SAY, “AHHHH!”: THE SECRETS BEHIND MY SMILE
We take our boys’ oral health very seriously and as their daddy has never had a cavity filled in his life, when they each turned two, their visits to daddy’s dentist Warrington began. It’s a small office with lovely staff and they feel special visiting there like big boys.
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| Note – Jensen is messing around, not picking his nose, despite Kristoff’s views in Frozen. |
Yet me, I’ve treated my smile terribly – I was awful at brushing my teeth as a teenager, I succumbed to bulimia in my early twenties and eroded my back teeth awfully, even losing one of them – and since having that tooth taken out, I took a break from the dentist. You know, just for a short while. A short 14 years.
Amazingly, after fourteen years all I needed was that tooth repaired an a small filling on another tooth. And when I did lie back in the chair, filled with a strangely calm feeling of what was sure to be impending doom, the injections felt odd, the drill was noisy, but nothing hurt like I imagined.
What was unexpectedly discovered through standard x-ray though, was that I’m a clamper. A night clamper to be exact. This means that in the night, when I’m stressed, I clench my teeth together with a force that I can’t replicate in the day. I’ve been doing it for so long that I have fractured my teeth below the surface of my gums – there’s damage I can’t see, damage I can now prevent from worsening thanks to a night guard for my lower jaw. Had I not cracked my tooth, I might not have known this for years to come.
Now it’s fixed, but my smile still isn’t perfect, it’s not Hollywood white and behind my incisors hide the secrets and failings of my past. But I do love my smile. I want to keep it for as long as I can.
I know so many of my friends who also avoid their appointments, yet dentistry has come such a long way since I last sat in the dreaded chair and stared at the Where’s Wally? pictures sellotaped onto the ceiling. I remember the anguish that my sister went through as a teenager with her full metal braces – monstrosities invisible braces fitted – along with white fillings and a range of options for treatment that doesn’t have to be as drastic as it once seemed.
Our boys never miss an appointment, their dentist even poses for photos with them and gives them stickers, too. Last time, Jensen wore a bow tie so he’d be smart enough to have his teeth checked. It’s quite the event in our calendar.
And me? I might even say that I enjoy the dentist now – it’s ten minutes of peace and quiet, and at least I get to sit down. When was the last time you visited the dentist and said, “Ahhh!”?
This post is sponsored by Sensu, but the opinions and views expressed are my own.
Photographs copyright Root Photography
You have a lovely family! I Love the candid shots of all of you goofing around. I love to see happy families.
Thank you – they were taken in Florida on holiday, it's rare to see me in photos!
My kids have been pretty good with their dentist appointments, and the cavities.. but we also stress importance of keeping their teeth healthy
My boys do love to clean their teeth – sometimes a little too much! 😉
I'm not sure I've ever gone to the dentist and said, "Ahh." I've said, "AAAAHHHHHH!" =D
Ha ha ha – I think I make a strange gargled sound 😉
We all visit the dentist regularly in our home, I started my daughter with cleanings when she turned 3 and she's never had a cavity, even through braces.
I wanted to take my boys as soon as I saw a tooth peep through, but our dentist assured us 2 was early enough to start them on the track to enjoying the dentist. Well done on no cavities!
Three of my kids have never had a cavity, either. Me, on the other hand, did not get the good tooth gene. I always brushed but didn't floss growing up. I do now.
My mum suffered with that gene too – but not my dad. I think I inherited a bit of both! I do like flossing though, that's so addictive!
Invisible braces are an awesome option to have in adulthood. Having metal braces again would definitely not be ideal.
I just remember how sad they made my sister, it was such an ordeal for her 🙁 I'm so glad there's been improvements in that area, childhood is hard enough!
I am a night clencher as well. I have to wear a night guard to stop me from grinding my teeth.
I'd never heard of it before! I was so shocked, but now I know I do it, I try to go to bed more relaxed. I'm glad to meet a fellow chomper!
I use to hate going to the dentist. I skipped going for about a year cuz I hated going so much. I realized when I started seeing the dentist again on a regular basis, that it wasn't that bad.
I know – I think memories are the enemy of the dentist. When I was little it was all quite scary, but now it was just fine!
I never smile in photos and I try to avoid when in public. I hate my smile no idea why, but I too take my dental health and my families seriously. Also, I'm deathly afraid of the dentist so not taking care = dentist. No thanks! This was a lovely Post.
Thank you! You're so right – denial does us no favours in the dental health department. I'll never miss an appointment again. I felt so much better after I'd been.
THe pictures are so adorable, you have such a beautiful family!
Thank you so much – you are so kind!
I was so awful at taking care of my teeth as a child and teenager. Of course this eventually led to a few cavities. Now that I am an adult, I'm adamant about visiting the dentist at least twice a year! 🙂
I don't know what it is about us as teenagers, we are so awful! I am just waiting for my boys to get to that stage!
These are some of the most gorgeous family photos I have ever seen. You can just feel the love.
Aw, thank you! We had a great deal of fun taking them!
I dunno if this is just me but dentists are more scary compared to the other kinds of doctors. I visit mine anyways because I just have this thing with my teeth. I'm glad though that the dentist of your little boys seems to be pleasant and not the scary type.
These are great pics! I love going to the dentist! In fact, the last time I went the hygenist cleaned under my gums…which I've neve rhad done before apparently! As much as it was uncomfortable, I loved knowing she was getting in there and scraping everything out! lol!
Having perfect smiles like the ones you share in your photos means your a happy family. It's important to me that my children have the same, so visiting the dentist is also important.
what great photos, and what cute kids! I never smile in photos mainly because I hate being in pictures. This is a great post! Thanks for sharing
I love all of these photos, makes me smile! I can tell how loving your family is. Love love the goofy faces!
Visiting the dentist regularly is so important. You have a beautiful family – lovely photos!
These are such great pictures. You guys are gorgeous! Smiles are good. They are stress relievers and just make everyone happy. I tend to smile at strangers hoping it will give them a better day.
I am loving those matching Mickey Shiirts! I put my boys in matching shirts when we went to disney last year.
These are really beautiful shot Sara-Jayne. It's so lovely to see the face behind the camera. You have a gorgeous family 🙂
I'm terrible at my own teeth care. However, I'm all over my kids taking care of theirs!
Beautiful pics! I love the silly ones they show so much personality! Very fun!
I am trying to show my family better dental practices now! It is so important to take care of your self.
You have such a beautiful family! Thank you for sharing your wonderful photographs! 😉
Hi Sara-Jayne – You have a beautiful smile – should say there are a lot of beautiful smiles in your photos of your happy family – My mom had really bad teeth and false teeth in her twenties – so they taught me to be aware – still had a lot of cavities event tho! Great reminders and I did check out your links! 🙂
lol on the bow tie. That's a cool thing to do. We just had a dentist visit for the kids yesterday… I couldn't resist taking a pic for Instagram, but the dentist we have isn't one to ask to pose for pics. 😉
I'm pretty bad at keeping up with dental appts for myself but all my kids go regularly and knock on wood they have never had a cavity.
Omg!!! What adorable photos!!!!! I feel like I live at the dentist! For someone who has the most perfect looking teeth, I ended up with the worst teeth ever when it comes to tooth aches of any kind -_- swear my dentist makes most of his paycheck off of my ridiculous teeth lol…
We go to our dentist twice a year. We will have our first appointment for this year around June. I dread going to the dentist, but I know that it is important.
I was bulimic as well and my teeth have suffered. I didn't lose any, but they are really sensitive and not exactly white. 🙁
Your family is so beautiful, I have been neglecting my teeth for a long time its time I sorted it out, I have not been for 3 years now but your 14 years is wow lol. I have 6 fillings in my mouth because I eat too many sweets but my front teeth are still super duper so I can still smile like crazy since I am a smiler too