The girls had their second check up with the dentist a few weeks ago, and this visit went just as well as the first! Well, mostly. They sat together in the seat again, and they were just as well behaved, and just as cooperative as they were before. (In Kaylie's case, she was even more cooperative!) The only shadow over the visit is that Elora has developed a few teensy, tiny cavities. The dentist and hygienist both assured me that cavities are very common in young children, because the enamel on the baby teeth is much thinner than that on adult teeth, and especially when the teeth are touching, as they do in Elora's mouth. And I know that I have terrible teeth ( a mouth full of fillings, ew!) and I don't think that Brandon's are much better than mine. But, I still feel like I've failed my daughter. We could have been a lot more diligent about tooth-brushing than we were, and what if that had been enough to prevent those cavities? Am I doing enough to help her develop the necessary habits to keep her mouth healthy in the long-term? I'm doing my best to squash the doubts and self-recrimination, and channel that energy into stepping up our game at home. Kicking myself won't help Elora; being diligent about her oral care will.
The dentist advised us to have the cavities filled, and I went ahead and made the appointments to do so. She said that if left unfilled, those cavities can spread quickly and lead to more serious issues. Between what she told me, and what I later read online, I feel that our safest bet is to have the teeth filled, even if there is some debate about whether it's really necessary. And even if I do hate that I'll have to make her go through that awful process. But, better a few fillings now, than extractions a year or two down the road, right?
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