“Mom, you should probably have a talk with Will. He’s got a big
problem…he’s obsessed with brushing his teeth. It’s true! Ever since he got his braces off, he thinks he’s got the world’s most special teeth. You should see him in there, always scrubbing and scrubbing. It’s freakish. You know what I think? I think it’s a big waste of his time. I don’t do that. I just do a quick brush and spit. Sometimes I don’t even use toothpaste. Most of the time I don’t even rinse. I don’t have time for that. I think it’s weird.” Jay-9 about Will-10
I think we need an intervention, but not for Will.
“I don’t have time for that” Oh boy!
We brush and brush and floss…and my 7 year old still has had 4 fillings done, and my 5 year old just had 1 filling and 3 teeth capped. They are not juice/soda drinkers, and they are fit kids (not eating candy, etc.) They don’t chew gum. But the teeth are incredibly crowded so our flossing itsn’t getting it all…great. Some people are just blessed with awesome teeth!
I’m envious of people who are born with perfect teeth. I wore braces all through my teens and had curly hair. Can you imagine a worse fate as a teen?
Having already experienced several thousand dollars of dental work for Sarah, on her baby teeth, I’ll be there for the intervention for Jay. Of course, I chuckled about Will’s obsessive brushing. I remember when my sister got her braces off (after some ridiculously long time of having them , like six years or something) obsessively brushing her teeth as well. It only drove me crazy when I wanted to get into the bathroom.
Too funny!
R
Thanks, Rich! I’m always happy to entertain.
It sounds like Sarah and Sandi’s kid’s have a similar problem. That just stinks.
Jay has a dentist appointment in a few weeks. I am now feeling anxious.
I kid you not… Joe will yell from the bathroom, “Mom! Charlie is brushing his teeth too long!”
Charlie and Will will have the last laugh…. as Joe and Jay spend time getting fillings at the dentist. (I hope I am wrong … here’s to Charlie and Will showing Joe and Jay the benefit to brushing!)
It sounds like Jay and Joe are all about not wasting time. Less time brushing means more time building Lego guys.
Aren’t kids getting braces younger these days? I remember that I had braces when I was 13-15.
It was awful eating PB&J or cream cheese.
And, no gum or popcorn! The horrors of having braces.
Jackie, you are right. The orthodontists are all about early intervention these days.
I second your concluding thought. :p
I thought his teeth were looking a little yellow. Now I know why.
Jay needs a good dental torture session…not Marathon Man mind you, but a filling here and there…some low speed drilling where he can smell smoke….
Cooper, here’s his thought on brushing…”Mom, it seems pretty stupid that I gotta brush my teeth when they’re just gonna fall out anyway.” It’s hard to argue with that one.
Maybe it’s the old programmer in me, but I think you need to take the average of the two’s ministrations, and make that the household standard.
(Naw, that’s TOO cruel! We want to keep the kids out of both the dentist AND the psychiatrist! 
)
Either that, or shove in past him, muttering that you NEED to use the toilet and the other ones are in use.
John, I’m afraid it might be too late for that.
Hi Nancy, it’s for the first time I am reading your blog, and I must say you are very creative!
By the way thanks for liking my blog, I genuinely appreciate that… thanks!
will be visiting your blog frequently…
Welcome, Mahendra! You are among friends here. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy the nonsense.
Gum and mouthwash boy…that is all you need.
Speaking of gum…I found green chewed-up gum stuck to the windowsill in my living room last night. I have not been able to confirm the guilty party, but I have my suspicions.
I think excessive tooth brushing might be okay. As long as he isn’t using soap when he bathes. There is such thing as too clean, you know.
I don’t have to worry about them being too clean, considering they smell like wet dogs after their shower.
Jay might just be a late bloomer. Wait till puberty kicks in. Boy, the thought is scary! My guys are 1 year apart and they had to suffer with 1 bathroom. I think they were worse than girls.
Doc, I can’t imagine a time when they are actually interested in being clean. I’m not even sure they use soap when they shower. They come out smelling like wet dogs. I just don’t get it.
Jay needs to look at Mrs. P.I.B.’s teeth – the result of swallowing her food whole and never brushing. Not a pretty sight.
Poor Mrs. P.I.B. Maybe you should consider cosmetic dentistry for dogs.
Careful Will doesn’t scrub the enamel off, it don’t grow back. As for Jay, blahahahhaaha, sheez, kids!!!
Never a dull moment…except when you’re talking about the luster of Jay’s teeth.
Does he realise he just confessed to not brushing properly???
I knew for several years that my youngest, about 12 or 13 at the time, didn’t always brush his teeth. By that point, I was picking and choosing my battles. He always ate right, had sweets every now and then, so I wasn’t concerned. We finally convinced him to have his teeth checked at age 15. Would you believe the dentist said his teeth were perfect?! No cavities or gum problems. Go figure.
Love the way the 9 year old just confessed that he doesn’t brush his teeth properly as Tony just mentioned. I don’t think he realized it. And he doesn’t always rinse…..EWWWWW…….
I just adore Jay! Ha..ha.. That kid is gonna wind up having his own talk show. You wait and see.