Recently my daughter came to me complaining of a toothache. It was shocking because she has never had any kind of dental pain before. I looked at it and didn’t see any problem, so I tried to call the dentist. Unfortunately the office was closed for the day, so I had to get creative.
I looked on the internet for some different ways to deal with tooth pain.There are several websites dedicated to just this problem. There are many, many home remedies to choose from. The one that seemed to help my daughter most was using a compress on the side of the cheek the problem was. I also used a bit of acetaminophen to help ease the pain. At least this helped her get some rest.
Early the next morning I called the dentist and they were able to see her that day. When the doctor checked, he noticed the start of a small cavity forming. He chose to fix it right then. He explained everything to her but she was very apprehensive. Fortunately, the office had headphones and movies for patients to watch while they have work done. This helped ease her anxiety a lot.
They had to take an x-ray first and then they were ready to get started. She chose to watch a Disney movie while they were working. It did not take very long, but she was allowed to finish watching the movie in the office. She said she hardly even felt the dental procedure.
While the dentist was filling that cavity he did a dental check up. Unfortunately there was another small cavity forming. We chose to come back another day to have that done because it was not causing any problems yet. Since she did not fuss much while having the procedure she was able to pick a small toy from the toy chest.
The dentist was very happy that she was put at ease, most patients cause more of a fuss the first time they have a cavity fixed. She was very proud of herself to hear that.
To give her a reward I took her to lunch at her favorite fast food restaurant. She loves to get cheeseburgers and fries, but we only go there on special occasions. She felt so happy that her good behavior helped her receive so many rewards. It was even her idea not to order sugary desserts, because she didn’t want any more cavities.
Another important lesson she has learned is the importance of proper brushing. She now knows the consequences if proper dental care is not taken. Fortunately these cavities were small and caught early. With any luck they will be the last cavities she has to deal with.