Missing: 1 tooth

Cambel lost his first tooth this week and boy was he excited. Funny how we get so excited about losing teeth. Other appendages, not so much. But a wiggling loose tooth hanging on by the tiniest root is like a party for kids. Maybe it is all the talk about the tooth fairy--and whose idea was that anyway? Obviously not a parent's. No sane parent would ever offer to pay children for losing something, especially when it is really falling out all on its own. Now a silence fairy or a nap fairy or a leave-me-alone-I'm-in-the-bathroom fairy...I would totally campaign for one of those. That would be a much better use of my money.

Another one of his teeth is loose and two permanent teeth are on their way in. Which of course means brushing is now way more important than it was before. Since the baby teeth are falling out anyway is it really so vital that they be cleaned well before they detach? But permanent teeth are a different story and require quite a bit more work--work for me since Cambel's version of brushing lasts about 20 seconds and only includes a small percentage of his teeth. Most of his tooth-brushing energy goes towards complaining about how much he dislikes his toothpaste and reminding me to buy the kid kind.

Of course I can't blame an increase in my periodontal work load on the tooth fairy, but since she isn't talking and I'm the one paying for all her fairy ideas, I think I just might.