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Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

J

Julie30

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Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

My Front Teeth scare the life out of me they are rotten so badly decayed(HORRIBLE PIC ATTACHED), my back teeth are mostly non-existent and what is at the back is jagged and rotten.

I finally bit the bullet and found an NHS Dentist( I'm in no position to go private) to make an appointment with and have my first appt on Thursday (March 22nd).

Here are my fears:

I get panicky when that chair goes back (that is the reason I stopped going to the dentist in the first place).

I'm terrified of having no teeth - so if they extract I cannot deal with not having any teeth even for a short time until any dentures were ready. IF that happens I know my depression will get worse and I will not be able to leave the house.

I'm really scared that the Dentist will extract teeth there and then OR what if he is examining them and he does something to accidently knock one out or break it???!

I'm so worked up I'm literaly shaking also I AM SO ASHAMED of my teeth.

I'm 30 and single with no confidence at all and it's all because of my "smile".
 

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Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hiyer Julie,

I am so sorry that you are so distressed about your teeth, but you really have taken a HUGE step in making the appointment, and for that you should be incredibly proud.

I think, at the moment there are a lot of 'what ifs' running through your head, not surprisingly as you have had years to build the fear and imagine the very worst scenarios. Until you've had that first consulation with the dentist you won't really know what can be done to help you, but I know that you owe it to yourself to at least find out about what they can do for your teeth and make your life happier and healthier. Lots of things have changed in the nearly 20 years since you visited the dentist, and even if dentures were to be your only option (sorry I'm not a dentist !!) I am sure that I have heard that there are ways that immediate dentures can be fitted. (correct me please experts if I am wrong) There may be more possibilities than you think to save teeth here, and that will be the aim of the dentist.

I would be astounded if your dentist did any active work on your first visit, as they will want to do a full check-up and start talking about a treatment plan. You don't say how you found your dentist, was it by recommendation ? The reason I ask is that you are clearly feeling very anxious and fragile at the moment and you need a dentist who can understand your fears, show patience and build trust.

Keep us up to date on your progress,
 
Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hi Julie30 the first visit is just to have a look at your teeth and see what treatment you will need. You can ask him not to put the chair right back. It would be very unusual if he did any treatment at all on the first visit, other than take an x ray. If they did suggest it you can say no.

Tell the dentist how nervous you are and what you are afraid of. If you feel you couldn't be comfortable working with this dentist find another. There are some lovely dentists out there that really want to help us get treatment.

You may not lose your teeth it is surprising what they can do and will do now even on the nhs. I am nhs too and I have a lovely dentist that cares, so they are out there. Things are different to what they were a few years ago.

Until you see the dentist you are guessing at what you need doing, once you have been you know what you are dealing with.

I wish you well and nearly everyone that thinks the worsed finds out it isn't as bad as they thought.

I can't comment on your pic because I can't look at teeth good or bad, close up.

GOOD LUCK you will be fine. :)
 
Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hi
I am not a dentist either so take this with a pinch of salt but I doubt your teeth are as bad as you fear. Your gums look very sore on the top (unless that is a distortion on the pic) and it looks like you have loads of accumulated plaque and tartar on the top especially, which is not surprising if you have not had a professional clean for a long time.

The dentist may need to give your teeth a clean in order to determine what can be done. Sometimes posters report back that accumulated plaque has protected them from decay over the years. The downside of that is that it can equally cause gum issues.

I hope the dentist you see is sympathetic but if you were to be unlucky then remember you are free to try another even on NHS.

Do your teeth feel loose at all? If so that would maybe indicate issues with your gums. If not, great most decay is fixable.

One trick with the chair being put back, is to stay upright, have the dentist lower the chair to where they need it and then you lie back yourself under your own control:

Fear of the dental chair going back

Good luck.
 
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Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hey Julie,
Sorry to hear you are suffering so much, and I can totally relate. You will definitely find you are not alone here. I have been in the process of facing my fear and damaged teeth for the past two months or so after many years of neglect (15 or more).
One thing that really worked well for me is that before I went to my first appointment with my current dentist, I wrote her a letter that I handed over when I checked in, explaining everything. I told her about my phobia, my history with the dentist and all the work I have had done, what's wrong, what I am afraid of specifically and what I hoped for mainly, help, to not be so ashamed, to have my teeth fixed :)! It was great that I didn't have to remember to say everything once I arrived, especially since when I am there, I tend to clam up because I am trying to repress my panic. She was very kind about it. She also shared it with the oral surgeon in her office who did some extractions for me two days ago. It was also a relief that he knew where I was coming from too, without my having to explain it in the moment. They treated me very sensitively as a result, which was so helpful.
Good luck to you with your appointment. You don't have to live with the shame of your teeth, and you should definitely be proud that you are taking the first step!
 
Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

One thing that really worked well for me is that before I went to my first appointment with my current dentist, I wrote her a letter that I handed over when I checked in, explaining everything. I told her about my phobia, my history with the dentist and all the work I have had done, what's wrong, what I am afraid of specifically and what I hoped for mainly, help, to not be so ashamed, to have my teeth fixed :)! It was great that I didn't have to remember to say everything once I arrived, especially since when I am there, I tend to clam up because I am trying to repress my panic. She was very kind about it. She also shared it with the oral surgeon in her office who did some extractions for me two days ago. It was also a relief that he knew where I was coming from too, without my having to explain it in the moment. They treated me very sensitively as a result, which was so helpful.

I find this to be a most excellent suggestion!!
 
Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

I like that idea also! I always prefer to know what a patient is concerned about
 
Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hi Julie, I just wanted to wish you luck for your appointment on Thursday too. I also don't think the dentist will do anything except a check up that first time. I had neglected my teeth and had an awful lot of tartar build up. Mine was on the front surface of my teeth a little, but I had lots in between my teeth and a very large lump behind my bottom front teeth. All of my gums were red and inflamed and I couldn't brush the gap between my two top front teeth as it hurt too much. My dentist sent me to the hygienist. I was very scared but the hygienist was lovely. I was scared because I didn't know what would happen or how I would deal with it. But I came out of that first appointment so happy! I had a couple of injections which honestly were not as bad as I thought they'd be, I wondered why I'd bothered crying! Then she cleaned lots of the tartar off my teeth and it was amazing! The tartar had made my teeth look quite stained and browned in places and I was convinced there'd be loads of cavities under there but there were none.

I have been back for a further appointment to clean the rest of my teeth, then had a three month checkup (no anaesthetic needed that time), and again for a four month check up last week. And things are looking so muchbetter. My gums are a normal colour, no bleeding at all. All in all it's looking so much better, and I'm sure once you've been you will come out feeling better to. It's just a relief to be getting it all fixed.

All the best for thursday, loads of hugs!

Beamish
 
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Re: Horrendous Rotten Teeth Cannot Smile - Terrified of the Chair and no Dentist since 1993 Help!!

Hi!

I'm not a dentist, but the picture you attached reminded me very much of some others I found on Doctor Spiller's website. If you think that you can handle some more scary pictures, this page has some pictures of teeth like yours that were repaired [broken link removed].

I really hope this will make you feel better. Even if your teeth are really bad, dentists can help you get a better smile, that's their job.

Good luck on your appointment!
 
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