Ella's Tooth!

Ella top front tooth had been loose for a few weeks before her birthday party. It was really strange because it actually got really loose and then cemented itself back into her gums, but was slightly pointing outward. We called it her Nanny McPhee tooth! Her poor front teeth have actually been through the ringer and we have thought so many times that they would either fall out or have to be taken out due to them getting hit and turning gray. Thankfully they've always held on and turned back to white over time. 

At her birthday party she was upstairs playing with friends. I think the boys were trying to shoot the girls with Nerf guns. Kendra handed Ella a gun and I think Ella tugged on it right when Kendra let go and she smacked herself right in the mouth. There were so many tears and lots of blood. Her gums were bleeding like crazy, her tooth was really loose and she had a fat lip on her upper and lower lip. Poor girl was a hot mess! 

Michael tried to get the tooth out...he tugged really hard, but it was not budging. After that Ella got pretty somber. We tried to cheer her up by having her open her presents but she was just too preoccupied with her tooth to truly enjoy it to the fullest like she normally would have. She did end up having a good time...just wasn't her typical self after that. 

Later we asked Ella if we could try to pull it out, but she said she wanted the dentist to pull it out. She knows that the dentist has that awesome numbing gel and she's had that before and wanted it pulled out that way. Luckily the kids dentist appointment was already scheduled for the next morning anyway! 

One last picture of her Nanny McPhee tooth! 

At first the dentist wasn't going to pull it she just wanted it to fall out on her own. But then I explained how it was really bothering Ella...she had a hard time falling asleep and her tongue was just not leaving it alone. I also explained how she had told me she wanted the dentist to pull it out. I think the dentist was a bit surprised because most kids don't want nor do they ask for the dentist to pull out their tooth. After that she agreed to pull it. Ella wasn't scared one bit. She was so brave and awesome. I think she only said "Ow" twice. The dentist used lots and lots of numbing gel. On top and then she used a q-tip to get move the tooth over quite a bit and was able to get some underneath it as well. Then came the pliers and out it came. It was so fast! Ella didn't even flinch! She's so amazing! 

Afterwards the dentist congratulated me on having such wonderful kids. She said they were so good at listening and very respectful and they weren't afraid. It always nice to hear those things and makes me feel like I'm not doing too bad at this mothering thing! I explained how we have always been very upfront with the kids about doctors and dentists and anything else that might be scary or painful. We do not lie to our kids!! We do not say it won't hurt and we don't let them go into a procedure blindly not know what's going to happen. I've very purposeful about explaining what the situation is going to be like. You'll be laying down like when they clean you teeth, they will use numbing gel and then you'll probably feel a little tug and then it will bleed a bit. I want my kids to trust me and not ever thing I'm keeping something from them. 

Once we left the dentist it was off to school for the 3 older ones. Owen and Jack will be going back in May because they both have a couple cavities. They are on their baby molars, but they are the ones they will still have for years so they want to take care of them so they don't get worse and start to be painful. I do have to be better with making sure to help them floss their teeth. I'm so good about flossing my own teeth, but I'm horrible with the kids.