and night!  How can this be?  Why, oh why, do my children have cursed teeth?  I, in spite of myself, had great teeth as a child. Read on, and you'll see . . . 

It's no wonder that I didn't understand why some people have a fear of the dentist.  I did not have one cavity until after I had been through two sets of braces.  I was thirteen years old, and am fully convinced I could have gone longer but for the orthodontia.  This, in spite of the fact that I was horrible at oral hygiene.  Really until I was about 12, I was less than vigilant about brushing my teeth.  I know there were multiple brush-free days in a row - sorry Mom - and sorry to anyone who caught a whiff of my breath.  I didn't begin to floss like I should until after I was married.  Again, I'm sorry, society.

The four year old non-brusher

I vividly remember myself as a four-year old trying in vain to convince my mom that at yesterday's checkup with the dentist he told me, "It's really better for your teeth if you brush them every other day to give them a rest." 

P.S.  To those still worried about Rebecca even after taking in my shocking personal revelations:  The family dentist says he thinks they're shallow and he'll be able to fix them without giving her the local anesthetic shots.  We're going to try, and if it looks like she's getting upset, we'll go to Plan B and take her to a pediatric dental specialist instead.  Hopefully that way we can avoid a traumatic first experience at the dentist for her.