Daddy Takes Angel to the Dentist
Posted by Miz Kp on Aug 16, 2012 in Blog | 8 comments
(This guest post is written by Angel’s Dad. Your thoughts are welcome. Thank you. MizKp)
Taking Angel to the dentist or the doctor is always an adventure but taking him for both visits on the same day was quite the feat. This was my experience with Angel earlier this week as we began our back-to-school preparations for September.
I admit that Angel’s visit to the dentist was a struggle for him and he was predictably afraid of the unknown. Before his visit, Angel’s *SEIT worked with him during his *ABA sessions to prepare him for what to expect when he goes to the dentist. She also had him watch videos of other children at the dentist. (BTW: Angel is not a fan of social stories yet.) We also had him watch videos. However, he was still afraid of what the dentist might do when we arrived. The prospect of having an instrument put in his mouth, sitting in the big dentist chair, and hearing strange noises scared him.
During Angel’s visit, he bit me on my arm and stepped on me but it was worth the clean bill of health that he received. When the dentist examined him, Angel’s teeth did not need any drilling, he did not need any machines, and his gums had no discoloration.
Here I was thinking that brushing his teeth twice a day may not be enough. Then, I am told that we are doing a remarkable job in caring for Angel’s teeth. At the end of the visit, I joined the dentist and staff in giving Angel a round of applause for having wonderful teeth and allowing us to take a look.
Our boy has no cavities, no loose teeth, and no dental problems. Wow! The visit reaffirmed our resolve to keep candy out of his diet. We will continue to dilute his juice, give him fresh fruits instead of dried, monitor his snacks, brush his teeth twice a day, and teach him to brush his own teeth.
Now, the next step is teaching him how to floss. I often hear stories of some young children having cavities, plaque buildup, and needing fillings. These things can be prevented. Though many other kids suck lollipops, my little boy has never had a lollipop in his life. He has never had a cavity!
I guess you can call this a miracle because I am still in shock that Angel can have nice teeth without requiring a thorough cleaning from the dentist. In fact, I was so in shock that I even recommended that Angel should have his teeth brushed four times a day!
This experience reaffirmed the fact that what may seem normal to us may spike a meltdown for him. This can happen because of fear, uncertainty, or even lack of preparation. It comes with the territory when you have a child with special needs. We do our best to prep him and realize that we must work harder at it.
We will continue to try our best to reassure him during these visits to reduce his anxiety and help him build a level of comfort that he will remember when everything is over.
Our next stop later that afternoon… the pediatrician.
Thanks for listening.
Angel’s Dad
*SEIT – Special Education Itinerant Teacher
*ABA – Applied Behavior Analysis
I am Miz Kp, the creator of Sailing Autistic Seas. My Web site is dedicated to my son "Angel" who is on the autism spectrum.
Great post. It teaches many lessons. Children do survive without candy! It is uplifting to see your efforts pay off. Keep on striving to do what’s right for Angel.
Congrats to Angel for his perfect teeth! I’m a grown woman and I’m afraid of the dentist so I can’t even imagine what a child will experience. You’re a great dad by the way!
What a wonderful dad. All dads should be proactive like you. This post was very inspiring.
I love that this post is written by Angel’s dad! My son will barely let me get near his teeth so that is awesome that Angel made it through the dentist visit and has no cavities. Yay for no candy! I find that particularly difficult for me to do with my own son since I have a sweet tooth, and I have eat candy in secret lest he see me and try to steal it. I love that you all clapped for Angel at the end of the visit. You must be so proud of him. So what happens at the pediatrician?–that’s what I want to know.
The pediatrician was a regular visit. I mentioned that i took two trips in one day bc it was sort of a road trip for Angel. We did not get back until almost 4 pm from 11 in the morning. Yeah, he balled and screamed too, but ended with a wave and a smile. The shortcut that I learned on my own for brushing his teeth is to have the toothbrush ready. once you have the child’s attention, say Ahhhhhh and ask to open so we can brush your teeth. Regardless of the child’s cooperation, the exact moment the mouth opens, do a quick scrub on the bottom left or right then switch to the other side then switch to the top left or right and switch to opposite side. Go quick but not forceful. Total time should take less than 15 seconds. The reason this is important is that all four sides have been brushed in case you are not able to get a good scrubbing in the first place. U can say at least i brushed something. Boy was that really important since i had some challenging moments at night and in the morning rushing for the bus. Thanks for the comments.
Good Job, Angel’s Dad. I have had similar experiences brushing my grandson.s teeth. Being quick and decisive and letting each effort count works in this case. Perseverance pays off so don’t give up parents if you are having a tough time!Keep trying different methods until something works for you!
This is great to hear that Angel has nice teeth. We have yet to take my three year nephew to the dentist and we just started brushing his teeth. He has known candy and sweets since he learned to walk tho I do try to give him fruits every chance I get so I can just imagine what is teeth will look like.
It is not too late to start. Even with the candy as long as you brush twice a day his teeth should be fine. I am no dentist but that’s my take.