Parker and the Dentist. Part one

When we first moved to California we decided that we would go to Mexico for our dental work. Now, before you all come undone about that decision you should know that people come from all over the U.S. and Canada to Algadones to have their dental work done. It is TONS cheaper and quicker. My grandparents have been going to a particular office for years and James and I have gone there before. So, in August we took Parker and Kylee in for their checkup for school. Parker had been have some pain in his lower right gum/tooth molar. The dentist looked at it and said that he had gotten some food stuck in it and then when he picked at it with his fingernail it caused the gum to hurt. She told us to keep his hands out of his mouth...ummmm he is 7 years old. Trying to keep his hands out of mouth is like trying to not eat a pan of warm brownies that is sitting right in front of you! So, for the next two months we kept saying 'Get your hands out of your mouth. That is why it is hurting.' Now, it was not hurting all of the time, so we were not overly concerned about it. A week and a half ago Parker came up to me and said 'Mom, look at my tooth'. AHHHHH!!!!! He had a HUGE growth on the side of his gum! I thought I was going to throw up! I told James I was going to get him in the next morning. He said 'are you taking him to Mexico?'. Nope, it was to far for me. I wanted to get him in right away, plus I did not want to take Kylee out of school. So, I found a dentist here (remember, we don't have dental insurance) and took him in. He has an abscess and a huge cavity that has been growing for at least a year. It has exposed his nerve and all they can do is pull the tooth and put in some spacers for the incoming adult tooth! My poor boy! She said that they could try to do a root canal but it usually does not work on baby teeth. Now, because of his twin growing in his mouth they couldn't do it right then. He had to be put on antibiotics for a week. He loved taking the medicine, in fact he kept trying to get me to give it to him early. So, we went in yesterday (the growth had gone down some but was still there) and the dentist looked at it and said that she would have to drain it (YUCK!!!) and then she would pull the tooth. She put the pre-numbing medicine in his mouth and then tried to cover his eyes so he could not see the ginormous needle coming his way. Well, he saw it and then he was having nothing to do with that! He would not open his mouth, keep his hands away from his face or stop moving all over the seat! She tried being firm with him and he just laughed (his mechanism for dealing with his fear) and that annoyed her! After 15 minutes of trying to poke him she pretty much kicked us out. She told us she had other people to work on and we would need to go to another dentist. I was NOT happy with Parker. This is now 2 full days of school missed and nothing has been done yet! I called the other dentist and she said that she would get Parker in that day. James took him in and all she did (besides make them sit in the waiting room for almost an hour) was meet Parker so that he would be comfortable with her on Thursday when he would go back.....thus the part one of this story! I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is only one more part and not more! Now, I should also mention that while I am sure the dentists in that part of Mexico are great, we are NEVER going back there again! James will be signing us up for dental insurance and we will get it taken care of stateside!

This is the 'twin' on the morning of the 1st appointment!

Here it is a week after taking the medicine. It has gone down some, bu see the nasty white bumps? ewww!!!

He is waiting for the second appointment. Notice the smile? He has no idea about the needle yet!

This was right before he saw the needle and he still trusted the dentist!

This is the waiting room of the second dentist. James is on the phone with me while I am giving him instructions! lol

This is the second dentist making 'contact' with the patient! Hopefully she has some gas for him tomorrow!