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Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Killing Brain Cells and Rotting Teeth!



According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry:

A child's first visit to the dentist should be scheduled between the eruption of the first tooth and the first birthday. The infant's developing teeth are affected by many factors including: feeding habits, pacifiers, gum cleansing, and fluoride levels maintained in the mouth. Pediatric dentists have the special skills required to work with infants and young children, as well as extensive training in the most up-to-date and thorough treatments for a wide variety of children's dental problems. The following describes a typical first visit:

Child's teeth, jaw, and oral tissues will be examined and cleansing procedures demonstrated.
Parents will learn how to position the child for a thorough oral cleaning.
The pediatric dentist will look for potential problems and check overall oral growth and development.
Child's medical history will be carefully reviewed by the pediatric dentist and preventive measures for dental disease will be discussed.
Fluoride need will be evaluated -- supplements may be necessary.
At this time other concerns can be addressed such as teething, bottles, pacifiers, and thumb sucking. The earlier the visit, the better the opportunity for parents and the pediatric dentist to work together to prevent problems.




My question is this....why did everyone and their dog act like I was a nut for taking my one year old to the dentist....and a follow when she was two? I'm not CRAZY people....I just follow the guidelines. I am a responsible parent like that.

I did find it a bit amusing that in the "prize box" at the dentist's office they had lollipops. Sure....they were sugar free...but the kids don't understand that. The lesson seems to be....be good at the dentist...and you get candy! I say it might be job protection at it's finest. The more candy the kids eat, the more cavities, the more money the dentists make. Sounds like a conspiracy to me. In a few weeks, we will be going to Sugar's 3rd visit for a check-up and flouride varnish. We can't wait. tee hee



Okay...so we totally established that I am a responsible mother who simply follows the guidelines of the experts right? Why yes, we did.....so you may be wondering what exactly my darling Sugar Bear is doing so intently in these photos. Besides eating a lollipop, that is. What do you think she is doing? Any guesses? Any ideas as to what might be giving her that glassy eyed, dazed look. It isn't the sugar, as you remember that is a sugar free lollipop she has right there. So...any other great guesses as to what has my girl so entranced?



YUP...the good old TELEVISION. You know the one that the AAP says should be banned FOREVER! Well....actually the American Academy of Pediatrics had this to say about TV and Toddlers:


It may be tempting to put your infant or toddler in front of the television, especially to watch shows created just for children under age two. But the American Academy of Pediatrics says: Don't do it! These early years are crucial in a child's development. The Academy is concerned about the impact of television programming intended for children younger than age two and how it could affect your child's development. Pediatricians strongly oppose targeted programming, especially when it's used to market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy food and other products to toddlers. Any positive effect of television on infants and toddlers is still open to question, but the benefits of parent-child interactions are proven. Under age two, talking, singing, reading, listening to music or playing are far more important to a child's development than any TV show. For more information on your child's health, visit www.aap.org.


Well, that right there is one guideline I haven't followed. Sugar Bear was an avid Baby Einstein watcher. As a mother, I embraced these videos for two reasons:

1. Sometimes a mom just needs a moment to herself, and since Sugar Bear would sit quietly and watch a 20 minute educational video, then why the heck not?

2. I quickly realized that Sugar Bear is a Visual Learner.

Through watching educational videos such as Baby Einstein, Sugar picked up all sorts of information. She quickly learned her shapes, colors, animals, and so on. She absorbed it, and thrived on it. After viewing her Leap
Frog Video, The Letter Factory, a total of three times, she knew her entire alphabet, and the sounds each letter makes. This was when she was only 26 months old, and she has retained it all. In my mind, the time Sugar has spent in front of the TV has indeed done her some good. Certainly, she could have learned all these things without TV, but heck...while mama is taking a shower....why not learn the ABC's? right?



I don't know about you....but there are more than a few hours in each day. I certainly spend a great deal of time cuddling, reading, talking, singing, listening, dancing, eating, laughing, playing, discovering, teaching, loving, and learning. Keeping this in mind, I definitely let those silly old TV guidelines slip out the window a few times a day. I may be a guideline following freak mama, but some are just made for being ignored. wink wink.....

"Hey Sugar Bear! You want to turn off "SuperWhy", hand over the lollipop, and go help mama clean out the dryer lint?"



Sugar says, "ummm gag me with a lollipop MOM!"

"I didn't think so!"

I guess some days are just MADE for killing brain cells, and rotting teeth.

(These photos were taken last MAY, after our visit to the dentist. I JUST edited them. Yes...on a whole....I am THAT behind on my photo editing....ugh!)

20 Live It or Love It:

Deb said...

LOL... I'm with you completely on the TV thing!

Even the dentist looked at me like I was insane for bringing Kiddo in a few months ago. He's eating! He has teeth! I'm paying you! Humor me.

Dallas Meow said...

Mine started going when they were less than a year old - one of them has never had a cavity.
The other, lucky we started early - asthma meds would have eroded the enamel on her teeth!
Good for you!

KatieBug said...

You are a better mother than I am! My 5 year old is going in for his first visit next week.The 4 year old and 2 year old also have appointments as well. EVERY time I went in to get my teeth cleaned I asked the hygenist when I needed to start bringing my kids in and she said 6!! I told some friends the kids had never been to the dentist and she FREAKED! So I'm hoping they still have teeth left by the time we see the dentist. BAD MOMMY!!

Megan Cobb said...

I now pronounce myself The Worst Mother On the Planet. Sigh.

Rachel said...

I love it!! I feel you and I am with you on the Letter Factory and Baby Einsteins! My daughter loves them (almost 4 now) and we've moved on to the Talking Words and Learning to Read videos from Leap Frog! They've done wonders for her, and my sanity!
Go 'bad' moms, Go! ;-)

Anonymous said...

OY! I am SUCH a bad mommy!

Do you know how much candy my kids have had since Halloween? I am trying to get it out of here as quickly as possible.

And, I must confess that Bridget watches a great deal of Noggin so I can accomplish a bit of writing.

Oh well . . .

Lori said...

Our dentist won't see them until their 3. I think he's afraid of being bitten! That being said, Xander has an appt in January. And I am thankful every day that Xander finally shows interest in the tv. Sometimes he just needs a little quiet time so that mommy can get things done. For the longest time he wouldn't look at the tv at all. I'll have to try those Leap Frog videos.

Deb said...

Our dentist wouldn't see them before they were three either - I specifically asked and they didn't want to see them any earlier. Then again, I have yet to find a dentist that I like since we moved here 4 years ago. There are no pediatric dentists who take our insurance in town either.

I agree with you about the television - my feeling is that like many other things, it's ok in moderation. And I found too that with a 2nd or 3rd (etc.) child, it's so much harder to keep them away from the tv since it's on for older siblings anyway. Becca watches more tv than my older two did at this age...

Cynthia said...

OK, I am a bad Mom...My 2 1/2 year old is sitting next to me watching Sesame Street, while I blog, having never gone to the dentist...Don't judge;)

Autumn said...

Oh we are all damned if we do and damned if we don't. Every time we turn around some expert has an opinion on what hurts babies and toddlers. I was watching Good Morning America this morning and they said a current study by the University of Washington shows that educational shows are good but violent shows are bad for toddlers, where previous studies viewed all TV as a single entity. Well DUH, they could have just asked all of us mothers and saved a lot of time.

Mom Knows Everything said...

I took my baby to the dentist when he was 1. He's almost 3 now and has to have a check up soon. As for TV he is totally addicted to Thomas the Tank Engine.

jennwa said...

Thanks for all the good info. But I too am a bad mom. We watch too much T.V., eat too much candy and do not go to the dentist as often as we should. I am glad I am not the only one out there.

david mcmahon said...

C A N D Y in the prize box? That's hilarious ....

DIXIECHICK said...

Just stopping by from over at the Egels Nest...congrats on your award...Bradley is an awesome guy and a great bloggy friend...look forward to checking out your blog.
Dixiechick

Maude Lynn said...

My dentist wouldn't see my daughter until age 3, either. I guess he liked having 10 fingers!

SAHMmy Says said...

First I'll confess that my 3 1/2 year old has never been to the dentist. My excuse? Baby teeth fall out. Second, though my son wasn't allowed to so much as turn his head toward the TV until he was one I've more than made up for that perfect first year by allowing repeated viewings of Star Wars (all of them), Harry Potter (yep, all of those too--waiting for the DVD of the last one so we can fast forward through the more disturbing parts--I'm not a monster!) and the Wonder Pets. Now, don't you feel a whole lot better about YOUR parenting?

Donetta said...

I used videos too. The teaching tools are invaluable.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh but that candy looks so good, how can you deny her THAT? :) She is oh so cute.

holly said...

i so wish i could stay home and follow you in your guideline-obeying ways. the best i can do is hassle hubby to take them to the dentist. i notice the appointment card is sitting there....

oh AND, i am an AVID reader to them. that is the one thing that doesn't get lost in the working-mom thing. BUT neither of my kids really started talking until they tried to tell me they wanted a teletubby doll (yes, i am horrified at teletubbies, but hey - the talking). i'm going to go now while i still have any credibility. too late? oh...

Jo Beaufoix said...

Hee hee. Miss M needs her fix of sweets and TV too.

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