Teething Problems

Parenthood brings with it its own peculiar package of joys and worries.

A couple of weeks back, we noticed our six year old daughter getting two small teeth inside her front lower teeth, just at the tip of the tongue. I was reassured by some friends and colleagues (with elder children, and therefore, presumably greater experience and knowledge) that it was quite natural and would need to be corrected by braces at a later date. However, a few days back, the same was noticed by some ladies/parents at the school, who were alarmed and warned my wife that we were being very indifferent parents of a very pretty child. Dislocated teeth will alter the child’s appearance forever and could result in a deformed jaw line and ugly grin.

Needless to say, my wife did not sleep that night. And our daughter lost a milk/temporary tooth and swallowed it in her sleep. In the early morning confusions of office and school and breakfast and missing tooth, I couldn't stop laughing at the funny look on my kids face. It was after all a proud moment for a father.

The day was more eventful than the night. A tiny tot at school heard his mother advice my wife to pluck out a loose milk tooth. And the gallant young man performed the surgery on my kid in the middle of a class. A shocked teacher scolded a disgraced surgeon because of a silently sobbing damsel in distress with a tiny tooth in her tiny palm! HILARIOUS!

So the Dhaka trip that ended safely last night with a bit of work, a bit of shopping, a bit of sightseeing and a lot of visits to the dentist. That guy minted money! It will take me some time to forget the face of Dhaka's Delighted Dentist.