Ben lost his 8th tooth today!

[Pensive]

:eyes: How do they grow up so fast?? I swear he just cut his teeth. The dentist says that he's "done" until he's about 11. I guess that remains to be seen. 8 teeth! For each of his lost teeth, the adult teeth came in right after them (in some cases behind them) so he never had gaps. He felt like he was really missing out on the gap experience, of being able to put straws through the gaps, etc. For these last two, which both fell out this week, while the adult tooth is visible through the gumline, he does still have gaps so if he hurries up, he can have the gap experience. The two lost this week are the ones on either side of his front adult teeth so he really looks like a chipmunk right now. :loveit:

When he had a dental appt a few months back, the dentist was slightly perturbed that he lost so many teeth in a short period of time. They wanted to xray him and make sure that his adult teeth were aligned correctly and everything. That's when they declared that he will never need braces. You would have to know how crooked dh's and my teeth were to fully appreciate this. I needed a retainer for overbite correction and everything. Somehow, we produced a kid with a bite and teeth that don't require braces. His teeth are all lined up and have lots of space and everything. I was blown away by that.

I guess this is a Mama brag. My boy is growing up. 7 years old, 8 lost teeth and I swear he's recently grown a few inches. :eyes:

[Bickery]

That's a great new photo!

On the other end of the spectrum, next week I will have an 8 year old with 2 kinda loose teeth but none close to being lost!

[Pensive]

Thank you. The tooth thing was kind of traumatic for us though; I think I would have preferred later. He was youngish when he lost his first two in close succession (5 1/2) and he was greatly disturbed by the whole process. Then, he got used to it but it seemed like we were always in the middle of a tooth crisis in terms of something being on the verge of coming out. I'm just glad it's over for a while. He cut teeth early and in pairs too so that's related I guess.

Hopefully, I have a while before T starts losing them. If he starts losing them when Ben did, he'll have another year. A friend of mine years ago had a *4 year old* who lost a tooth. She was so disturbed that she took him to the dentist but it turns out that some kids just lose them that early. That would do my head in.

[indigo]

That is awesome that he won't need braces! We are plagued with small mouths in my family, thus braces. (Although I don't know yet about C. Nobody has mentioned braces.)

[Bickery]

I'm sorry :(

Now I'm imagining all the ways in which lost teeth could be disturbing to a 5 year old. (I mean, let's just start with WHAT IF ANOTHER ONE DOESN'T GROW IN?)

A girl in DD's 1st grade class began losing teeth at 4.

[shannon]

I'm sorry :(

Now I'm imagining all the ways in which lost teeth could be disturbing to a 5 year old. (I mean, let's just start with WHAT IF ANOTHER ONE DOESN'T GROW IN?)

A girl in DD's 1st grade class began losing teeth at 4.

A lot of kids who don't do well with sudden change freak the crap out with losing teeth. The combination of the missing tooth/teeth and the blood can be really disturbing. Those kids with a more scientific bent can usually be placated with visual representations that explain baby teeth vs. permanent teeth (like this dental x-ray: http://www.urbandental.ca/images/dental/xray_panaromic_child.jpg), but it can be an ongoing issue for many.

[Pensive]

Yeah, that's it. When it first started happening, he was upset that he would be losing a tooth without his consent, basically. He liked that tooth and he didn't want to lose it. I know that sounds funny but he desperately didn't want it to come out. Then, once he started wrapping his head around the thought that it was coming out anyway, it was the blood and the strange sensations. It felt funny in his mouth and he's super sensitive to sensations and he didn't like that. After a couple of teeth, however, he got used to it. With this 8th one, he literally spat it out in his hand while eating and gave it to me.

I didn't mean to be a downer, Bickery. :hugging:Now, he's thrilled he's lost so many. But it took him a while to get there.

[Bickery]

I didn't mean to be a downer, Bickery. :hugging:Now, he's thrilled he's lost so many. But it took him a while to get there.

Oh no, not at all -- I was feeling badly about being so bubbly!

[mirage1]

... (like this dental x-ray: http://www.urbandental.ca/images/dental/xray_panaromic_child.jpg), ...That's one of the scariest images I've ever seen on the internet.

~~shudder~~

I'm glad Ben's okay with losing his teeth, now!