Addison has been out of his Phase 1 braces for a couple months now. They were replaced with a built-in retainer appliance, that will remain in place until he gets his Phase 2 braces (after his adult teeth come in). Both of my boys have always loved going to the dentist. They look forward to the visits, they brush and floss, they definitely take good care of their teeth. Because of his trips to the orthodontist, Addison has been paying even closer attention to oral hygiene in the past year. He complains that he doesn't have dental floss with him in restaurants. He triple brushes after eating sweets. He uses his water pick three times a day, or more. This is partly due to his need to be, well, perfect... and partly due to the fact that he has had some painful teeth experiences in the past year. Not just any 8 year old could keep braces clean!
Ever since he got his water pick, he has been adamant on getting every piece of food from between his teeth after he eats anything. He gives me long explanations of how certain teeth have shifted in certain ways, leading to changes in gaps, which result in excess food collection. Tonight, after careful cleaning, he came in to describe to me the gap that he had brought up twice that morning. He explained that having a larger gap between these two particular teeth right now is a good thing in a way, since most food is all collecting now in one, easy to clean area. However, he explained that it could be a bad thing, in that it is possible that more food is collecting as a whole than would otherwise. I listened, trying to pay attention to his very detailed descriptions and theoretical dental scenarios. I then asked him, "Addison, do you think you want to be a dentist when you grow up?"
He smirked a little.
"No. But, I could just do it as a hobby."
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