Issues

I have issues with teeth.  My own.  My family's.  Even my old cat that had a chipped fang and liked to show it off.

Last night I had to lasso one of my daughter's tiny little baby teeth with dental floss and pull it out.  Really pull it out.  I'm shuddering at this very moment remembering how hard I had to tug.  Bleah.

Something had to be done.  The night before she was crying over it.  Yesterday in school she managed to worm her way into a longer lunch with another first grade class because her tooth hurt too much to eat.  I couldn't face a third night of dental drama.

Usually my daughter is a true rougher tougher younger sibling.  When her brother lost his second tooth, I swear she made her first tooth come loose 24 hours later by sheer force of will.  She wouldn't quit until she had wrenched it out and caught up with brother, no matter how much it hurt..  The child can be an animal.

I was annoyed with how much she was milking this latest loose tooth until I saw the dagger of a root that was jabbing at her every time it wiggled.  Excuse me, I have to shudder again.  Have I mentioned that I have issues with teeth?

I blame my sister and my mother.  Each tooth my sister lost had some string related ritual.  They tied one to a door.  Classic.  The next tooth got tied to the dog's chewy bone.  One tooth even got tied to the bumper of my car and yanked out in my haste to get to high school.  I was an unwilling pawn in their gross fun.  I would write more but I think I have repressed the rest of their antics.

Now I am a parent on the other end of the dental floss facing 40 more deciduous teeth between my two children.

Yuck.