Oh, Mark, this is a wonderful and powerful article on something that every parent knows, if not specifically on the dental issues, then on the feelings of betrayal faced in the medical offices.

Yeah, you don’t see the tooth problems of baby teeth coming readily. Genetically, my teeth have never had a cavity. My partner’s, however, have. My daughter inherited my teeth — no holes, no pain etc. My son inherited his father’s and at a very young age lost some of his baby teeth in a very similar situation. I did what you did. Told him it wasn’t permanent, it was important that he remembered to look after his adult teeth when they came in, that he would have lost those teeth anyway as they were replaced by adult teeth and so on and such like and it didn’t stop me from being angry with myself on not being capable of preventing the whole thing.

The only thing that helps is that we — the general, human we — get used to things and life goes on to the point it’s forgotten. The first time my daughter had to have a vaccination, the doctor was a complete idiot and as rough as guts. Rather than subject her to his poor needle technique, I insisted the nurse do it. He was offended and rude. I was verbally pugilistic in my response. She has no memory of the event, and no fear of needles now. You sound like a wonderful father, protective and bristling but clear-headed too :) What little girls need from their dads is their unconditional love and protection — that’s how we pick our partners.