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My worst case scenario

A

Anokai

Junior member
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
7
Ok, to start this off I want to tell everyone I plan on posting a much more detailed version of my story later tonight, I planned to weeks ago but, the anxiety of actually telling people and such got in the way.

Here's the cliff notes for now:

I have horrid teeth. I know lots of people say that here, but I literally do. I'm the youngest I've seen on here, 23. That's only relevant to explain why I think I am the worst, and taking on the worst case scenario.

January 10th ish, I found an abscess on my front tooth, and after googling and thinking I was going to die, i rushed to med express. I got antibiotics.

Jan. 29th I went to a dentist the first time in 8 years. I got through it despite shaking, crying, and probably annoying the nurse because she had to redo xrays 3 times cause I couldn't keep still. They did all that, made a file, and asked what I thought they should do. Well I knew what would have to happen, all my teeth removed. The dentist said yes, that's really the only thing we can do. 23 with full dentures...

Feb. 2, I went back to have the molds for temp dentures. That hurt, when all of your teeth are broken, everything hurts though.

Today, Feb. 15th is my meeting with the surgeon. I'm already terrified and shaking, Ive got about 2 hours til I leave. I know he's just going to examine me and make a plan but it just means I'm over the last step and it's time to do this. I feel like if I don't calm down I'll have a heart attack. (I have got my heart rate so fast the ER had to give me meds to reset it and such.) While that's probably not going to happen, it's still a fear.

So there it is. It's pretty horrible and embarrassing, but that's my current situation. I don't know if I can do this, everything about the surgery scares me. From me freaking out in the chair, to the iv sedation, the possibility of a freak reaction and dying, to the whole recovery process. I guess if someone can just tell me that they did it and I can too that would help.. I'm just going crazy.
 
Hi I'm new here too just want to wish you luck,this coming from someone who had full extractions so I kno how petrified your feeling. I had G/A but hopefully you won't remember anything either,feel free to message me.
 
Hello, you are not alone. I had my teeth all extracted under IV Sedation in September and needed to be drugged just to get to that appointment. I made it through and you can too. Please feel free to write to me directly and I will be glad to be a support person for you as you face this. Deep breaths, and remember you are on your way to healthier mouth and no more pain. ❤️
 
Thank you both for replying. I know it's a little silly to be anxious about sedation, considering I shouldn't feel or remember it.

Yesterday went ok though.. I had to wait in the waiting room forever though, and that's when I'm most anxious. I had this fear that even though it was a consultation, that he would try to do something. I've heard if you have an abscess they have to drain it or something, so I thought he'd want to do that.

I should mention the whole "you're just going to the dentist to get a form filled" and then them trying to do work, was how my parents got me to the dentist the last time. I refused and freaked out, and was promptly kicked out of the office.

Anyways I got through the appointment with minimal freak outs. He even was able to prescribe me valium to take the night before, which I have a seperate anxiety about taking but, hopefully I can take it and actually not be up the entire night with worry. So he's going to removed 32 teeth, including 3 impacted wisdom teeth and the one I have making the entire left side of my face hurt.. We have to wait on insurance now, I still don't know if we can afford to actually have it done. He said within a couple weeks we should hear back and be able to schedule.

So now I'm back playing the waiting game. In a way I wish it was just scheduled tomorrow, but also that it was scheduled in December.
 
Thank you both for replying. I know it's a little silly to be anxious about sedation, considering I shouldn't feel or remember it.

Yesterday went ok though.. I had to wait in the waiting room forever though, and that's when I'm most anxious. I had this fear that even though it was a consultation, that he would try to do something. I've heard if you have an abscess they have to drain it or something, so I thought he'd want to do that.

I should mention the whole "you're just going to the dentist to get a form filled" and then them trying to do work, was how my parents got me to the dentist the last time. I refused and freaked out, and was promptly kicked out of the office.

Anyways I got through the appointment with minimal freak outs. He even was able to prescribe me valium to take the night before, which I have a seperate anxiety about taking but, hopefully I can take it and actually not be up the entire night with worry. So he's going to removed 32 teeth, including 3 impacted wisdom teeth and the one I have making the entire left side of my face hurt.. We have to wait on insurance now, I still don't know if we can afford to actually have it done. He said within a couple weeks we should hear back and be able to schedule.

So now I'm back playing the waiting game. In a way I wish it was just scheduled tomorrow, but also that it was scheduled in December.

Hello again. I know exactly how you feel regarding Sedation. Even though I just had it back in September for my extractions and all went very well, I’m STILL nervous about doing it again for my next one. I think that it’s natural to have some anxiety when you’re going to be sedated, and then when you have dental anxiety on top of it it’s amplified.

Congrats on getting through the consult.? I was a nervous wreck with mine too and had a ton of what if scenarios running through my mind. The initial appointment went well for you so hopefully that makes it a little easier for you going forward. I was also prescribed Valium to take the night before my appointment and then again an hour before my appointment. Like you, I was afraid to take it, but it really does help with the anxiety. You won’t be out of your mind or loopy, you will just be a calm version of yourself. Even if you start thinking scary thoughts they won’t affect you emotionally. It’s almost like there’s a disconnect between your thoughts and your feelings. It’s quite pleasant and starts to work in about 20 minutes. I don’t like to take any drugs at all so I was scared but I knew I wouldn’t be able to get in the chair without it and I said as much to my dentist.

I hope you hear back from your insurance sooner rather than later and you can get your teeth out so you can be without pain. Focus on the end result which is what I always try to do. In the meantime, we are here for you. Keep us posted.
 
Dear Anokai,

sorry to hear about your situation and thank your for sharing your story with us. I understand how difficult it is to even write about it. At the same time a huge well done for getting through the three visits, despite such anxiety, you were very brave and disciplined on that.

It is not silly to be anxious about anything and from what you write it seems to me that you have had some bad experiences with tricks being played on you to make you go through a procedure or someone trying to do other things than what was said. I totally get your fear after having made such experiences.

How was the surgeon? Was he kind? Trust makes things a lot easier.

I totally get the wish to make it happen as soon as possible and wanting to put it off as much as possible at the same time.
What I know for sure and you know it too: you will be fine and very relieved after it will be over.

Sending some good vibes, keep us posted and all the best
 
Its not silly,if you don't like needles I'd suggest they put the numbing cream on your hand first I had it+didnt feel a thing. All my problems started with an abscess I took antibiotics+if you are it shouldn't need draining,waiting really is the worst (I've been doing that for 5yrs) I also don't like taking meds etc but if it helps perhaps its worth a try.
 
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Anxious 76 I'm strongly thinking of taking something to calm me in 3wks (I don't want to+havent so far) but I think the next appointment will involve impressions+ive done them twice before+freaked out both times. :(
 
Hi! I just wanted to say I'm 23 too. I never imagined my teeth would get this bad and I just want you to know that you're not alone. There are lots of us out there who are really young and dealing with losing teeth and major dental work. I wish you the best, and a very calm surgery in your future. :XXLhug:
 
Yeah and I’m 24 and my teeth are horrible and decaying and need a lot of work. You aren’t alone! I kinda think the same as you like I’m alone. I’ve never been to the dentist in my life and are slot of candy and drunk soda and didn’t have the best oral hygiene and it’s catching up to me. Now I have a cavity of my front tooth on the left right next to the my two front middle teeth. I was able to find s dentist and they said it can be saved I needed a root canal and crown. The job is well over 2000 bucks since I don’t have dental. I’m afraid of getting it fixed but also don’t want to smile with a missing Front tooth in my 20s. So yeah I understand. I’m scheduled March 13 to start my treatment on the tooth but I might cancel mostly because thinking about trying another dentist and see how expensive but will be. It’s scary and stressful but you’re not alone I understand and wish you luck!
 
Thanks again for all your replies guys. I still haven't learned anything new, as far as when my appointment will be. I do know I've had a lot of pain lately and that sucks a lot.

My surgeon is ok enough... He wasn't exactly amazingly nice, but he wasn't an outright jerk either? I felt like he was kinda judgy, though that may just be my anxiety or embarrassment. Both he and his assistant asked what I was there for when we got back to the room. I forget exactly what he said when I told him I had to have all my teeth removed, but it was something to the effect of we'll see or maybe there's another option. Given, he hadn't yet received my x-rays, even though they were faxed over (or at least I was told they were.) But it just made me feel more embarrassed, due to the fact he probably thought I was exaggerating. He asked if it was okay to look, and that instantly made me anxious. Knowing he had no clue to what he was about to see... And how he probably wasn't expecting THAT bad of a job. I don't know anyone who needs or has full on dentures at 23. Not that it would be easier at any age, but I feel like it just shows how terrible and gross I am.

Anywho, the dentist I found, who I'd recommend to anyone in the area, is nice. Even though I know it's my fault, when I met him the first time (I didn't meet him till after his assistant took the x-rays and he knew what we had to do) his first words were, so you got dealt a bad hand. He took the time to say it could be hereditary or I have very acidic spit. Which, may have played a factor, but I highly doubt that could be the entire reason, obviously not taking care of my teeth did this. But it was nice he kinda lied. I've had dentists straight up tell me I'm too young to have these problems, with a not so nice expression on their face. Plus the building and rooms are nice, less clinical feeling, they call it spa-like.

The surgeon, like I said, is okay. I don't mind him that much, plus I'll be out when I see him, so I think it's more the dentist I need to like. I don't feel like searching for another surgeon anyway, I just wanna get this done.

I've now made this a book instead of a post so I'll end with this: I've been thinking more and more and I'm scared to take the valium the night before... I know without it, I'll stay awake all night in panic attacks, so I want to take it. I feel like I need to be rested before this. But I'm scared, I've only ever taken Vistaril for panic attacks. That's basically a strong Benadryl. It only ever made me go to sleep, I've never not napped after taking one, so I couldn't tell you how it felt. I'm not afraid of feeling loopy, or drunk, but more it being too strong. And I'll die, or OD'd. Or something similar. I think he said it was 5mg, so my question is, is it completely safe for someone like me? I'm only like 100 pounds-ish, maybe 110. :confused:
 
Hello again! :). I was so scared to take the Valium as well. I had never taken it before so I was worried it was going to give me a bad feeling or make me puke or pass out or....you name it my mind conjured it up! Sometimes I swear I’ll drive myself straight to the boobie hatch. The mind is such a powerful thing.

Are you taking it both the night before and before your appointment or just the night before? I was prescribed one for each. The day before my first surgery I was sick the whole day with anxiety. I think I cried from the moment I got up and didn’t stop till evening, so by the time bed time came around I was so exhausted I just took a bath and went to bed. I didn’t take a pill. I remember waking up around 6 the morning of my surgery and immediately started the thoughts of doom, crying and panic. My appointment was at 10 and by 9:00 the time I was supposed to take the pill I was so sick of being sick and looking at my ugly teeth I said the hell with it, anything is better than feeling like THIS, and I took this pill! It doesn’t hit right away and it doesn’t really “hit” like you think it does. 5mg is a light dose, it’s what I was given. You just notice that you’re relaxed in about 20 minutes to a half hour. You’re physically incapable of getting yourself worked up with anxiety, at least I was. It was not scary or bad at all. I’m glad I have several left cause I’ll need one for my implant surgery and maybe another for my after appointment who knows...but taking the pill isn’t scary or wasn’t for me. I just wanted to tell you that.
 
Anxious 76 I'm strongly thinking of taking something to calm me in 3wks (I don't want to+havent so far) but I think the next appointment will involve impressions+ive done them twice before+freaked out both times. :(

If you feel like you need something you should definitely ask for it! Most dentists are happy to prescribe a relaxer to anxious patients, it helps them get their work done much faster. Impressions are never fun (GAG), so I understand how you feel, although that’s one of the few things for me that doesn’t bother me as much since there’s no needle or pain involved.
 
If you feel like you need something you should definitely ask for it! Most dentists are happy to prescribe a relaxer to anxious patients, it helps them get their work done much faster. Impressions are never fun (GAG), so I understand how you feel, although that’s one of the few things for me that doesn’t bother me as much since there’s no needle or pain involved.


So hear you on the impressions and yeah GAG no kidding. lol Anxious.. I used to hate impressions more than I do.. did I just say used to? lol well... not that I like them... i've had awful experiences of gagging and having to do 2-5 times over again because I gag and can't keep in the stuff. but some of that was the places that did it I didn't know to ask for a small tray and speak up. Well.. Ask for what you need .. whether its a relaxer or a small tray or help to distract your mind off the actual impression.. I actually did my impressions in one shot ... during my implant impressions. which was a complete miracle for someone with a small mouth and huge gag reflux. Still isn't the easiest. just don't be afraid.. to ask..:).
 
That's the other problem I hate/cant take pills so its a tricky situation. I also have a small mouth,I think last time they may have used a smaller tray not that it seems any better when your sat there. I won't ask how many times impressions are done for those of you that are further along than me coz I'm prob better off not knowing,just can't deal with the waiting.
 
That's the other problem I hate/cant take pills so its a tricky situation. I also have a small mouth,I think last time they may have used a smaller tray not that it seems any better when your sat there. I won't ask how many times impressions are done for those of you that are further along than me coz I'm prob better off not knowing,just can't deal with the waiting.

My mouth is very small too. They have to use kid trays on me. So I really do understand where you’re coming from. I only had one set of impressions done thankfully.
 
My mouth is very small too. They have to use kid trays on me. So I really do understand where you’re coming from. I only had one set of impressions done thankfully.

well I'm still angry that they've allready done it twice before+both sets got wasted,causing me unnessesary stress. :mad:
 
well I'm still angry that they've allready done it twice before+both sets got wasted,causing me unnessesary stress. :mad:

That’s right I remember that now. I can only imagine how frustrating and upsetting that must be.
 
Exactaly how do I know it won't happen again.
 
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