Mylittle woman (3) had 4 teeth out last night!!

l3LoWnA

My poor little girl. Yesterday, while playing in the garden with her cousins, my 3 year old had a run-in with a swing/seesaw thing and it bashed her mouth so badly there was blood everywhere and alot of tears from everyone involved an we went straight to A&E. She had to have surgery last night and had her four top front teeth removed and a few stitches in her gum at the front where the roots of teeth had caused damagein the accident. She's in flying form today. She had the drip off first thing this morning and was discharged by 11am. She's been playing all day, and eating and drinking as if nothing had happened and is very proud of her teeth (they're in a sample bottle and she shows them to anyone who's interested - or not)
and her gummy mouth, she's still got a beautiful smile, even with no top teeth

I, on the other hand, can't sleep, feel sick all day and can't stop worrying about her. I'm mainly worried about the the future as well as being sad that she's lost her beautiful teeth so soon and will be the butt of many a "all I want for christmas is my two front teeth....." comment I'd imagine. I've been crying most of the day - probably due a mix of exhaustion and shock but I can't stop worrying about her starting school in September with no teeth, when most of her classmates won't have even lost one at that early stage....I'm also worried about her speech (she's lisping alot today, I don't know if that will cause problems) and about the fact that the dentist said her adult teeth may appear in 6 months time (meaning she will have massive teeth inside a tiny mouth, will they fit? Will she look strange?)

Has anyone here had experiences, either yourselves or your kids, with losing baby teeth through accidents? And what was the aftermath?

p15574

I think you just have to grin and bear it, and tell yourself that at least it was only baby teeth! My daughter damaged one front tooth at around the same age by falling against a kerb and it turned yellow but didn't fall out. Soon after - and I cringe even typing it - she lost a front tooth when playing with the wife when the tooth got caught on her wedding ring (somehow) and was wrenched completely out of her head. As luck would have it, it wasn't even the bad tooth, it was the good one. So, one bad tooth, one gap, had to wait the years until she got her new teeth. No other way around it.

Ayla

Ah, OP, what a horrendous experience for you all! But it does show testiment to the strong character within your daughter that she can be up and going again so soon after such an accident.

I'm sure you'll remember it long after she's finally thrown away the teeth and has gotten her "big girl" teeth. But I'd imagine she'll be fine and not traumatized by the loss of teeth. Think - if she manages to hold onto this feeling of "wow look at this" then she can make the other kids think she's really neat. I grew up with a kid who had two toes that never seperated and he managed to convince all of us 7 year olds that he had glued them together - we thought he was the coolest kid ever!

Anyway, I know you've been through a lot in the last 48 hours, but try and put it back in perspective. She's fine, and she will grow out of this. As for the lisp, I'd imagine that has more to do with the stitches and/or swelling than anything else, so that'll take care of itself soon.

Best of luck - try and "catch" some of your daughter's infectious joy about this occasion - it's hard for us adults, but sometimes our kids can teach us a lot about living and losing.

l3LoWnA

Thanks for your replies

p15574 wrote: »

I think you just have to grin and bear it, and tell yourself that at least it was only baby teeth!

You're right, I was putting it into perspective earlier and really and truly, she's lucky that she was actually laughing like a hyena when it happened (ie. her mouth was opened so the seesaw hit her teeth head on) If her mouth was closed it may have hit her lips making her teeth come through, it could have hit her nose, or eye, she could have been visibly scarred for life or blinded or worse....which I don't like to think about but still, it really IS only baby teeth, and regardless ofwhen her adult teeth appear, they WILL appear and by the time she's left primary school she should have a perfect set of teeth once more

Soon after - and I cringe even typing it - she lost a front tooth when playing with the wife when the tooth got caught on her wedding ring (somehow) and was wrenched completely out of her head.

Oooooh I cringed too - poor thing!!

Ah, OP, what a horrendous experience for you all! But it does show testiment to the strong character within your daughter that she can be up and going again so soon after such an accident.

You really wouldn't believe her!! Even in the waiting area of A & E with blood pouring out of her mouth and her teeth all over the place and gums ripped, she was trying to play and talk to other kids. She couldn't close her mouth, swallow or talk but within an hour or two she had started using her own version of sign language to communicate with others, it amazed me. She coudln't smile properly, but her eyes were always smiling all the way through. The only tears she shed were at home when the accident happened. In A & E she didn't even complain about being sore once, nor after the op. Even the dentist said, if it was himself that it had happened to, he'd be writhing around on the floor most likely thinking it's the worst pain he'd ever felt. People were shocked by her. My little trooper eh? hehe When she woke yesterday (she hadn't been up since before the surgery) she sat straight up and wanted toast and tea nad ate all of her toast (crusts and all) without one complaint about pain or the drip in her hand (which she was also very proud of). She hasn't had any painkillers either (except during the procedure, which probably did last a while...)

I'm sure you'll remember it long after she's finally thrown away the teeth and has gotten her "big girl" teeth. But I'd imagine she'll be fine and not traumatized by the loss of teeth. Think - if she manages to hold onto this feeling of "wow look at this" then she can make the other kids think she's really neat. I grew up with a kid who had two toes that never seperated and he managed to convince all of us 7 year olds that he had glued them together - we thought he was the coolest kid ever!

Anyway, I know you've been through a lot in the last 48 hours, but try and put it back in perspective. She's fine, and she will grow out of this. As for the lisp, I'd imagine that has more to do with the stitches and/or swelling than anything else, so that'll take care of itself soon.

Best of luck - try and "catch" some of your daughter's infectious joy about this occasion - it's hard for us adults, but sometimes our kids can teach us a lot about living and losing.

Thanks Ayla. You are right. It's not the end of the world. Although, this morning, when I asked her if she wanted to go to Montessouri she said "no" and when I asked why she said "because the doctors were bold and took away all my teeth" I think it's only really hit her today but she'll be fine. I bought her a v Smile computer thing yesterday with a dora game so I've a sneaky feeling that's why she didn't want to go to montessouri and she's using the teeth as a way of guilting me into staying home with her - cute!!!

Thanks again guys, it was traumatic - but could have been so much worse, and she'll be fine

This is herself yesterday morning @ about 6am having some breakfast

Musha

My eldest did something similar age 3 lost one of the front teeth swinging from a chair fell flat on his face, was with the childminder at the time.

Eventually the second tooth grew in when he was 7 or so....
but front teeth are slightly crooked and i can see years of braces down the line when he hits his teenage years, better start saving