Oh the pain - oh the fear.... Need help but scared to death

I've had a phobia of dentists since i was 5. It started when I had 2 absesses and the dentist removed the 2 teeth with gas and air, i remember walking home crying, bleeding and remember visiting a dental hospital and not much else. After speaking to my mum about why im so absolutely terrified of dentists it would appear that I was in agony after the dentist took out the 2 milk teeth with absesses under them and refused to let a dentist in my mouth after that, she had to take me to the dental hospital as it was more a place for children, here i would clamp my mouth closed and not even let them in with a mirror. I guess that was the start of my phobia.

Some years later, my sister started working for a dental practise and with my mum i used to go and visit the dentist every 6 months, it started out with my sister holding my hand and ended with me being able to take myself to the denstist. Then i moved away... 6 years ago and havent seen a dentist since. About 2 years ago a back tooth broke, it didn't hurt so i left it. Then another developed a hole and that eventually broke, but again it didnt hurt so i left it. Now the double one that has broken is agony. I've suffered for 2 days and have rather low tolerance levels to pain and can't take much more despite taking kapake, i didnt sleep last night coz of the pain. I know i really should get the tooth taken out coz it hurts like mad but im so scared.

I have plucked up the courage to email a local dentist but i daren't ring them... I don't want to feel afraid but i feel so out of control. I may have emailed them to try arrange something but if they should ring to arrange something i know i'll freak out... I don't know whats worst, not being able to cope with the pain or having to go to the dentist...

How can I overcome this fear???

I have felt the same way for many years, it's been almost 10 yrs since I've been. I have been reading all the stories on this forum for about 6 months and believe it or not it's given me the courage to face my fear. The journals and the success stories with before and after pics are great, helped me more that anything. I'm going to the dentist in just over an hour. I am completely terrified but I am tired of living this way. I finally realized I deserve to take care of myself and be truly happy! Good luck in your journey

Hi Kazzy,
I was the same as you- it had been 16 years since I'd been to the dentist- (I'm 33 now)
Over that time, I had 2 molars break, a filling come out and a wisdom tooth break. None were painful at the time and I was too scared to go to the dentist so I didn't.... Then I'd get reeeeeally bad toothaches and take nurofen plus until it passed.. Sometimes for weeks. That's how scared I was- I wouldn't eat properly or sleep- because I was in so much pain- but the pain was easier to deal with than going to the dentist then about 2 weeks ago, I decided I couldn't go on living like this... I found this site and emailed a dentist I had found on the Internet that specialized in phobic patients... She seemed really nice and said we could just chat the first time- but she was so nice I let her look in my mouth. So far, I've had 2 fillings ( one was huge) and a tooth extracted. ( actually it was only half a tooth! ) and I'm booked in again next week to get another tooth extracted and then I have to go into hospital in Jan to get my wisdom teeth out under general. (
which I'm terrified about)

Once the initial consult was over ( and the initial embarassment of how bad my teeth are) I felt much more relaxed. The actual procedures were a bit painful and I was shaking but they were actually not that bad! I so wish I had gone earlier, and I can't wait til it's all over so I can enjoy my life pain free and without constantly worrying about my teeth.
You can do this! I never thought a month ago that I'd go to the dentist! I couldn't even say the word!! And I'd avoid talking about anything to do with teeth! Just find a nice dentist and I promise it will all be fine.
Good luck!
Xx

kazzy said:

How can I overcome this fear???

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By finding the right dentist for you: