• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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In pain, embarrassed, and terrified...

J

JesusOfSub

Junior member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
1
Hi everyone! I got a problem. I'm 24 years old. Too old to be having to talk about this, but it's kind of late for that. See, growing up, I was never one to make good dental hygeine a habit. Up until recently that is. Once I moved out on my own, not only did I not take care of my teeth, but I never visited a dentist either. It's now been about 6 years since i've been to the dentist. I can make a bunch of excuses about why i don't go... I can say it's because I don't have time, because I work too much... I can say that it's because I'm scared of dentists (which is true, but not an excuse). But the to be completely honest, I'm extremely embarrassed of what I let my teeth become. I have one tooth that has a gaping hole in it (suprisingly, that tooth doesn't hurt me at all.) It's my other teeth that torture me. Anyway, I don't know why i'm posting this. I guess it's just to get it off my chest, and maybe find some motivation to go take care of it. And also guess I'm wondering what I'm in store for when i do go. Am I going to lose half of my teeth? I don't know... well, if you made it this far, thanks for reading... I know you can't do much for me... but I'm glad to be able to get it off my chest... even if it is in a message that no one I know will see...

:censored:
From a tortured mouth
 
Just remember, you're not the only one. You're not alone. Good luck.
 
I'm so sorry that this is causing you so much anguish. I feel almost as if this is a form of Postsecret (if you've heard of it). anyway, I just wanted to let you know, i'm 18 and have terrible dental hygiene habits. I try to fix them, but I too am having some problems with it right now. I'm trying my best right now, even if it means crying my eyes out every night for two weeks before my appointment that my mom had to make for me. Humuliation can be the worst thing, and I totally understand where you're coming from. Just remember their jobs are to fix things, not laugh at them. Why add to umemployment by having perfect teeth?

it is hard for people to admit what you just did, and that is a great step! I am with you on this one. :grouphug:
 
Hi there, you've made a really big important step just by posting on this forum so be really proud of yourself! :jump:
A few months ago I gained the support from here to do something about my teeth. I really thought that I would never open my mouth to a dentist, ever ever ever. But two days ago I had my first extraction (I had been twice before in the past few weeks after finding a brilliant dentist who understood). And I know that I would not have done that without the support of the forum.
It has helped me to think about what life will be like when all my teeth are sorted out. I have spent so much of my life worrying about my teeth, and them getting worse.... So take heart and courage. It may take a while but you will get there. You're not alone. And dentists really have seen worse teeth than yours believe me.
Big hugs x
Ali
 
" know you can't do much for me... but I'm glad to be able to get it off my chest... even if it is in a message that no one I know will see..."

Physically, you're right in saying the above but mentally we are all there with you, knowing exactly how you feel and believe me, just writing about your fears really does help. I still remember the first time I actually had the guts to write about my own fears on this board after having just 'lurked' for a while. The relief was tremendous just to be able to tell people about my fears, something I had not been able to share with friends or family for years and years, and then some more years.

It's like being with family and friends here, there's nothing you can't share about your dental problems and knowing that others are in the same boat really does help. I am sure that before finding this site you even though you were probably the only one avoiding the dentist - not so there are hundreds, thousands of us and once you get to the stage of getting to the dentist, sure you are going to be nervous, but somehow knowing you have shared your fears wills you on and I know in my case I told so many people in the end which was my way of not being able to back out of going to the dentist because then I would have been letting not only myself down but everyone else who had faith in me.

This site can even help you find a caring dentist in your area, if you do not have one pinpointed yet. And apart from the fear of going to a dentist, after an absence for however many years, yes it is natural to also have that embarrassment factor and the fear of possibly losing all your teeth. Not so, I can assure you, as can so many countless of others here that the reality is never as bad as your imagination. You are still young and I doubt whether anything extreme will need to be done and whatever does need to be done, it can be carried out completely painlessly, not only has dentistry itself evolved into the 21st century but dentists themselves have become more humanised and trained in how to deal with us phobics. So good luck to you, keep writing and reading here, it does help, it really does.
 
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