Friday, October 10, 2008
Page 15
AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)
Mom Braces for Tough Times
By J’AMY PACHECO
There have been times when I’ve experienced feelings of guilt over something I’ve had to do as a mother. Taking my daughter to the doctor for shots has definitely been at the top of the guilt list since it took two nurses and me to hold her still for kindergarten immunizations seven years ago.
Going to work when she’s been ill, sending her to school when she didn’t want to go and making her finish a soccer season when she decided partway through she hated the sport are all things I’ve had to do that made me feel like the meanest mom in the world.
Now, I’ve got a new one.
A few days ago, my daughter got braces. I know millions of ‘tweens get braces every year, and as far as I know, all have survived them. I even wore braces myself – at the age of 22. I remember how much my teeth ached every time the orthodontist put new wires in.
When I watched the orthodontist put my daughter’s braces on, I nearly cried. Think of Steve Martin’s dental office in “Little Shop of Horrors.” Think of the dad-dentist in Johnny Depp’s version of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” I certainly did.
The contraptions they put in her mouth to hold it open and keep her tongue out of the way looked positively diabolical. At one point, I excused myself to make a fake phone call because I couldn’t stand to see my “baby” in that state.
Those devices were scary, but at least they came out. One of the devices left behind is called a palate spreader, and is designed to gradually widen the roof of her mouth. This was deemed more humanitarian than yanking the four teeth that would have had to come out as an alternative.
When I saw the palate spreader on the dentist’s desk, it looked relatively harmless. When I saw it wedged into the top of my daughter’s mouth, it looked like a Medieval torture device.
For the first few hours after the braces were applied, my daughter was in good spirits. She was funny, laughing even at herself as she spoke in a voice completely unfamiliar to both of us.
That night, however, things changed. For the first time in her life, she had to learn to swallow pills because the dissolvable pain relievers I gave her weren’t helping. Her mouth was so full of metal and ached so much that she begged me to brush her teeth for her – something I hadn’t done in years.
The next morning, she complained of discomfort – and drool. The palate spreader had rubbed a raw spot on the back of her tongue, making it excruciatingly painful for her to swallow. That meant she didn’t want to eat.
I bought soup. I made eggs. I tried to persuade her to let some yogurt slide down her throat. Every morsel of food brought tears to her eyes.
I went to the pharmacy and bought everything related to orthodontic pain I could find. Topical ointments, medicated rinses and wax – lots and lots of wax.
I packed wax onto every protruding metal surface in her mouth, and she was able to get a good night’s sleep.
But the next day, she woke up complaining of pain on the inside of her lip. I urged her to put the ointment on it; she said she couldn’t get her finger up to the spot.
When she came to me for assistance, I saw why – she had a huge fat lip. Her lip was so swollen that she looked like she’d taken a punch right in the kisser, as they say.
I was horrified. She was embarrassed to be seen.
I used every product I’d bought, and within a few hours, her lip was nearly normal sized again.
I wonder if she’ll ever forgive me. She never wanted braces in the first place, but her dentist said it was time. I persuaded her that the younger she was, the easier it would be.
I assured her that her mouth would get used to the braces soon, and that in a couple years, she’d be a total babe.
“Except that I’ll be drooling until then,” she retorted.
My daughter is definitely not happy with me right now, and I feel terrible about it. Not because I think braces are a mistake – quite the opposite is true. I just feel badly that she has to go through so much discomfort to get to the end goal: straight teeth and a healthy mouth.
As I understand it, the braces will have to be adjusted every eight weeks or so for the next two years, and each adjustment will bring new discomfort.
To both of us, I’m guessing…
Copyright 2008, Metropolitan News Company