The fear of the dentist is a nasty thing, especially when it is your children who are suffering from tooth ache but refuse to go to the dentist out of sheer terror tormenting their little minds.
Our youngest child out of four had problems with his first teeth before we even celebrated his first birthday. He had slipped and fallen chipping his two front teeth when he started crawling. We went to the dentist immediately, but there was not much he could do at the time.
We got some pain killers and some paste to alleviate the swelling. The two milk-teeth were broken and became brittle, until eventually only two little stubs were left.
With time the two incisors on either side were turning bad as well, plus two of his milk teeth’s molars. Pain was inevitable – and we went in and out of dentists regularly, trying to decide what to do.
History Repeating Itself
Now, a very similar story had occurred to my second child – and we had been in out of dentist with her as well. In the end we had to pull the four front milk teeth, or rather stumps, because they were disturbing the growth process of the permanent teeth. It all turned out well, and she has perfect strong and healthy teeth now as an adult.
We have been to various other dentists with the other two of my children. You can see in this link how milk teeth develop.
On the picture above you can see our youngest with all his top milk teeth turned bad. He is about six years old here.
First Visit to the Dentist
About a year before this time he had so much pain in one of the molars, we went to a local dentist. She decided to drill a hole into the tooth to release the pressure.
I agreed with that procedure as I knew the feeling of pain came from the pressure on the nerves from the built up mucous in the cavity. For some strange reason, she decided to drill the hole without anaesthesia! Since no one had actually drilled on his teeth before, he allowed the dentist to start.
But, as he began feeling the pain, our youngest began screaming and whaling. As we had started, we decided to finish, pleading with him to hold still. And right in the end holding him down for the dentist to finish. It only took a few seconds – but with a terrible result.
Our youngest would not come near a dentist for a long time after that. He would rather endure the constant pain of a bad tooth. The fear of dentist was established!
The Fear of Dentist Changing
About a year and a half later, the school class of our youngest went on an excursion to the Kids Dental Planet, a dentist clinic specialized in children in Las Palmas. He was so impressed by that dental clinic!
He came home beaming and telling us that he had found HIS dentist – the Doctora Victoria. She had said that he needed to come urgently for a check up to decide what to do with his rotten teeth. If he was going to go to a dentist it would have to be the Dr. Victoria in the Kids Dentist in Las Palmas.
We found a Children’s Dentist
By that time the first two bottom incisors had fallen out, and the two top ones were next – only the two top ones were not really teeth any more just two small stumps which the new teeth pushing them forward instead of out!
Soon we made and appointment. We arrived there on a Friday morning. Our youngest was already mentally prepared that he would have to have one or two teeth pulled out. He understood our reasoning that his permanent teeth would be affected otherwise.
Well, Dr. Victoria was a young lady, who was really concerned about children and really cared about undoing any fears children may have concerning dentist. After talking to our youngest for at least 10 minutes she slowly relaxed him and gave him two different anaesthesias. In about another 10 minutes the bad tooth was out – and he had not felt any pain.
On the picture above you can see him on his third visit – not a trace of fear in him. Ready for Dr. Victoria to do whatever she thought was necessary for the good of his teeth. Thanks God! Read our full review of the Kids Dental Planet here.
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ACTIVITIES – What to Do in Gran CanariaHi, I am Judith, the founder, author, translator and coffee girl of the GRAN CANARIA REGIONAL Guide.
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