Bad Mom

Today I totally feel like such a bad mom. The other day I got some cute little flossers for Abby and Allie to floss their teeth. After Abby's 4 cavities this fall, I have been quite diligent about making sure that I brush both Abby and Allie's teeth every night. They just don't get to the back teeth very well. I normally don't take my kids into the dentist until they are around 4-5 and I have never had any problems with all 5 of my older children until sweet, little Allie. So imagine my surprise when I was flossing Allie's teeth and I got on my knees to look up into her mouth and I discovered a very black molar in the back and 1/2 of it is missing. I just felt sick to my stomach when I saw it. I had her first visit scheduled in Jan. so I immediately called the dentist and got her in this week.
Well if you know anything about Allie - she is DEATHLY afraid of any kind of doctor, including the eye doctor. She gets weak in the knees, her face goes pale and she feels clamy. Well she was crying and I had to put her on my lap in the dentist chair. I had to hold the x-ray in her mouth only to be told after he looked at it that I should take her to a kid's dentist over in Twin Falls. The black molar will have to be removed and an appliance will have to be put into it's place so that all of her other teeth coming in the back do not crowd and she also has some other cavity issues that he saw. She will probably have to be sedated because she won't cooperate and will probably be tramatized for life. Yeah and then the dental hygenist says - "you know you should bring her in for regular cleanings and check-up's so that she gets used to the dentist." Really? Wow - that is a novel idea. I already feel pretty crappy, but thanks for that.
So learn from my mistake and take your children into the dentist office well before they turn 5. And - if your children complain about their teeth hurting - check it out. (She had complained about her teeth hurting but then it just went away). I am just sick about it and it brings me to tears just thinking about it. Dang.