Overcoming many many fears

[allonsy]

After almost ten years of avoiding the dentist, last month a severe dental infection forced me to make a visit. After a full work up, he told me that I need three teeth extractions and six fillings. One of these fillings may turn into a root canal. I've made the appointment for the extractions on August 13th, the first of two appointments to get my teeth up to scratch.

Needless to say, I'm terrified. I've always been afraid of the dentist- I think its my worst fear. But I can't pinpoint exactly what I'm afraid of. I hate needles, I hate any kind of dental pain, and I'm afraid of the pain I'll be in afterwards. Because I'm afraid of all that, I also know that I'll be crying and generally panicking, which in turn makes me afraid of that. When I was 13, I actually caused a car accident because I ran away from a dentist who was simply trying to help me get better... I'm truly just so ashamed of how badly this fear affects me.

For the sake of my health, I know I have to do this. I've been reading through some of the techniques on overcoming fear on this site, and I think some of them might help. I'm being sedated, however I am afraid that my fear is so overpowering that even the "twighlight sleep" as the dentist calls it will not be enough to calm me down. Can anybody share their experience with me?

[littlestar88]

IV sedation or twilight sleep will be enough to calm you down. There is no way you can be un-calm with the sedation. I've had it twice, the first time for a deep clean (thats how bad my fear was) that took 2 1/2 hours. I remember maybe 10 seconds of it and I think the IV was the only way I was able to return to dentistry at all! I then went through several years of dental work with decreasing amounts of valium/alepam (no IV) until I got my wisdom teeth out with IV last week. Again the experience was easy and theres no way I could have got through it if I hadn't had the IV making it possible. Not only does the IV keep you calm and help the LA to be really effective (if your stressed the adrenaline can wash away the LA making it more painful) it also means you forget everything after so its almost like your body/teeth got the treatment but YOU wern't there! I think its fantastic, I can now get through normal dental work (check-up, clean etc) without IV but it meant I could get on the initial road to dental health and also its reassuring to know when I go in for a check-up that if there are any problems there is always the IV option. I'm a big fan of IV but remember there are other options too like nitrous and oral sedation. Good luck!

[carol999]

First of all to the forum. I think it is so sad that so many people are ashamed of the fear. Would you be ashamed if you were scared of insects, I dont think so , you might be a little embarrassed or find it funny but you wouldn't be ashamed. Its not your fault that you are scared you just are, and you are now looking at ways of dealing with it so that you can have treatment, so you need to start feeling proud of yourself I cannot get any work done without IV. Make sure you discuss your fears with the dentist and please be re-assured you will not be aware of anything, except the small scratch of the needle going in then feeling a little light-headed and then coming round at the end and you will not remember a thing, and you have the comfort of knowing that its over whoopie! I am the kind of person that doesn't really show feelings very easily but as soon as I walk into the dentist I am overcome with emotion and even for a check -up I am crying in the chair. I dont think this is too uncommon actually, so dont worry your dentist will cope with your emotion, but you need to stay in control in order to look after yourself. Good luck with your journey to a healthy mouth

[Patti]

Allonsey! Good for you for making that first step! I've recently done the same thing myself. I used Niterous for an extraction back in April and it worked wonders! I also took Xanax ahead of the appt. my new dentist has now prescribed Ativan with Niterous on standby if needed for fillings. I need a lot of them!

[allonsy]

Thanks for replying guys, I really need to just talk to someone about it. Its a touchy subject in my family- my mother is severely dentophobic, and her most of her teeth are all but rotted away. She's always been so loving and caring when it I've taken ill with dental infections, but I think I really needed some touch love. In some ways, I think her fears have kind of become my own. I'm currently trying to work up the courage to book an earlier appointment- I would like to get the fillings done (if the dentist will allow it) to see how I go with the IV sedation. I don't feel worried about the fillings themselves- its the needle for the IV. I don't think my guy has nitrous to help me with it. Has anyone tried that numbing cream stuff that's mentioned on here? The EMLA cream, I think its called?

[vicki]

I don't feel worried about the fillings themselves- its the needle for the IV. I don't think my guy has nitrous to help me with it. Has anyone tried that numbing cream stuff that's mentioned on here? The EMLA cream, I think its called?

EMLA cream is fantastic stuff. Some people prefer Ametop as I think it's supposed to work quicker, but they both do more or less the same thing. The trick with EMLA cream is that you need to leave it on for long enough for it to work. Sometimes people don't leave it on for long enough which means that the skin is not fully numb and so they think that it hasn't worked, but from my own experience, you need to give it around 1.5 to 2 hours to be sure (I have a blood disorder which means that I have very regular blood tests and also spend a lot of time in hospital attached to a drip - so I have my own stockpile of EMLA cream and dressings ).

Your dentist may be able to give you the cream beforehand for you to put it on before your appointment, or you should be able to get it from a pharmacy. If you buy the cream yourself from a pharmacy, then you'll also need to get a dressing to put over the top of the cream to keep it in place because the cream works by sitting on top of the skin, rather than being rubbed in. EMLA cream is sold in individual tubes and I think they also do a single use pack which includes the cream and a couple of dressings (I'm not sure whether this is available to the public though).

[Patti]

My fear/anxiety is pretty powerful and the Xanax and Niterous stopped all of it, so you shouldn't have a problem with the twilight sleep.

[allonsy]

Crap, I'm having pangs in my mouth- I think my dental infection is flaring up again (this is the THIRD time in as many months that this has happened!)... They're going to want to bring my appointment forward- I'm SO TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW.

[Patti]

I have my first dental treatment tomorrow morning and the anxiety is kicking in. It's just one filling this time and I feel silly being afraid, since I have had fillings before and I know they didn't hurt! I need 10 fillings altogether and one refilled so I am hoping I will be desensitized by the time this is over with. Of course, I also still need 2 wisdom teeth out.

[allonsy]

Oh god, good luck! I called today and they can't get me in for at least another two weeks!