Cavities can ruin your day

Last week we discovered that 2flowers has cavities.

I feel terrible because I knew I needed to be brushing her teeth better and more frequently. But it was such a fight, and I didn't know how to win it on a regular basis. I had hoped to get her all the way to high school without cavities, like my mom did for me. But I already missed that goal. So my new goal it to get her to high school without any new cavities.

I'm pretty sure 2Flowers has cavities because,

1. I haven't been brushing her teeth often enough (and thoroughly enough).
2. We've been sharing lots of sugar with her (Oreos, chocolate, cinnamon rolls, whatever we're eating).
3. We share our cups, silverware, and toothbrushes with her. (I'd rather not share the toothbrushes, but sometimes she will get a hold of them and try them out.)
4. I allow her to fall asleep while nursing (I feel really conflicted about listing this as a cause of cavities. I don't think it is a main contributor, but a few people have suggested it, so I'm acknowledging the possibility.)

I watched my sis-in-law brush her son's teeth a few weeks ago, and that has really helped my technique. Knowing that 2Flowers is going to need uncomfortable/painful dental work has helped me overcome the tears and screaming that deter me from getting the job done well.

I used to say, "Okay, that is good enough," but now it is obvious that it wasn't. I'm still struggling to brush 2Flower's teeth more than once a day, but I feel good about my progress.

I just wished I'd figured it out last year.