• Dental Phobia Support

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Does anyone feel like they ought to freak out before appointments?

C

Cat12

Junior member
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
11
I have got to the point now where I am fine once I actually get to dental appointments, but I still get anxious before them. Even if I am feeling relatively calm, say the night before, I feel as if I should be worrying about it. I don't know if I think that will somehow make it better at the time (which of course makes no sense) or if I have just spent so long being afraid that it seems strange not to. Was just wondering if anyone else feels like this?
 
I wouldn't say that I'm 'fine' once I get to my appointment, but with my regular dentist I am way calmer in The Chair than I am in the days and hours leading up to my appointment. For me, the anxiety before the appointment doesn't even have a cognitive aspect to it most of the time (there's nothing in particular that I worry about). The physical manifestations of the anticipatory anxiety are nearly unbearable for me. I think that I'm ok once I'm in The Chair and see my dentist because I can remember that I trust him and that he's not going to hurt me. When I've had to see other dentist for extractions or RCTs, I'm usually anxious the entire time.
 
It is really great that you have dental appointment there is no need of Anxiousness or fear from dentist.Dental appointments are necessary for healthy teeth.You must go for it.It will help to provide you a sweet and healthy smile.You know in today's technological world many painless treatments are available so don't fear of dentist and go ahead.
 
Not just feeling like I should but I AM freaking out currently. Substained an elbow sprain that left me unable to put my partials in until today when I attempted to put them in. Buggers were already starting to act up and I hadn't bothered wearing them in about 4 days prior to injury and it took me about a week to recover from the sprain. as long as I was wearing them at least once a week, I can stave of problems. I go to put them in this morning and the wire on the left of the upper is not staying put at all and the bottom front fake tooth is ramming into a real tooth and i'm still having cold sensitivity problems so i'm going to have to drag myself in next week.
 
I know what you mean. I think as humans we fall into patterns of familiar behaviors and it almost becomes part of our routine whether we like it or not. Over the years, my anxiety has calmed down a lot but I still have a huge spike of anxiety in the parking lot before I enter the office that sometimes sits with me in the waiting room and takes awhile to shake after getting settled into the chair. Then I find as we get going with the work (and I get some reassurance from my lovely dentist) the tension slowly leaves me and I relax little by little.
 
Its one of those things its nice to know you aren't alone but then again you don't wish that on people. I"m the same way.. I freak out in my mind, ruminate, watch youtube videos on whatever procedure.., fear losing more teeth, either the dentist telling me I'll have to pull or them just damaging something... I've only had that happend one time wiht a careless oral surgeon , but...I do freak out all the way till I get in the dentist chair and I say hi to my doc. He is so unthreatening. Its hard to be fearful. but.. then you think what IF the novacaine shot hurts this time??? etc etc. then he hits it perfect with no pain.. shortly i'm not fretting anymore.. but I still have to get to trust this one a little more.. he's good so far.. but it hasn't been that long... I like his easygoing personality though so that goes far!! I think that tends to put me at ease, I NEED someone with a very calm easygoing patient nature, then i'm fine... If they seem short, rushed, rude, condescending.. I will literally leave.

I feel better knowing i'm not the only one.
 
I freak out, worry a lot becfore going to an appointment, worried dentist will say I need a tooth removing (so far only had one removed adult) and that was because I could not afford an emergecy private root canal as this was not my normal dentist at the pratice.

I hate my teeth, worst ever.
 
Its funny you know, when I first came on this forum a few years ago, with terrible fears I couldnt imagine that I would feel ok in the dentist's chair. I had months of various jobs done, an extraction, a crown replaced and root built up with a post, a couple of fillings, an inlay and root canal. I became a 'regular' at the surgery, and as time went on I was more and more relaxed....even closing my eyes and drifting off during one procedure! Since then I have been seeing the hygienist regularly, but not the dentist, and when I needed work done this week......I was right back to being panicked and stressed. So, the answer really is, and I should heed my own advice, be a regular in that surgery - at least for check ups.
 
I can't seem to stop myself panicking, feeling suicidal, crying and having nightmares in the weeks and months before a dental appointment. And it's frustrating because, like you, when it comes to the day itself I'm actually kind of ok!!

My thinking is that it's just your mind's way of processing the shock and the news that you have to have dental treatment, in a way it's kind of getting all the fear out of the way for the day - that's my hypothesis anyway!

It sucks a lot because it means I can't really have a normal life in the weeks and months leading up to the appointment... not that I have a normal life anyway, having depression and all...

Very best of luck to you. Can you ask for diazepam to take the day before? That may help :)

Hugs :bear:
 
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