Dear Noah....brushing teeth issues....

brushing your teeth to keep them CLEAN has been an ongoing struggle with you. You brush them very well but the front ones you cannot seem to keep as clean as the rest. I am thankful you have no cavities or anything like that.....but the front teeth about 3 months after they have been cleaned start to look really bad again. EVEN if I help you brush.

Today I wanted to try using some baking soda on the front teeth to see if that would help get the black stuff off your teeth a little easier. It helped a lot but getting you to tolerate it was a nightmare. You cried and gagged but this time I made you do it regardless. I had to give you a break....and felt bad for making you do this.....but you did finally get over it and allowed me to finish cleaning your teeth. There are still some spots of crud on your teeth but they look so much better. You are due for the dentist I believe next Monday for a cleaning. Once there I am going to ask about every 3-month cleaning or will order the dental cleaning stuff online as I finally found a site to get the same stuff they use in a dentist's office.

The entire dentist trip is still an ordeal too......but you can make it through it now pretty well.

I did some research about the crud on your teeth and have actually found out that the black stuff that gets on your teeth is actually this:

The black-dark brown stain is natural, harmless, it comes from the saliva,it tends to go away in a few years.. The stain is difficult to remove and should be left alone except in areas where aesthetics are important. Some more really good news , children with this kind of stain almost never get a cavity!

So I am thankful for this and feel bad when I try to make us remove the stuff from your front teeth but your teeth in the front look so bad at times if I don't. I know I should not worry as the stuff on your teeth is the stains they talk about above...and I do leave it alone for the most part. The dental technicians I know think it is horrific ...they probably think I am a bad mother for not helping you brush your teeth more often and keeping your teeth clean. I DO help you.....pretty much every day......but these stains continue to show up mainly on your front teeth.

SO as long as your teeth are clean.....and we can keep the front looking pretty decent.....I guess we should not worry so much about it. I just will continue to hope and pray you can remain cavity free forever......and avoid facing any dental work of any kind....as we all know (including the dentist) that it would be something very difficult for you to handle.

Even fixing the front teeth that stick out...the dentist said it would be awhile before you could probably handle getting those fixed. I wondered if your teeth came in that way because you refused to let anyone remove the front teeth that were loose but not coming out before your second teeth came in. Your second teeth came in before your baby front teeth were out. They had no where to go but OUT and they are somewhat bucked now.....though not really bucked. The dentist said no...they would have come in that way regardless. I find that difficult to believe since your baby teeth were perfectly white and straight and came in fine....why would the second ones not also come in that way?

YOU are happy and content with your teeth just the way they are and maybe you will never want to get them fixed. It does not seem to be a priority or concern to you. SO I am not too worried about that anymore either.

Regardless of your teeth I love you. I am sorry I made you go through such a trying time to get them brushed and cleaned again.

On the way home from grandma C's house today you wanted to know where this one CD was in the case that had 2 songs on it...one that makes you think of your dad.....and one that is another one that you just like. I found the CD and on the way home while listening to the songs you turned to me and said "listening to these songs just makes me happy!" Then you leaned over and hugged my shoulder and patted my arm. PART of the lyrics in the one song are:

Here I am far away
hundred miles and oceans from you
feel the need to cry out loud
I want you to know

oh, you're all I care for
oh, you're all I care for
you're all I need

(THIS is what makes you almost cry you said...as you wish your dad lived here in the same state as us.....and you are hundreds of miles from him...etc.) You almost cried when you told me this all in the car. It made me feel sad for you.

Your are now 10 years old. It has only been in the past year that you have really been able to express yourself in this manner to me or someone else. At one time I wondered if you would ever be able to express yourself easily to me using words or actions.

But you are.

I love you Noah.....you make me very happy.

Mommy
XOXOX