Comments on: My toothless child. http://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/ Single Mom Dating? Real advice from a real single mom. Tue, 22 May 2012 16:28:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Caseyhttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1809 Casey Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:09:14 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1809 Oh, I meant to say speech language PATHOLOGIST. All the speech talk got me all flustered and excited. Oh, I meant to say speech language PATHOLOGIST. All the speech talk got me all flustered and excited.

]]> By: Caseyhttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1808 Casey Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:08:00 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1808 OK, this might seem a little strange, but I was browsing your blog today because I am stuck in the house with my foot elevated after a hornet sting and I have decided to methodically browse through every bookmark on our computer to waste time. I believe my boyfriend knows you from high school, so here we are. I'm a pediatric speech language and I wanted to ease your worry about speech issues - I can't help myself. Losing front teeth has the potential to alter the placement of the tongue of all sounds made when the tongue is placed on the alveolar ridge (bumpy place behind the teeth), namely t, d,l, z, s, and a few that are made a little farther back on the palate, like sh. However, losing these teeth should only alter the perceived sound of s and z and maybe sh...the rest of the sounds, while his tongue might stick out a little, won't sound any different because teeth are missing. And it is typical for children to have trouble making s,z,and sh anyway, even with intact teeth, until they are 5 or 6. If he does have trouble making these sounds, he will probably make them like a 'th', which will be what 50% his peers with be doing anyway. This is not to say that he won't have speech issues, because many kids do (especially boys). But having serious speech issues caused by missing front teeth ALONE is pretty unlikely. Like I said, the sound errors he's likely to make are ones that 50% of kids his age will be making and should go away pretty easily when he gets big boy teeth. Okay, I hope this makes you feel better :-) OK, this might seem a little strange, but I was browsing your blog today because I am stuck in the house with my foot elevated after a hornet sting and I have decided to methodically browse through every bookmark on our computer to waste time. I believe my boyfriend knows you from high school, so here we are.
I’m a pediatric speech language and I wanted to ease your worry about speech issues – I can’t help myself.
Losing front teeth has the potential to alter the placement of the tongue of all sounds made when the tongue is placed on the alveolar ridge (bumpy place behind the teeth), namely t, d,l, z, s, and a few that are made a little farther back on the palate, like sh. However, losing these teeth should only alter the perceived sound of s and z and maybe sh…the rest of the sounds, while his tongue might stick out a little, won’t sound any different because teeth are missing. And it is typical for children to have trouble making s,z,and sh anyway, even with intact teeth, until they are 5 or 6. If he does have trouble making these sounds, he will probably make them like a ‘th’, which will be what 50% his peers with be doing anyway.
This is not to say that he won’t have speech issues, because many kids do (especially boys). But having serious speech issues caused by missing front teeth ALONE is pretty unlikely. Like I said, the sound errors he’s likely to make are ones that 50% of kids his age will be making and should go away pretty easily when he gets big boy teeth.
Okay, I hope this makes you feel better :-)

]]> By: SingleMomSeekinghttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1807 SingleMomSeeking Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:57:59 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1807 First of all, you are such a great mama! Please know that. Second of all, this post has stayed with me all day. I have my own mother-guilt around teeth. In preschool, Mae got not on, not two, but three cavities. Bad, bad mama! I was brushing her teeth every night. For real. Why? Oh why? I felt so awful. Just like Esa says above, you'll look back on this time, a year or two from now, and laugh... You're a super mom. First of all, you are such a great mama! Please know that.

Second of all, this post has stayed with me all day. I have my own mother-guilt around teeth. In preschool, Mae got not on, not two, but three cavities. Bad, bad mama! I was brushing her teeth every night. For real. Why? Oh why? I felt so awful.

Just like Esa says above, you’ll look back on this time, a year or two from now, and laugh… You’re a super mom.

]]> By: esahttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1806 esa Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:16:29 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1806 Ah, the saga of the knocked out teeth. My 14 year old daughter knocked out her front tooth when she was 22 months old, then when the new tooth grew in (when she was in first grade), she promptly fell and knocked THAT one out. Looking back on the toothless years, it was o.k. For a couple of years it just looked like she hadn't gotten the tooth yet, then for the rest of the time it just looked like she lost it early. It was a big hit in the preschool class! For more about what we're doing now, read <a href="http://www.esablog.com/2008/05/cosmetic-dentist-vs-family-dentist.html" rel="nofollow">Busy Mom's Journal: Am I Cheating on my Dentist?</a> Ah, the saga of the knocked out teeth. My 14 year old daughter knocked out her front tooth when she was 22 months old, then when the new tooth grew in (when she was in first grade), she promptly fell and knocked THAT one out. Looking back on the toothless years, it was o.k. For a couple of years it just looked like she hadn’t gotten the tooth yet, then for the rest of the time it just looked like she lost it early. It was a big hit in the preschool class! For more about what we’re doing now, read
Busy Mom's Journal: Am I Cheating on my Dentist?

]]> By: SingleWorkingMommyhttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1805 SingleWorkingMommy Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:37:09 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1805 Poor Ben--but he'll be OK. I'm sure dentist will tell you that, too. You know, I noticed his lack of teeth in your one video--I just thought "That's odd. It looks like all his other teeth have come in but that front one hasn't." And Crazy Computer Dad is scaring the beejesus out of me, too--STOPPIT. Although, I did knock out two of my baby teeth--one top and one bottom--when I was about 5 or so. I skateboarded down a neighbor's hilly driveway on my stomach. I fell, and smashed my face up real good. Poor Ben–but he’ll be OK. I’m sure dentist will tell you that, too. You know, I noticed his lack of teeth in your one video–I just thought “That’s odd. It looks like all his other teeth have come in but that front one hasn’t.”

And Crazy Computer Dad is scaring the beejesus out of me, too–STOPPIT.

Although, I did knock out two of my baby teeth–one top and one bottom–when I was about 5 or so. I skateboarded down a neighbor’s hilly driveway on my stomach. I fell, and smashed my face up real good.

]]> By: dadshousehttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1804 dadshouse Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:25:13 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1804 There's nothing harder for a parent than seeing their kid in pain at a doctor's office (or hospital. yikes.) I remember my son after an ear operation. I turned to ashen white that the nurse's made me leave before they had 2 patients to deal with. Major bummer about Benjamin's teeth. If you need to get him replacements, look into some shiny bling, like Flavor Flave http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/flavorflav.jpg (just kidding) There’s nothing harder for a parent than seeing their kid in pain at a doctor’s office (or hospital. yikes.) I remember my son after an ear operation. I turned to ashen white that the nurse’s made me leave before they had 2 patients to deal with.

Major bummer about Benjamin’s teeth. If you need to get him replacements, look into some shiny bling, like Flavor Flave http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/flavorflav.jpg

(just kidding)

]]> By: littlemansmomhttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1803 littlemansmom Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:26:58 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1803 Even if he was completely toothless for the rest of his life...with those adorable cheeks no one would EVER notice!!!!! I love how protective he's becoming...I remember when littleman began that phase......I have a story for that one..... Even if he was completely toothless for the rest of his life…with those adorable cheeks no one would EVER notice!!!!!

I love how protective he’s becoming…I remember when littleman began that phase……I have a story for that one…..

]]> By: mommypiehttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1802 mommypie Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:58:36 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1802 He's adorable -- the missing teeth just add MORE charm! Someday you'll look back and miss that sweet open space. And they'll grow in. :) My MP does the same thing sometimes with me when we're asleep. Heart melting. He’s adorable — the missing teeth just add MORE charm! Someday you’ll look back and miss that sweet open space. And they’ll grow in. :)

My MP does the same thing sometimes with me when we’re asleep. Heart melting.

]]> By: Tonyahttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1801 Tonya Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:15:34 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1801 Aww! What a cutie! And I love how you're noticing he's protective of you. Aren't they just the closest thing to angels on this planet?! *sigh* Now I can't wait to scoop up my girls and give them big hugs! Don't we judge ourselves so harshly as mothers? Aww! What a cutie! And I love how you’re noticing he’s protective of you. Aren’t they just the closest thing to angels on this planet?!

*sigh* Now I can’t wait to scoop up my girls and give them big hugs!

Don’t we judge ourselves so harshly as mothers?

]]> By: mssinglemamahttp://mssinglemama.com/2008/06/02/my-toothless-child/#comment-1796 mssinglemama Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:51:09 +0000 http://mssinglemama.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-1796 You guys are so amazing ... really, I feel so much better already. And Crazy Computer Dad - stop scaring me! You guys are so amazing … really, I feel so much better already.

And Crazy Computer Dad – stop scaring me!

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