Search Results for: blog the dentist who punched me

Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Me Away from You (and Neither Can Dentists)

Posted on by

Only now do I realize that a visit to the pediatric dentist was much more of an ordeal for my mother than it was for me. Anticipating the protests, torn between comforting the child and ensuring that the necessary things happened, not wanting the dentist to be cast as the bad guy lest we be even more fearful, she took most of the blame herself. She always seemed so sure of herself and of what had to be done. It wasn’t until years later that I realized she hadn’t felt as sure as she seemed. Mom had once asked me … Continue reading →

Preparing a Child for the Dentist—Part One

After nearly twenty years of parenting (times three) I have arranged and sat through my share of dentist appointments! If I was feeling saucy I might claim to have sat through someone else’s share too! Throw in the braces for one child and nearly two years at the orthodontist and I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to kids and the dentist. Even if your child has been to the dentist before, preparing him or her for the next visit is important. Most kids need a little preparation for a trip to the dentist. Even if you have the … Continue reading →

The Dentist Who Punched Me

It seems unbelievable, but it’s true. When I was a young girl, my mother took me to the dentist to have a cavity filled. I was probably seven or so, and terrified. For some reason, parents were not invited into the examination room, and my mother—rest her soul—was too timid to insist. I remember whining and crying in fear as the dentist tried to do his work. There was no assistant in the room. I’m sure I caused the man a great deal of frustration. All of a sudden, he reared his arm back and punched me in my stomach … Continue reading →

Tooth Brushing Battles

For some families, brushing teeth and dental care becomes one of those ongoing power struggles. It might start when kids are young—babies even—and continue on, or it might be something that pops up as children become more independent. What can be done to combat or end the tooth brushing battles? I have a confession to make—I never brushed my children’s teeth for them. When they were infants, I did wipe out their mouths with a clean cloth during bath time, but once they could sit up for baths and had the finger dexterity, I let them hold their own toothbrush … Continue reading →

Dental Horror Story: The Happily Ever After Part

Well, in the last week or so I’ve shared with you the trials and tribulations of my summer. I’ve told you about the bad and the ugly where the wisdom teeth were concerned, now let’s flashback to just three weeks ago. I’d done all of my daughter’s back-to-school shopping over the weekend. They’d scheduled my surgery so that by the time we got to meet the teacher on Friday, I would be able to talk some and on her first day of school some of the swelling should be down. I got up early that morning, it was a Tuesday, … Continue reading →