When you have a toddler, pretty much everything is “a first” – first trip to Disney, first day of school, first picture that actually looks like something other than scribbles. And on Saturday, my daughter had another first. She visited the dentist for the first time.

We had been talking about the upcoming visit for days, and much to my surprise, Aubrey was incredibly excited to have the dentist polish her pearly whites. I, on the other hand, was a bit nervous. What if I hadn’t brushed her teeth enough or had missed some spots in the back, and now she already has cavities? Getting a 3-year-old to stay still and open wide isn’t always easy, as I’m sure other parents have experienced. And on the nights when she falls asleep on a car ride home, I certainly do not wake her to brush her teeth.

The dentist gave my husband and me some wonderful pointers, like if Aubs falls asleep before I brush her teeth, I can rub a very small amount of toothpaste over her back teeth to sit overnight. And Aubrey was thrilled to wear a pretty cool pair of shades to block her eyes from the light. But nothing could top her favorite part of the visit – getting “glitter” (a.k.a. fluoride) rubbed on her teeth for the finishing touch.

When I heard the dentist say, “Her teeth look great, very little plaque,” I was super relived, but unfortunately, the feeling only lasted a few seconds.

As the visit came to a close, the dentist made it clear that while Aubrey’s smile is perfect now, her mouth will be just too small for adult teeth. You’d think with the noise that child can make, her mouth would be big enough for a couple sets.

So around age 6, she’ll have to have baby teeth pulled to make room for her permanent teeth. And at age 11, she will need braces. As the dentist told us the news, the first thing that popped into my head was “How dare you! My daughter is perfect and so are her teeth!” But as I thought about it what the dentist was saying, I realized Aubrey will have to go through the exact same thing I went through as a child – teeth pulled and braces for a few years. Then all I could picture was a bunch of dollar signs.

My parents still remind me that I better always take care of my teeth considering the thousands they spent on them! I guess my hubby better change his jar labeled “Surfboard Relief Fund” to say “Aubrey’s Dental Fund.”

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