Both our girls began their orthodontic care plans just before Christmas! The girls are now having on-going conversations about which is more difficult to bear: six “spacers” on the upper teeth or eight “spacers” on both the upper and lower teeth: each girl desiring to claim the right to more sympathy than the other.

During the first week with “spacers”, we were obliged to purchase frozen yogurt for lunch because of the pain of shifting teeth; the yogurt was cool, soft and soothing to sore and aching teeth. This therapeutic lunch was not a big sacrifice and the girls’ obvious enjoyment and delight in it warranted no sympathy.

A lot of our conversations have been revolving around food: what can and cannot be eaten with orthodontic paraphernalia in the mouth: no sodas, no chewy candy, no nuts, no gum. Sigh. It is a transition in thinking. And all of us are finding the transition a little difficult.

The first few days of “spacers” I offered the girls a series of “treats” that they couldn’t have: candy with nuts, gummy snacks, pistachio nuts and a brand new pack of gum! These are all treats that they normally would love to have! My girls have patiently reminded me, “Mom? I can’t have this.” It has been a bit awkward: gifting them with items that are on the “do not eat” list. So there have been groans, many apologies and much need for patience.

One evening, my oldest daughter, who is a diligent flosser, unthinkingly flossed out one of her “spacers”. This good habit of flossing is inappropriate at this time. So now instead of the familiar reminder, “Don’t forget to floss your teeth!” we are repeating to one another a new refrain, “Don’t floss your teeth!”