Dentist

Today was Maddux's first ever dentist appointment. We have been talking about it for weeks. Yesterday we even watched Sid the Science kid - an episode about teeth! He has been begging - BEGGING to go to the dentist. He woke up this morning and asked me every hour if it was dentist time yet. I started to get a little worried, because even though I had painted the most realistic picture of the dentist for him, I don't think he really understood.

I was right. We got there and he was SO excited to see a room full of toys. He played for a few, then came over, opened his mouth and asked me if his teeth were clean. I answered yes (we had brushed them just before going in). When the hygienist came to get us, he immediately started crying that his teeth were already clean and he didn't need to go! This was just the start.

He cried through the x-rays, cried when they had him lay on the table to watch Dino Dan on the ceiling(which is his absolute favorite show), cried when they tried to polish his teeth, cried when they tried to just brush them instead, then went absolutely hysterical when the Dentist had to put "medicine" on his teeth (fluoride maybe?). In the middle of all of it, there were a few quiet times when he let the Dentist "count" his teeth. But I had to be holding on to him and he had to be standing up on the table. It was his way or the highway. I was willing to hold him down, but the hygienist said not to make it a traumatic first experience. I think we failed there. Traumatic for me or for him!?

Before:

Can you tell he is terrified? (below)He is STANDING on the table and I'm holding on to him with one hand, taking this pic with the other...Can't wait till February to do it again! :)