The Tooth!

Shane has had a loose tooth FOREVER. I first mentioned it at the end of Spring Break. Guess what? It's still here! (5/24/2022).

The tooth coming in underneath it is clearly visible. You should also see the string from the attached floss.

But Shane's afraid to touch it. He says it hurts when does. We say he needs to wiggle it. He says he does, but how many kids have the same loose tooth after a couple of months?

Carrie gave Shane an ultimatum: "Wiggle it or we'll yank." The tooth was still there, so it was yank day.

Shane was a ball of panic. He ugly cried. I have a picture or two that I could use as blackmail, but didn't want to post here. Shane clenched the string for fear someone might pull it even after we told him we wouldn't do it without his permission (We're more trustworthy than Nana.....though she may argue "less effective" since the tooth is still there). The goal was to get him to be rational and, preferably, to tell us it was ok to pull. Then we'd yank it before he could change his mind, it would be over, and we'd all celebrate.

It never happened. Shane was a mess. At one point, he tried to run out the front door. Like I said, he ugly cried. He was so lost in his fear of anticipated pain that he acted like we were about to beat him.

We called it quits eventually. I said there would be no more electronics period until Shane faced his fear.

I was ready to go days. I figured Shane would start to feel electronic withdrawal symptoms and would A) compulsively wiggle the tooth or B) ask one of us to pull.

Carrie tried to talk Shane into it again Friday morning (5/6). I stood back, because I didn't see how it was going to work. She kept at it for 15 minutes. Shane allowed her to tie on the floss, to have it in hand, but would chicken every time she asked for permission to go forward (She'd have to promise not to do anything before he'd let her tie it on, so it was a necessary step if she wanted him to keep trusting her!).

I got a text during my final Geometry class of the day. "Sooo..he let me try to pull it out..." Carrie said. "The floss broke. It didn't come out."

I laughed out loud in class. Carrie had the same reaction.

Carrie said the tooth edges were so sharp at the top they must've cut the floss. Shane said it hurt, she was now gun-shy about pulling.....we needed to see a dentist!

I let Shane have electronics when I got home. He asked why and I said it was because he faced the fear and let Mom pull. It wasn't his fault the floss broke!

The tooth is still super loose. Shane's still a super chicken about doing anything about it.

Carrie took Shane for his regular orthodontic consult and the orthodontist said, "It's got to go," and "The one on the other side could go, too!"

Carrie went next door and scheduled the appointment with the dentist. She said Shane had a meltdown when he heard (I have proof he wasn't such a baby with previous teeth, but he's been an absolute wimp this time). 

The day of the appointment, I started to feel off (5/19). I got a COVID test that evening after work. Carrie held off on taking Shane to the appointment. She hadn't felt like making the trip and rescheduled, but guess what? I came back COVID positive. 

That tooth is still hanging out in Shane's mouth and probably will until his dental appointment in JUNE. I've told Shane that if I have to spend $100 to have a dentist pull it out the tooth fairy is giving him nothing. I hope that will motivate him to pull it out before then, but my hopes aren't high.