What the Heck???

We've cut out pop and most sugar from our family diet. My kids now get pop and candy as TREATS not as part of a meal. It's nice to have them appreciate me buying it now instead of them expecting me to. (or so I thought) But, they all went into the dentist this week...... oh NO!!!!! (child #1 is out on her own) Child #2 - needs 3 fillings Child #3 - needs 1 filling and sealents on 12 yr molars Child #4 - has perfect teeth and no problems Child #5 - needs 3 fillings and sealents put on Child #6 - needs 5 fillings and sealents put on What the heck happened???? My children have never had problems with their teeth!!! Now I need $240 for fillings and I don't know how much for sealents!!!!! All I can figure is that they're getting the sugar while at school and out with other people. I was TICKED off!!! Then on the way home, one of them asked if they could have money to go do something wtih a friend - I said, "Ah, NO - we've got to pay for fillings on your teeth, so there will be no $$ for extra stuff until after we get them all done" YIKES!!!!! I need a mental today!!! This is all toooooo frustrating to me. Laurie

Wow Laurie........ you know...sometimes it's not just sugars that cause cavities. My dentist explained to me proper often brushing between meals helped to fight cavaties and such. I went to the dentist when I was in 6th grade oh some 4 or 5 years ago and had braces and they put them on, drilled holes in my teeth and didn't numb me. Mom "miss nieve" queen didn't know any better and thought my screaming was normal. today, when I sit in a dentists chair, I have to be sedated mildly for a cleaning, and knocked out to the kill for anything more. meaning valium or noxious oxide. Otherwise, I don't go. I need about 5 grand worth of dental work because of my childhood experience and that includes 2 cavaties (not bad at age 47 and not having been regularly seen my those evil people who wear masks and white!!) and some bridge work, crowns, etc. So pay up now and take care of them while they are young, and enforce GOOD proper dental hygiene to avoid the HELL I"m going through now as a grown adult. Stacey W

Oh I'll definately have to pay up!!! It's just frustrating to me and I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with the sugar! Laurie

Have they NEVER had pop and sugar or was this just a recent cut from the family diet? It could've been something that was onset, prior to the elimination of pop and MOST sugar. Just a thought.

Yes, we just cut pop and sugar out about a year ago. They've always had dental care and have always done very well. Although I do catch them just getting their toothbrush wet and not brushing, or just brushing the front teeth. Kids!!!! they'll get away with anything they can. Well, at least this time they're going to see the direct COST of their foolishness!!! Laurie

I went to my daughters middle school yesterday and looked at the lunchroom.....vending machines are everywhere! Coke, faygo, pepsi, and like 3 machines full of candy and chips. What in the heck are they doing to our kids? Not only that, but for rewards the teachers give king size candy bars, and that's elementary too. My middle daughter (9 years old) has a weight problem, so i pack her lunch to make sure she eats right.......they still let her get an entree if she wants it. i have asked and asked them to not give her candy and chips for rewards, but they still do it so she won't feel left out. How are they gonna feel when she gets teased? sorry to be rambling, but this is something that really gets to me. Somebody really needs to do something about it. Hugs Linda

Oh I know it. They've taken out the pop machines in our schools, but they give them poptarts for breakfast every morning. and my kids too get candy for rewards at school. Our church is just as guilty though. I remeber when my son was 6 years old. He got a can of Mt. Dew for a quiet seat reward on a Wedn. night. Funny they wouldn't let him drink it at church!! I told him there was NO WAY I was going to let him drink that at 9:00pm!!!!!! Laurie

I have 5 children and really struggled with the cost of dentists. I finally started going to Ann Arbor at the U of M Dental School. They are great. Of course you spend a much longer time in the dental office because each step has to be checked by a professor. They have been very professional, gentle and explain everything. Besides, the cost is about 1/2 of the cost of local dentist. So if you don't mind spending more time and driving to Ann Arbor, think about the Dental School. They have done two root canals and a least 4 caps plus a dental implant on me. I will go no where else now. If you need their phone number to make an appointment, just email me. Karen

Laurie--do you have flouride in your water in your town?