Tooth Talk

I'm so happy to report that during our second visit to the dentist, my son made it to the dentist's chair without any fuss! Yipee!

The first time was when he was 3.3 y.o. when we had his first oral prophylaxis. We were interrupted a few times by Chikoy's attempt to get out of the dentist's chair. The result, we spent 45 minutes to get to the clinic for not even 5 minutes of dental care.

But for our second visit (for oral prophylaxis still), I got a few surprises from my little boy. He dealt with a few decisions before the session started:

Tito Doc or Tita Doc? Tita Doc
Sin-o mauna, Ikaw or si Mama? Ako

When it was our turn to enter the clinic, I accompanied Chikoy inside but Tita Doc waved me off. Telling me to just wait outside so my little boy would get used to being inside the clinic on his own. The order came as a surprise for me. As a child, even up to my college days, I always had my mother by my side while my dentist was working on my teeth. Well, for the most part because she knew all of them and she spends a great part of our trip to the dentist to exchange stories with them. Even so, she was there, to give me molar support. But me, I don't get to that, not only because I don't have a first-name-basis relationship with my dentist but because I was ordered to stay out. Tough huh?

So I eased myself out of the clinic waiting for Chikoy to call out my name and beg me to stay inside. I made my steps as slow as possible (daw slow-mo bala sa movies, pa epek lang) waiting for the words. But I didn't hear it! Not even did my son look to my direction! He sat down and started talking to the dentist about what happened to his gums last December. I couldn't believe it! For a second I wanted my son to need me like he always does. He was all so grown-up! talking to his dentist and doing everything she tells him -open his mouth, gargle, sit back, move up and down... it was amazing.

When he was done, I couldn't help but hug him and congratulate him for his acting like a big boy. I beamed with pride as I took my turn into the clinic while Chikoy headed for the lounge to play. The dentist made a recap of what happened between them while I was siting on the lounge. Chikoy was chatty during the session. He told her about his tooth which hurt last Christmas due to excessive indulgence to sweets and about his most recent gum sore. When Tita Doc asked him to open his mouth for brushing, he recounted that he remembered Tita Doc doing the same during his last visit. The sound of the machine(the pressurized water thing which is used to clean the mouth) didn't bother him like it did the first time. He was acting like a grown child.

All the while Tita Doc thought that he was already 4 to 5 years old. But when she checked his record, she was surprised to see that he's only 3.8 and already very conversant! She fell in love with him. She also affirmed his good behavior and asked him to take care of his teeth and look forward to his next visit.

I'm so so proud of my son! And my choice for a dentist too! If you're in Iloilo and you have kids like me, try bringing them to Dr. Daisy Cambronero. She holds clinic at Plaza Mandurriao. Her clinic phone number is 500-3202. She doesn't charge as much as other dentists but she could really make a trip to the dentist most enjoyable for kids and easy on mom's pocket!