Kay recently had her dentist appointment, and Maeve came along to join us! This was our first time visiting this office, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially since Kay typically doesn’t like being messed with. Even when it’s something simple and painless, like taking pictures of her teeth.
At first, Kay was in a great mood. She was excited about doing something new, and although she didn’t really know what was going to happen, she didn’t seem bothered… yet.
When the dental assistant came in to take pictures of Kay’s teeth, Kay was a little unsure but cooperated. She bit down on a small object to capture an image of her top teeth, and after a few tries, we finally got a good one. But once Kay understood what was happening, she had no interest in doing it again for the bottom teeth. Even though it didn’t hurt, she was officially over it. After several attempts, Kay became visibly upset, and the assistant decided not to push it further. They skipped the bottom picture so that we could avoid making the entire experience overwhelming for her.
After a quick cleaning, we waited for the dentist to come in. When she arrived, she showed me the x-rays of Kay’s top teeth and explained the size difference between her current baby teeth and the adult teeth waiting above them. One of Kay’s adult teeth is nearly the size of two of her baby teeth! Because Kay has a smaller mouth, the dentist believes it’s very likely she’ll need braces around the age of eight due to expected overcrowding.
The dentist also explained that this is common for many individuals with Down syndrome since smaller facial structures can make it harder for adult teeth to fit properly later on. Thankfully, Kay doesn’t usually mind brushing her teeth, which is a huge relief. Since she has Type 1 Diabetes and often needs glucose gummies or juice to treat low blood sugars, her teeth are exposed to more sugar than the average child’s. To help protect her teeth, the dentist recommended scheduling cleanings every three months for now to stay ahead of any potential issues.
Even though Kay doesn’t have juice often outside of treating lows, it’s important to be proactive. Overall, the visit went well, and Maeve was the star of the day! She was so well-behaved and even alerted to a low blood sugar during our appointment. Way to go, Maeve!