66 teeth, 1 cavity

Today was visit-the-dentist day for AJ and Mommy. Yet, somehow, when the floss and fluoride cleared, it was Sydney, we learned, who has a cavity. 

Both AJ and I were scheduled for six-month cleanings. My appointment was first thing in the morning so I could stop on my way to work. Meanwhile, I'd scheduled AJ's appointment for later in the morning, to which Jeff would take him. Sydney was simply going to have to go along and sit quietly.

But while sitting with my mouth full of teeth cleaning tools this morning, I happened to overhear an appointment had just been cancelled. The hygienist commented that whether its due to summer or the economy, business has been slow lately. On a whim I asked if they had any openings right before or after AJ's appointment. Turns out they did, and so, with less than two hours notice, I scheduled Sydney's first visit to the dentist.

I felt slightly guilty assigning Jeff to this task, but... oh, who am I kidding? I would have paid money to watch him try to wrangle not just one, but two kids into position for the dentist to peer into their mouths.

As it turned out, today's visit was relatively easy. Next Tuesday is when it's going to get interesting. (And again Jeff will be accompanying Sydney solo - though he picked the date, and so has no one to blame but himself.) While Sydney's 20 teeth were being counted, the unthinkable was noticed. Sydney has a cavity. And so next Tuesday she'll be going back to have it fixed.

It seems almost unfair that it's Sydney who has a cavity. I think she has better dental habits than AJ. Oh well. I guess since AJ's been cursed with bad vision, it balances out that he has good teeth.

Innocent little Sydney is actually excited to go back to the dentist. Why? She's clearly keeping her eyes on the prize(s). And I'm not talking about the prize of a perfect smile. No, something far better.

"Mom, I got a ring and a Cinderella toothbrush!" was how she greeted me when I got home from work tonight. (Never mind that she's already lost the ring in the time it's taken me to write this.)

Not a bad haul for a few minutes of opening her mouth wide. What else made an impression on her?

"They had a chair and I got to lay on it. Isn't that cool?"

"Did you get to wear sunglasses, too?" I asked.

"YES!"

Sunglasses and cool chairs aside, if you look at percentages, today was a success. My 24 teeth are fine, as are AJ's 22 teeth (To return to full chewing strength, he needs his top two teeth to grow back before any other teeth fall out.) Hopefully after next Tuesday, all 20 of Sydney's teeth will be just as good. 

And I'm just going to keep telling myself that to lessen my guilt that my 4-year-old already has a cavity.