My teeth - 'medicine' phobia and periodontal battle

[Carys]

OK, next appointment today (oooooe, just notice the fancy new toolbar above me, from the forum update!) I feel somewhat despondent actually. Today was meant to be a 1/2 hour appointment for the dentist to check and measure/chart the periodontal pockets. I have been following my oral hygiene new regime for 3 weeks now (set by the hygenist after her cleaning) and I think i must have been expecting miracles.....something like the pockets to have disappeared lol Of course they haven't, what I didn't realise is that it will take many months of dental cleaning and my own hard effort to halt the gum disease. There has been some bone loss in places, and I am really really sad about that....I had no idea that was happening.

The odd thing is that my gums don't look like they have gum disease, they don't really bleed, they aren't bright red or feel sore, but there are those pockets caused by plaque. BOY did those pockets cause some pain today as he was measuring their depth, he charted all of the upper jaw and it really hurt (apologies to anyone reading this who fears pain at the dentist). At a few points my eyes were watering with the jabbing pain and I did say 'this is bloody hurting, but I know it is my own fault'. He suggested after 3/4 hour after finishing the upper jaw that the lower jaw should be charted in a couple of weeks, as there was deep significant gum inflammation which must be painful.

He went through my oral hygiene regime and noted it all down on some sheets for future use when starting invisalign, along with taking full panoramic xrays and discussing my lifestyle and levels of motivation in terms of dental health. I told him how sad I was that all my efforts were not paying off. He said that the situation with my gums 'wasn't good' but also 'wasn't awful' and whilst we couldn't regrow some bone, we could halt the gum problems and that he would not expect there to be instant changes.

The bottom line is though, the invisalign can't be started until these gum problems are stabilised. So, there we go, I left feeling sad. Sad because I had originally gone to him with some tooth problems which he has sorted beautifully well, only to find out that really those were the least of my worries. My fear of injections seems so far in the past now, I'd have 20 of them if it meant that my gum problems instantly disappeared and I could start my cosmetic work. I go back in 2 weeks then for the lower jaw to be charted and then 4 weeks after that back to the hygenist.

[carole]

OH Carys sorry you are feeling fed up after you visit today, but at least you know what you are dealing with, and you have the tools to do it. When he charted your pockets what do they do that takes so long. I hope you feel better after your next appointment. Keep going you'll get there, it just does take time.

[Carys]

OH Carys sorry you are feeling fed up after you visit today, but at least you know what you are dealing with, and you have the tools to do it. When he charted your pockets what do they do that takes so long. I hope you feel better after your next appointment. Keep going you'll get there, it just does take time.

What takes the time is, it seems, is that at the left of every tooth, then the middle of the every tooth and then the right of every tooth, both front and back - so that is stacks of times - he pushes in a pointed measuring tool thingy as deep in to/under/between the gum and tooth as it will go. Then he calls that figure to the nurse who puts it on a computer chart. However, many times the nurse made an error today and mis-heard or he didn't give the total information of the location of tooth he was checking, so the measurements were re-done many times. At one point, about the 10th time of there being a communication error between them i felt like shouting - for gawds sake will you work on this together as I am having a good deal of pain every time you get it wrong as it has to be re-measured. I desisted from doing that though, but it was close. Bless them, I do love my dentist and his nurse, but I was starting to get a bit tetchy today.

[letsconnect]

I'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad time today . It sounds as if your dentist was very heavy-handed - normally, periodontal probing should not be an unpleasant experience. The problem arises when too much pressure is applied and it sounds as if that was the case here. Also, plastic-tipped probes are more comfortable than the metal variety. If the tissue is very inflamed and sore, then a small amount of topical anesthetic should be offered but it doesn't sound like that from your description - so heavy-handedness is the most likely explanation.

I haven't been following your story (shame on me - but I've been too busy with the technical aspects of the forum and website recently), so I don't know if your dentist is generally gentle and just not very good with the periodontal probe. If this experience has put you off him, don't be afraid to look around for someone who is more gentle.

[carole]

I know your dentist is a very nice and gentle man, but he stinks at this simple task, he should have numbed you. It would have set me right back, my last dentist thought it was okay to hurt with the probe, but it puts you off going back. Have a word with him Carys, you're no shrinking violet, set him straight. I feel really annoyed for you. I hope you stop hurting soon. dentist today.

[Carys]

Thanks letsconnect and Carole, I still feel a bit tearful about it actually and it was hours ago. It was non plastic tipped the measuring thingy. He is a lovely man and I do trust him, but this really hurt to the point of (as I said to Carole via PM being rigid in the chair with my head pushed back and having my eyes water) wanting to get right out of there. I think you are right letsconnect, it felt like it was being done too hard and you are also right Carole....I have to go back next time and have the bottom set charted, and will tell him it hurt was too much last time and what can he do about that, can he be more gentle and use topical gel ? I was fairly forthright by using the phrase 'this bloody hurts' , maybe because I was being fairly stoic about it though in general he presumed it wasn't that bad. I didn't scream LOL that was the problem LOL !!!! I know he would have stopped if I had asked, why did I just carry on...I don't get it. He is usually fine letsconnect, I only moved to his practice a short time ago and he has helped me achieve getting some work done and move forward in many ways, but this made me feel trapped and upset. I didn't think it should hurt, so at least I am now armed with that fact. I appreciate it guys, I really go. thanks.

I hope you stop hurting soon.

Yeah, its fine now carole, only hurt whilst he was doing it and for a short while afterwards. The thing is the hygenist did a full clean of the periodontal pockets that I have 3 weeks ago, and that didn't hurt, so I think letsconnect you are right it was heavy-handed.

[Jaylah]

At one point, about the 10th time of there being a communication error between them i felt like shouting - for gawds sake will you work on this together as I am having a good deal of pain every time you get it wrong as it has to be re-measured.

I would love to be able to say that I would have gone ahead and said something like that. But I know that, truthfully, I'm not that brave.

But I do know getting that done is NOT pleasant and I would have been immensely annoyed if they had to keep redoing it simply because of miscommunication. You most certainly would have been within your rights to have said something, as far as I'm concerned.

[Carys]

It was VERY close Jaylah ! VERY close LOL ! The thing is, it takes you (well it took me) a while to realise quite what was occuring (never had it done before). I don't know the toothy lingo and was not entirely sure what the nurse was doing on the computer etc. As Carole says I'm not one to hold back my words, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt for a while. He does the probing of one tooth, which is freaking agony, and then she queries something back and I tense up as he goes back to that tooth. That was about 10 times and I wasn't sure if it was the computer playing up, or him not talking properly or her not hearing properly or what really; though I was done with counting after a certain point, and the hypnotic effect of the spider on the ceiling to help me meditate through it was wearing out. It literally was down to 'if that happens one more time' and he decided to stop and leave the bottom jaw LOL Luckily for him and me !!!

[Jaylah]

Do you know Carole, I feel quite ashamed and not proud. I keep analysing my 'panic attack' moment. I wasn't hysterical, but I certainly blurted out very loudly 'I'm having a panic attack' and he said 'are you ok ?' and I said 'No !' and wanted to sit up. I feel really bad for giving him the extra work and breaking his pattern and I feel embarrased how I was infront of the dental nurse. It wasn't my favourite dental nurse today (funny how that makes all the difference isn't it !), although she was very nice and told me that someone this morning was gripping her arm so hard it hurt LOL I did get myself back together quite quickly, apologising all the way LOL...but I feel at the moment like an idiot. I know I shouldn't, I'm sure others have done similar, but.....well....there we go. It is a bit ridiculous as I had the same two jabs last week and was fine, I thought I would be fine today.

I'm a bit late on this one, but....

Ashamed? I'm actually quite proud of you!

In the midst of your panic attack, you still managed to maintain the presence of mind to explain what was happening to you, and to voice your needs. How much easier for the dentist to respond appropriately for a patient that does that, rather than one that just goes all hysterical on him! My guess is that he was more than a bit proud of you, too!

[Carys]

I haven't been following your story (shame on me - but I've been too busy with the technical aspects of the forum and website recently),

Don't be silly ! You have absolutely no need to feel that you should have read it, you've had your hands really full after returning to the 'hands on' aspects of the site. It is great that you are here