"Good" Obsessiveness?!?

[TeDo]

difficult child 2 got braces today. He's be excited about getting them since the dentist first mentioned the possibility 2 years ago. He got home and showed them off to people. Tonight, he's in pain and the ortho told us Sunday (3rd day) will probably be the worst. The ortho also gave him a fancy electric toothbrush with all kinds of modes, brush types, and a digital "monitor". He was so obsessive about doing EVERYTHING just right that it took him 35 minutes to figure out how to set the settings and actually use it. We didn't even try the floss thing (that should be a trip for him) because it was already starting to get late. We will get into a routine over the week-end. He is so rigidly rule-bound that I find this a constructive way to use it. (difficult child 1 was getting VERY annoyed at how long everything was taking with difficult child 2 hogging the bathroom, taking too long, yada yada, yada)

I just REALLY hope this kind of obsessiveness continues for the next two years until they come off. Do I dare hope or am I just dreaming? Wait until I tell him about brushing after EVERY meal and snack. HeeHee

 

[Ktllc]

Enjoy it today and don't worry about tomorow! Hope he can take some medication for the pain though.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Braces and pain medications... absolutely necessary. Pain is a unique thing... if you can stay on top of it, it can be managed... but if you let it spike too high, it's really hard to bring it down. Every adjustment of braces... we use rx painkillers for at least a couple days - whether the kid thinks it's necessary or not. Because... if we don't, they WILL need it, and it won't work as well.

 

[buddy]

I suspect it will wear off a little but be careful, they can brush too much and cause gum problems...Q has done that when he gets obsessive about brushing. We too gave medications continually when he first got them and on the way to the adjustment appointments. Our ortho said there are studies showing that continual use of anti-inflammatories can cause progress to be slower (this is at the U) but we only used them for several days when adjustments were made. Q got his braces off in 15 months!

Other things we found helpful (he got lots of sores from them) they gave us numbing medication. for the sores but we also bought the sore throat spray and it was much easier to just spray on areas when needed for quick relief while the medications were kicking in or if a boost was needed.

Hope he does well. We are glad it is over, that is all I can say, LOL

 

[Hound dog]

I do think there are some good obsessions.

I hope it doesn't wear off before it becomes a good habit. Because I can imagine the routine is rather tedious.

 

[DaisyFace]

I agree with Hound - this is GOOD. Hopefully the obsessiveness now will develop into a good habit later...

 

[TerryJ2]

I do think there are some good obsessions.

I agree.

There's a guy in Norway or someplace who is trying to collect one of every seed in the world. Just in case there's an apocalypse or something. Ya never know. It can't hurt anything and he's enjoying himself. And it's much more useful than collecting beer cans. ;b

 

[JJJ]

Piglet's obsessiveness was wonderful during her time with braces! The ortho was so happy with her!

 

[TeDo]

Not doing very well so far. He complains they hurt too much to brush, even lightly.....but he can eat soft things by cutting them into very small bites. Hmmmm. I realize they really do hurt but not brushing at all is NOT an option but how do you force a 6 ft 14 year old to do it (I'm 5'3")???

 

[InsaneCdn]

Not enough pain medications, or the wrong ones. What's he using, and what's he got for options? (daughter has rx-level pain medications, just for the transition points)

 

[TeDo]

He didn't take any today because he said it didn't hurt that bad to eat as long as he was careful. THAT's why I'm so frustrated. It doesn't hurt much to eat but hurts too much to brush AT ALL?

 

[InsaneCdn]

Yes. That's the way pain works. Once it kicks in, you can keep it from getting worse, but often you can't knock it back down. I've been around (and/or in) pain most of my life... if you don't catch it early, then the best you can do is put a ceiling on the pain... and by then, it's way beyond discomfort.

Pain medications NOT optional, for at least 3 days after ortho adjustments. (T3s or equivalent for daughter)

Does he have RX-level pain medications? or just OTC? If OTC, what is he taking? (makes a diff, depending on the kind of pain)

 

[TeDo]

OTC Ibuprofen and alternating with Extra Strength Tylenol in between Ibuprofen doses if needed. I can't exactly force them down his throat, although I'd love to right now. I strongly recommended he at least do the Ibuprofen but he insisted he didn't need it. He can be soooooo STUBBORN sometimes.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Do you have those throat-numbing sprays around?
I had to do this when they pulled my wisdoms... it numbs the throat - or the gums and cheeks, if that's where you spray - for a short period of time, like 10-20 mins. Allows for brushing to get done (or in the case of an extremely sore throat, for you to actually eat something.) It will still really hurt once he's done, but would get him through it.

OTC medications aren't quite strong enough for dental pain in my opinion. Surprised ortho didn't rx something stronger, for a min to be used at night (they can knock you out a bit)... getting a good sleep makes the next day go better.

 

[TeDo]

Yes, we have that. We might have to give it a try. difficult child 2 usually responds very well to Ibuprofen for all pain. When he had his tonsils out, all he took was ibuprofen and it worked wonders.

 

[InsaneCdn]

And then tell him his board auntie with a 13YO with braces says...

*** Take that ibuprofen before you go to bed ***

The reason for ibuprofen isn't JUST for the pain. It reduces the inflamation from them messing around in your mouth, which helps speed up the healing. You're not being a wuss if you take the pain medications... 'cause you're not taking them for pain, you're taking them for inflamation!

And then... take them again in the morning... for the same reason.

{{hugs to your difficult child... it's not a fun kind of pain, but it does get better}}

 

[TeDo]

Thanks Insane. I will tell him that!!!

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I haven't read all the replies so I'm not sure if anyone suggested this, but when my easy child had her braces (twice), rather than actually brushing with a toothbrush at school, she had these little brushes she called "christmas trees". You can find them at the drug store, they are small "sticks" (plastic) with a circular brush that has a small tip and then increases in girth - picture the shape of a christmas tree. It gets in all the little cracks and crevices.....

I think it's a good thing - my difficult child would obsess the exact same way. Better that than the alternative. My niece had to have veneers because her oral hygiene was bad when she had braces!

 

[TeDo]

LDM, he has the Christmas tree thingies. Never thought about trying to use those.

I MADE him take ibuprofen this morning....threatened to take away all electronics until he did. THAT pretty much works all the time because he can't live without tv, computer or MP3. With no school this week, it could be a REALLY boring week if I take those away since he doesn't have any friends right now.

He took them so we'll see how many times I can get him to brush today. I would be happy with once, thrilled with twice and positively ecstatic with three.