Not exactly the Tooth Fairy's wish

Gabriel is 4 years old.  Young enough to still be full of energy, and vibrant.  Fresh enough to be healthy, and unaffected by the side affects of the world!

Gabriel had a dentist appointment Monday.  Not his first, but he loves it anyway.  For him, the dentist office is a playroom fitted with a Wii, Playstation, and 4 IPads for the kids to pay with while the wait.  This dentist office really is kid heaven.  Each examining chair has a flat screen TV over the chair, to enjoy a movie, during your oral exam.  Gabriel loves it.  So many people fear, and hate the dentist, Im glad that for now he still enjoys it.
I took a minute to ask the Dental assistant to use non-latex gloves, and I checked the ingredients on the toothpaste.  I sat right next to Gabriel's recliner, while he watched Toy Story 3, gripping his backpack full of medicine.  With so many tools, implements, and pastes going into his mouth, I held my breath and hoped we could avoid a reaction.

Gabriels cleaning went well.  He enjoyed it, He was safe, I was happy.  Now, it was time to see the dentist.  She told me that Gabriel's X-rays show 8 cavities.  8.  I was blown away.  He can't eat candy, or ice cream. He doesn't eat popcorn or chew gum.  His diet is free of 'bad for your teeth' foods.  I had gone my whole life without one cavity.  The idea of 8 is his little 4 year old moth was inconceivable to me.
The dentist walked me through some recommendations; try this toothpaste.  Nope, sorry, he cant use that.  Ok, Try this rinse.  He's allergic to that.  How bout if you...
I felt helpless.  His young teeth had practically just sprouted out of his gums and they were already deteriorating.  A 4 year old mouth only has 20 teeth.  This ratio isn't looking to good.  One of the most horrible feelings as a parent isn't seeing your child suffer.   It's seeing your child suffer and not being able to help.
I ran through a mental checklist of what is good for your teeth.  Calcium.  Milk, cheese.  Nope.   I googled 'foods good for teeth'.  I learned that nuts are great for strengthening your teeth, but that wont work for us either.  Are my sons teeth falling apart because his diet is so limited?  If his teeth aren't getting enough nutrients, then my God, what about his bones?  Is this the first sign of danger ahead?

The action plan starts immediently.  Brushing after every snack of course.  We'll also be visiting the dentist every 3 months for exams and cleanings.  Not to mention to fillings, and cavity repairs, split into three separate appointments this month.  Good thing he still loves the dentist.  I hope he loves it forever, cause this will be a long term deal.

Something pertinent dawned on me today.  I've had a couple days to try to wrap my mind around all this.  And the time has helped calm my emotions.  As usual, I followed up with some research, and this is what I've learned.   7 medications that Gabriel takes regularly, 4 that he takes daily; are known to cause tooth decay.  Prednisone.  Benedryl.  Albuterol.  Pulmicort.  Nasonex.  Cetrizine.  Singulair.  All can contribute to tooth decay.
Combine that with an allergy to most toothpastes, and a limited diet; and you've got yourself a mouth full of cavities.

Are bad teeth the end of the world? of course not.  When I'm deciding between dangerous asthma, and deadly allergies, or teeth that need some work;  Ill take the teeth any day.  I hate that Gabriel lives on steroid filled medications, I hate how strong they are, how often he needs them, and I hate that they have side effects.  But they keep him breathing.  and I am thankful for that.

Teeth can be fixed, teeth can be replaced.  My baby can't.  Life's not easy on this kid, but it's working.