Visiting the Dentist

Yesterday we took Natalie and Jacob to the dentist. It was Natalie's first visit, and we decided to take them in together just for exams.

Jacob did fairly well. He was pretty nervous and was saying "no dentist!" when we got there. He didn't want to lie down on the table and was looked very scared when the dentist first started checking his mouth. We counted down from 15 and when we would get to zero, we'd let him sit up for a second and take a break. Once he realized that was the pattern, he seemed to relax a little. Not totally, but a little! His teeth looked pretty good other than some decalcification starting at the back molars.

His dentist recommended a special toothbrush called the Collis Curve Toothbrush. It has bristles on all three sides so if you are brushing someone else's teeth, you can more easily get to those back molars and quickly get all the surfaces. He said it is great for kids who have sensitive gag reflexes, sensory issues, autism, etc. You can't find it in regular stores and usually have to order it. I found it a few different places online and ordered a couple this morning. I'll report back when we've given it a try!

Natalie did GREAT. We had prepared her for the visit and she was so excited. She opened up wide for the dentist and was her normal social self. She brought along her stuffed giraffe and held on tight to him while her teeth were checked, which I think helped. The dentist told her she has 20 teeth and that they look wonderful. I asked her later what he told her and she said he told her that her teeth were "precious." (HA!) She actually didn't want to leave when we were done!

So now we have to practice the dental cleaning procedure with Jacob in therapy and then we'll take them both back for cleanings. They gave us a bag of stuff to practice with Jacob, so hopefully it won't be long and we'll have him ready to go back!