Dentist

The Dentist has always been a fearful experience. I honestly believe it is for everyone because, when you think about it, who actually likes having someone scrape metal objects against their teeth? It's just not ever going to be fun or in any way even insignificant. It's a horrible experience.

For my son, it's no different despite the fact that he has had more than his share of dental work. Along with his Autism or because of it - nobody actually knows, he has a genetic abnormality. One of his chromosomes is missing the end. The displays that this particular deletion can cause is the enamel on teeth to be either entirely missing, form with holes in it or be very thin. For Jackson, it was the latter of the two, but not very severely. Certainly severe enough that he has always had a close relationship with the dentist.

When he was about three, I was severely chastised by a pediatric dentist who scolded me soundly for letting Jackson sleep with the milk bottle he patronizingly assumed that I allowed him and which had subsequently rotted the enamel off his teeth in spots. It wasn't until ten years later that we discovered that his dental issues weren't the result of my negligent parenting, but a less likely and more destructive chromosome deletion.

Thankfully, I fired that dentist for insulting me and immediately took him to another. Dr. Harold Simpson in Richardson, Texas. I cannot say enough kind words about this dentist, his staff, his willingness to work with the issues that matter to Jackson and take the time to understand from a medical perspective how best to treat Jackson as a pediatric and now a young adult patient. In short, he treats Jackson like a person, not a kid and is never patronizing or dismissive.
Most of Jackson's dislike about the dentist is anxiety-driven. He would have the same reaction to any dentist. Aren't we all the same in this respect? I know dentists makes me anxious. So when Jackson called me last Thursday afternoon from school and said, "Mom, I was chewing on a pencil and my front tooth broke off" it was my turn to have an anxiety attack. I immediately called the dentist - who agreed to see him right away somehow understanding how nervous Jackson would be. Since it was a surprise visit, there was no time to pre-medicate or treat my son's anxiety issues as we normally do. This made Jackson even more nervous, but the dentist handled it. He spoke plainly and slowly, gave Jackson some choices which allowed him to feel more in control of the environment and was done in just a few minutes.

My son doesn't like anyone touching his head, let alone stick their fingers in his mouth. But in true Jackson form - he headed straight into the anxiety - eyes wide open. No Novocaine, no painkillers, just questions, patience and acceptance.
Which is more than I could say for how I might handle the same situation would it were me.