I can't offer advice on dental care. What I -do- have experience with is having favorite foods suddenly off limits. It's HARD. And it's harder, even as an adult, when someone says "That's just how it is. Deal with it." Which is what it sounds like the dentists are doing.
As an eleven-year-old I developed ulcers and was on a highly restrictive bland diet. It was miserable. I remember sobbing while watching Burger King commercials. Last year, I was put on blood thinners and had to give up cranberries and severely limit my green veggies. I'd never realized how many cranberries and brussel sprouts were in my Pinterest feed every day until they were suddenly the forbidden fruit.? Now I'm on a different blood thinner and the only thing off limits is grapefruit. I probably haven't eaten grapefruit in twenty years and don't even? like the stuff, but they told me I can never eat one again and it suddenly sounds awful tempting. (Knowing that it would keep my body from metabolizing the blood thinners is enough to make me follow the rules, but if it was a less serious risk than that, I probably would cheat a bit.)
I wouldn't tell your son that he can never have gummies again, because it seems like that's just too cruel a blow, especially piled on top of all of the dental surgery and everything else. It's not the same thing at all, but part of my ongoing adventure with blood thinners is that I no longer get to take Advil (or anything else non narcotic that works)? I can get away with one or two doses a month, so I carry them in my purse for when I really need them and keep saving them for later. I don't know if something like that -- the idea that they're still an option now and then -- would work with gummies. Or maybe not until his mouth heals more. I've only got one crown and I'm not totally clear on how they work.
Are there other foods your son loves that aren't off limits according to the dentists?? Maybe something he hasn't thought about because he's so focused on what he suddenly can't have? Or something that isn't food that would be a nice distraction? Can you make it easier on him by keeping him away from the checkout line with the grocery store, or other places where the gummy candies are hanging there all sparkly and tempting?
Michelle
