Baby Teeth Tales

Son No 3 is over the moon.

Last night, I discovered that two of his lower incisors are shaky. On closer examination, I could see the buds of the equivalent adult teeth sprouting behind the baby teeth. He was at once both excited and anxious. Grinning from ear to ear, he asked whether he would swallow those shaky teeth when he was sleeping? What if he accidentally swallowed them when he was eating? He wanted to see the dentist straight away. Well, it is my job to reassure him - that's what mothers do.

However, Son No 2, older by two years, is dismayed. All his baby teeth are still intact. Before this, he has been telling me about his friends in school having their baby teeth dropping off and that he was waiting for his turn. It is a double blow now that even his younger brother is having shaky teeth.

Son No 2 asked me wistfully, "Are adult teeth or baby teeth better?"

There is only one answer I can give, "They are the same."

"Why is it that I still have my baby teeth?"

"Well, that is because your baby teeth are very strong."

I have given this same reply 5 years ago as Son No 1 was also a late developer of adult teeth. I remember he too was feeling kind of inferior to/envious of his friends.

Son No 1, now older and wiser and who himself just had his own baby pre-molar extracted to make room for a new one, has been rather helpful on this issue. He comforted Son No 2, saying that his baby teeth also took a long time to be replaced. Son No 2 who looked up to him was somewhat convinced.

Children, sigh... whatever their age, they have their own worries:)