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A while back I mentioned that my daughter had a loose tooth. Her first loose tooth. I was somewhat emotional about the idea that my baby was growing up. Getting her real teeth was just a reminder to me that they don’t stay young forever and I needed to enjoy what little time I had with her while she was young (before she starts to talk back). I can’t find the post so you will just have to take my word for it.
I thought the tooth would have fallen out by now. It’s been awhile since my son lost his first teeth and a lot longer since I lost any teeth but I recall that once they were loose they came out pretty quickly.
Not my daughter’s tooth. For the last two weeks she has been protecting her tooth from falling out. She has been walking around with her jaw clenched shut. This in and of itself is not such a bad thing. My daughter tends to talk a lot and this has given everyone a little peace and quiet. If it were just that she wasn’t talking I wouldn’t even mention any of this but that is not all that is happening.
For the last week she has refused to eat anything that isn’t soft and cut up into teeny tiny pieces. Since my daughter is deathly afraid of knives that means I have to cut whatever it is we are having. Macaroni and cheese is not soft if you are wondering. PB&J is not soft. Nothing is soft enough for my daughter and her tooth except for the bunny cake we had for Easter dessert. That’s soft enough, though it still needs to be cut up.
Last night I told her she needed to brush her teeth before bed. I expected her to object due to the loose tooth. She did not and skipped merrily into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Within seconds I heard screaming. Screaming that other people, who are not parents, would assume meant a limb had been ripped off in farm equipment. I knew the screaming meant nothing serious but I ran downstairs and asked her what had happened anyway.
Blood was dribbling down her chin. Not a whole lot of blood but mixed with the spit in her mouth it looked a bit shocking if you are a six year old. Her tooth was bleeding. And she was screaming bloody murder.
“Does it hurt?” I asked.
She shook her head “no”
“So why are you crying?” I asked.
She continued to shake her head. She wasn’t going to talk at all in case the tooth fell out.
After I got her calmed down I learned through a mixture of pantomime and charades that she was wiggling her tooth when it started to bleed. I also learned that she is afraid she will look funny with a missing tooth. I tried desperately to explain to her that she could not prevent the tooth from falling out. Everyone loses their baby teeth and everyone looks really cute when it happens. I explained that she could put a straw through it to eat and she could suck spaghetti noodles through it for fun. I told her again about the tooth fairy.
She didn’t care. She does not want this tooth to come out. We aren’t even allowed to talk about the tooth anymore. Not unless we want to hear high pitched screams for several minutes. We are not allowed to look at the tooth either. I know it is hanging by a thread but I have not been able to look to see if the adult tooth is pushing up behind it. The only way she will let anyone look at the tooth is if they sit on their hands and she stands five feet away.
I want this tooth out. Now. I don’t want to hear about it anymore and I am afraid that there are 19 more to go.
Can you wait until she’s asleep and yank that sucker out real sneakie like?
I am not *normally* a fan of chloroform, but…
You’ll have to go through this 19 more times? lol! I’m sure after a few more tooth, she’ll be ok. Your daughter’s so cute and vain.. lol! I’m sure that tooth will come off pretty soon cos she won’t be able to stop wiggling it. I know I couldn’t help it.. ;P
I remember being just like her with the 1st 6 or 7 teeth that I lost! I feel badly for you.. it’s a weird fear
Kim, That was my thought exactly. I don’t think she’d even wake up. Of course if she does I will be the worst mom in the world.
Gdad, Sadly I am out at the moment.
Cashmere, I hope it gets better with the next few teeth. The blood scares her which makes me really nervous about puberty.
Dizz, I’ve had many dreams about losing my teeth, my adult teeth. Woken up thinking I had a mouthful of corn on numerous occasions. As a kid I yanked those suckers out as soon as they wiggled even a little bit.
Getting your kids to let them pull your tooth is an exercise in high level negotiations.
I do recommend that you hide the pliers. In your back pocket. Don’t give them time to change their minds.
I used to LOVE having loose teeth as a kid. A loose tooth was like my favorite toy, and I was sad to see them go. Also never made out all that well with the Tooth Fairy. I hear about kids today getting like $5 and $10 from the Tooth Fairy. WTF? I was lucky to break $1, and we weren’t poor.
Hilarious. I love that you are not allowed to talk about the tooth.
Found you on Stacey’s blog.
Mother, she won’t let me near her unless I have my hands behind my back. I’m just going to have to wait for the damn tooth to fall out on it’s own. And start saving for braces now.
Shawn, I remember getting pocket change never any bills.
Only the half of it, There are so many things we are not allowed to talk about. We can’t talk about her hair, combing it that is. We are not allowed to talk about the front door and that the dog might get out if it is left open. We are not allowed to talk about anything that scares, embarrasses or worries her. We do anyway but it is a challenge.
I’ve decided to follow you. I’ll also put you on my list of favs so I’ll know when you post on my home page.
Oh no! You do have a lot of teeth to get through. hmmm…let’s see. Rope bones worked for my dog! Maybe that would help? hehe.
Half, Thanks for the follow i’ll do the same.
Kelly, Hmmm, rope bones….that’s not a bad idea she already thinks she’s a dog…maybe.
She has announced that it is not coming out today. *sigh*
From the sounds of it, this tooth is the least of your problems. Just wait til she’s 16 and can’t pass a mirror without stopping to preen! My daughters couldn’t wait to loose a tooth so they could push their tongue through the gap. Weirdos, the both of them.
Alex the girl, you are right it is a harbinger of things to come. As it is she spend a good deal of time in front of the clock pendulum (she isn’t tall enough to see in the bathroom mirror and hasn’t figured out I have one on the back of my bedroom door. I’m not too worried however since her favorite words are “poop” and “fart”. She’s not too much of a lady.
That is too funny! When I lost my first tooth, it was eating an apple. I was so upset that I had eaten it because I wouldn’t have a souvenir of such a major event.
I am sure once this one is out the rest will be less dramatic. The first is always the worst because you have never gone through it before.
roflmao…
sorry to laugh, but it is funny.
eventually she will have no choice…and then watch the drama unfold.
roflmao.
Oh and Pizza is what helped my daughter’s tooth come right out, what kid can refuse pizza? One nice little yank to get a bite and the rest is HISTORY (and so is the tooth)
I didn’t like losing my baby teeth either. I’d clench my mouth so that the tooth wouldn’t wiggle. I remember once my Dad tying a string to the tooth and then to the door knob, but when Mother went to slam the door I jumped up and ran toward it so the string couldn’t pull on my tooth. My Dad got mad—put be on the floor between his knees to hold me, reached in and yanked it out. There was no pampering of children in my Daddy’s house!
I think you are taking a better stance–it will come out eventually and by then the blood will have all dried up and there won’t be any great amount of bleeding. Hope she is okay.
My kids got a special treat when they had a loose tooth – a piece of Kraft caramel. Voila!
Froggy, I hope the rest are less dramatic but knowing my daughter they will all be traumatic.
Stacie, I have bribed this child with everything and it is not working. She is only eating Tomato soup and Carnation Instant Breakfast since we ran out of bunny cake. Eventually she will pass out due to low blood sugar and then I can yank it out.
Judy, it probably isn’t helping that her dad and I are telling her stories about how to get the tooth out. He was over the other day and brought his tool box with him. We told her about the string and door knob too. It just resulted in her screaming, crying and holding her hands over her mouth.
Me-Me are you saying they got the caramel before the tooth came our or after? I have offered her Reeses peanut butter cups, her favorite, and she will have nothing to do with them. The kid has some incredible will power.
Heavens! The publicist couldn’t wait to lose her teeth. She wanted the quarter. Which of course shows her age. When she learned her nephew got $5 she almost choked and thought about losing a tooth or two…
I hope it comes out soon and things calm down.
OMGosh!! So funny!! Good luck!! I hope that sucker falls out soon!!
You are a good mother. My grandma used to yank them right out whenever I complained. And then it was blood everywhere. I cried. She laughed. Fun times.
I’d make sure I put the Super Glue under lock and key. If she’s serious about not letting that tooth go, you just never know how far she is willing to go to stop from losing it. Turning down Reeses Peanut Butter cups? That’s pretty far!
I don’t do teeth.
That’s what my daughter’s first grade teacher was for. Everyone knew to go down to Ms. Marrett’s classroom when they had a loose tooth. And by everyone, I mean ME.
oh my, when you talk about tooth, i can’t handle it…
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