• Dental Phobia Support

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Haven't been to the denist in 10 years

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Djubre

Junior member
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
11
Hey, I've visited these forums during school hours but never thought of registering because I was sure nobody could help me, but I'm starting to get pretty worried about my teeth.

The first time I went to the dentist's was when I was about 6 or 7 and they tricked me into injecting something into the back of my hand and putting me to sleep (I think I was asleep, at least...) while they gave me four fillings and pulled out two baby teeth that had gone bad.

Then the next time was checking for whether braces would do me good (not really a dentist visit, but anyways), they took an x-ray of my teeth and told me that the only way to fix my 'bite' would be to perform surgery on my actual jaw, so... no question about that, it ain't happening.

Then I went a few years ago to the dental van in school and it was absolutely horrible (even though she barely touched my teeth). As if I wasn't afraid enough, when I started to panic on the chair, I was pinned down to it by some horrible female dentist--I've been in hysterics merely thinking about dentists ever since then.

But recently, my bottom four front teeth have started to grow crooked. They're all kind of pushed in to different degrees and I have a feeling it's because my wisdom teeth are cramming everything forwards so they can come out. Not only this, but I have actual tartar build-up (not as horrifying as the image in Wikipedia thank God) on the backs of my teeth and I've been frantically scratching at them with my nails in an attempt to get them off so I don't need a dentist's help. My mother doesn't help much either, telling me every time one of her fillings falls out and what a horrible job Australian dentists are doing nowadays, so I am literally petrified to the point of preferring death over getting my teeth checked. I'm serious about this, I am frightened into hysteria, I was reading the dental phobia's page and *sobbing*.

My mother doesn't want to pressure me into booking an appointment, she's got the whole "if you want to, do it, if not, oh well" attitude, which means that unless I book an appointment for myself, I'll never get one, nor be motivated to book one.

I just want them to put me under, like, ASLEEP, so I don't have to think about what's happening to my mouth (not that I know much about what they do during tartar cleaning... apart from my friend telling me they take a sharp pointy thing and scrape right under your gums--As you can tell, I have little support...) and so I can forget the experience afterwards. I know about the IV Sedation thing, but I don't think that'll be enough...:( But I don't know what else to do, so I'm appealing to the people in this site to help me get over this fear somehow :cry: I want to eventually have braces and get my teeth straightened out, but with all the stories about pain after "tightening" braces and, I don't know, getting them snagged on something while eating and getting torn off, they're really scaring me. I can't even get my teeth cleaned, how on earth am I gonna get braces..?
 
I went for my first dental visit in 12 years just last week! I am 23 years old. My parents took me to the dentist once, when I was 11, but never thereafter. It wasn't my choice, I didn't have any phobia or anything like that, they just thought that it was a waste of money to fill cavities and such because they're just 'teeth'. I don't know, maybe they were expecting the teeth would rot out and I'd get dentures. Anyway, I went to the dentist and luckily all I need are 6 fillings, a crown, and then I'll proceed with braces. My guess is that if you haven't seen a dentist in a long time, you'll have some cavities that need to be filled, as well. Don't worry about the cleaning; it really isn't as bad as it sounds. Yes, it feels like the hygienist is chipping at cement when they scrape the teeth, and the baking soda and salt stuff they spray on your teeth to polish them or whatever does feel weird, but it doesn't hurt. It goes by very quick, trust me. I think you should make an appointment and see a dentist. Don't put it off! It really isn't as bad as you think; our imaginations and fear tend to get the better of us and the anticipation is a lot worse than reality! I thought that I was going to have to have all of my teeth removed and get dentures put in! I look back now and can't believe I actually convinced myself into thinking I was worse case scenario. In truth, I'm far from it. You are, too. But you need to go now, if you keep delaying it, any cavities or other problems will be compounded, they will not magically go away, although a lot of us try and trick ourselves into believing that things will take care of themselves. As for the braces? I'm not sure if they're available in your country, but in the US we have something called Invisalign. They're clear retainer-like trays you put on your teeth and they're invisible! Look into it.
 
God, I'd love to have invisalign. They are available here, but as always, cost is an issue... The othodontist that looked at my teeth told me I didn't have any cavaties to worry about (don't scare me like that!! :scared::scared:) thank god, but the chipping and hacking away at tartar doesn't sound appealing at all (what if they slip? what if they accidentally chip off some tooth or hack into my gums?). I know it's an irrational fear, but I'm still worried about this stuff :( Six fillings and a crown sounds like a HUGE deal to me :censored:
 
I agree, the fear and dread are far worse than the actual treatment. The thing about anxiety is, it is always future based. Not about something that is happening but the fear of what may or might happen.

Anxiety is like anything else, the more you feed it the stronger it becomes. You can learn to control the anxiety and get some peace back in your life with simple relaxation techniques. The dentist can also prescribe a pill that will take the edge off the anxiety. The fear does not have to control you. You have taken a big step by acknowledging it is there and seeking help, well done!

Dental treatments improve immensely evey year and many dentists are sensitive to people with dental fear as this is a very common problem. Based on what you said the orthodontist told you it sounds like your teeth are in very good condition and probably just need a cleaning.

In regard to teeth cleaning. It is usually done with an ultrasonic machine that uses high frequency sound to remove the tartar, small hand scalers are also used. The whole procedure is done slowly and carefully with no danger to the teeth or surrounding areas. If you are very sensitive, a numbing paste (usually tastes like mint or pina colada) can be put on your gums with a cotton swab. This numbs the area and you will not feel anything. Today, dentistry is all about patient comfort and peace of mind. Dentists are dedicated to helping you. If you every feel uncomfortable with the dentist or dental staff you have the right to tell them to stop. The patient is in control and you cannot be forced to have anything done to you. This rule is followed much closer than it was even a year or two ago.

When you look for a dentist tell them about your fears and concerns and see what they say. Dental care can be a very discomfort free experience. I am a psychologist and work with a dentist in the USA helping patients with dental anxiety. I will be happy to provide whatever help I can, just let me know.

Take it one step at a time. This is the first step to beautiful smile. You will get lots of support from this fourm with everyone encouraging and supporting you.

It takes courage to acknowledge and take actions when you are afraid. This is what heros are made of.:jump:
 
Thank you, that post really helped! :respect:

I have a constant fear that there's something inherently wrong with my teeth that will need hours of hacking with a chisel or something, and I just keep amplifying fears by watching movies like "Novocane" :o

Ultrasonic machine? How does that work? Do they do it to remove all the tartar--can they? The way people describe cleaning tartar off is using something like a chisel to chip it off and that idea *really* frightens me. Not only that but the fear that they'll chip off some tartar and inform me that there's a hole underneath it the size of the grand canyon.

Either way, I'm probably going to end up taking lots of prozac before my dentist's appointment :giggle:
 
I am glad that was helpful. This link will talk about teeth cleaning:


Some people say the ultrasonic scaler tickles or produces a buzzing sensation. This machine can remove a high percentage of the tarter. The hand tools remove the small bits that are left. The hand tools are very small and are used to carefully scrape the tooth. They do not "chisel" or beat on your teeth. The ultrasonic scaler does the majority of the work.

You have probably inflicted more pain on yourself using your nails to clean your teeth than the hygienist would ever do, they are very careful ;)

When you are selecting a dentist it is wise to write out a list of questions to ask them, like do you use ultrasonic scaling for teeth cleaning or do you do digital xrays. You can also ask what they do for people with dental anxiety and you can meet the dentist before having an appointment. If you have specific concerns or fears have them on your list so you can ask about them.

Also, Prozac is not used for anxiety it is a medication for depression and would be ineffective for anxiety. If you are very anxious you can ask if they can give you an anti-anxiety medication to take before your appointment (good question to have on your list) or if they have other things they do like hypnosis.

These are mild sedatives that take the edge off the anxiety. They start to work fairly quickly (30 minutes) and last for 8-10 hours, depending upon type. Typical anti-anxiety medications are Valium (older medication but still used was first used as a muscle relaxant), Ativan (newer and used for anxiety and as a mild sedative), halcion (sleep medication also used for anxiety), these are the most common but there are others. When you use these with relaxation techniques the results are incredible.

Dentists also use Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) to take the edge off. You can ask your dentist if they use this for patients.

The focus of dentistry is to make it pain free. Forcing or restraining people against their will is abusive and can be a great way to lose your license. Most people set up a signal to tell the dentist to stop if they are feeling uncomfortable or their anxiety level is going up. This can be raising a hand or finger, the whole idea is you are in control.

Write your list and interview some dentists. You can tell them about your past experiences and fear. I am sure you will find one that will be perfect for you. You do not need to feel embarassed about having dental anxiety/fear, it is very common. In the USA 20% of the population has dental anxiety to the point of not seeking dental treatment. You have had some poor treatment from past dentists, but the anxiety/fear does not have to control you. You can beat it.

All the best:)
 
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Thank you so much for the help, Stress Doc!
I think I'm going to go right now and email a few dentists tonight! :XXLhug: Hopefully by the next time I post, I'll have tartar-free teeth :thumbsup:
 
Excellent! You are going to be pleasantly surprised how much dentistry has changed. Be proud of yourself for taking action. Keep in touch and can't wait to hear your report. :cheers:
 
And go for it, with the braces!

My 15 year old son is autistic and lots of things scare him but dentists are one of the biggest fears (he knows he became autistic after having the MMR vaccine so anything to do with needles horrifies him). He ended up having about a year's worth of orthodontic treatment and was really surprised because nothing ever hurt or was even uncomfortable - and he has ended up with spectacularly perfect looking teeth which he knew, all along, will give him less problems in the future! Braces are really nothing to worry about AT ALL - if an autistic, dental phobic 15 year old can do it, trust me, anyone can! You won't regret it.

I sat in with him trough all the earlier appointments and saw everything - nothing bothered him at all. And by the last couple of appointments, he was happy to go in on his own.

First thing he did when he got the braces off was make me buy him a Sub!
 
Appointment in two days!!

I posted here months and months ago and promised myself that I'd book an appointment but I've been putting it off for ages now and just recently I popped half a Valium and summoned the courage to book myself an appointment at the local dentists and I am, for lack of a better word, pissing myself.
:scared:
Now, although I'm pretty sure I have no holes in my teeth despite not going to the dentist's for almost a decade now (I'm only 19 but nothing hurts and an inspection by my parent suggests that they see no holes), I do require a good scale clean, but for me, walking to the reception desk was a challenge in itself.

I have a few questions to ask you guys, just to see if there's anything I can do to help myself endure the process...

1. Does watching a movie above you make you feel any less freaked out? (I've been offered the movie Monsters Inc.. )
2. How does laughing gas work; what does it feel like? And my family also has a history of waking up/being aware during gassing procedures (not laughing gas, but the gas that actually is supposed to knock you out) so do you think it's possible for me to ask them to up the dosage a little for me? (Like, what if it doesn't work???)
3. I have 5mg Valium tablets prescribed by a doctor for this anxiety.. A whole pill makes me feel a little drowsy and comfortable enough to take a 4-5 hour nap in about ten minutes (and remember, this was a pill taken during the stages when I was already pretty calm), so do you think it's safe to take two whole pills or will it put me in a coma?
4. Should I bring anything in with me while I'm there? (I was thinking boyfriend or mp3 player or something but now I'm not sure if that will help)

I'm... really scared. Anything support would be really appreciated. :cry: I'll immediately post back on these forums to tell you guys how it went. Hopefully it will be a success story and not a horror one.
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

just wanted to reply a big CONGRATS on making the first step and getting an appointment!

i'll try and answer a few of your questions (just based on my experiences :)) i had laughing gas once when i had a wisdom tooth removed (not impacted, just badly decayed). i was crying and shaking like a leaf for 15 minutes in the chair before i would let the oral surgeon look into my mouth. they put the mask on me with the gas and within minutes i was leaning back comfortably and talking to the assistant about my daughter :) it relaxed me and i opened wide for the extraction without a care! i'm pretty sure they'll make sure they get the gas at a comfortable level for you. mention your concern and if they're a caring staff, they'll make sure you're good to go.

as far as the medication...i'd ask your dentist. or at least let them know you'll be taking something prior to the appointment. people react differently to different types/amounts of medication, but hopefully they'll have some advice. do they offer sedation in the practice? if so, they may have a standard amount they prescribe to patients? (if your dentist doesn't know, i'd put a call into the dr that gave you the prescription.)

before my last appoinment, i took 10mg of valium the night before to help me sleep (it didnt' work very well) and then more medicine the morning of. i have a high tolerance for medication, so i wasn't as "knocked out" as i thought i'd be :)

when i would go to the dentist when i was younger (ie when i lived with my parents and they made the appointments and i had no choice!) i would always bring my own music to listen to. i always thought it helped drown out the sounds a bit :)

in short, you'll do great! just be as upfront as you can/want to be with the dental team and they should take great care of you! if you go with the movie, let me know how it works! i think my dentist offers them as well and i'd be interested to know someone's experience. keep us posted!!

ally

*just wanted to add-i just had a deep cleaning done 2 weeks ago...(i was medicated and don't remember a lot of the procedure) my gums look better than i thought they could (i didn't realize how red and puffy they had gotten) and i'm so glad i had it done. i bet you'll be so pleased with the results!!
 
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Re: Appointment in two days!!

God, I hope that the laughing gas helps!!

I asked them about the Valium and they said that it helps calm some people down enough before sitting in the chair, I'm just not sure about the dosage.. (Doctor recommended a half pill but that did next to NOTHING when I tested it out and the dentist just told me before to go with what the doctor prescribed so I dunno)

They sound like caring staff, the receptionist even showed me the ultrasonic tool they would be using to clean my teeth (and she put on gloves to make sure she wasn't contaminating it too!) and the dentist came out to have a chat with me about my apprehensions (i.e. things like loose teeth after the scale cleaning, accidentally knocking out one of my fillings, bleeding of the gums--all of which he assured me was very rare and only happened if the teeth/fillings/gums were in a rather poor condition to begin with) so hopefully I have a caring staff.

It's a private clinic too so I heard that they always do things a little kinder? The last time I went to a public dental van, the doctor pinned me to the chair!! :censored:

I really hope I come out of this appointment with teeth and gums as good as you say yours are! I just want to have pretty teeth that I don't need to be embarrassed about anymore because of the scale build-up I've accumulated :(
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

Hello Djubre:welcome:,

I wanted to chip in and say hello too :). so hello hello :) it's great to see you here.

I'll answer in blue ink.

1. Does watching a movie above you make you feel any less freaked out? (I've been offered the movie Monsters Inc.. )watching a funny one, always makes me feel better. laughing, crying...these are all great ways to release any pent up energy whether it's from a day of work or from a anxiety about the dentist.
2. How does laughing gas work; what does it feel like? And my family also has a history of waking up/being aware during gassing procedures (not laughing gas, but the gas that actually is supposed to knock you out) so do you think it's possible for me to ask them to up the dosage a little for me? (Like, what if it doesn't work???) the laughing gas makes you feel relaxed and calm, kinda like after you've had a glass of wine. and yes they can adjust the dosage of the laughing gas, each person is different as to what dosage works well for them. no type of "gas" knocks you out. not any that I know of anyway. the laughing gas works well and relaxes you.
3. I have 5mg Valium tablets prescribed by a doctor for this anxiety.. A whole pill makes me feel a little drowsy and comfortable enough to take a 4-5 hour nap in about ten minutes (and remember, this was a pill taken during the stages when I was already pretty calm), so do you think it's safe to take two whole pills or will it put me in a coma? this is variable as to body weight and medical history, but I will say that you can take the Valium and also have laughing gas should you still feel that you want laughing gas. but I think you will do very very well. Take the prescribed Valium. and then when you are there you can assess whether you want a little extra calm with using the nitrous.
4. Should I bring anything in with me while I'm there? (I was thinking boyfriend or mp3 player or something but now I'm not sure if that will help) some good calming relaxing tunes is sooo nice and soothing. it's kinda like bringing your favorite comfort stuff with you.

I'm... really scared. Anything support would be really appreciated. :cry: I'll immediately post back on these forums to tell you guys how it went. Hopefully it will be a success story and not a horror one. it will absolutely be a success story!!!!

I'd love to hear more about how you're doing before your appointment and after if the desire strikes.

To your success,
Dr. Shirley
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

I'm too afraid to laugh during a movie, if the dentist slips, they might stab me or something :giggle:

I'm contemplating between bringing an MP3 player or just watching the movie above me... not sure which one to pick yet, it would be nice if they had headphones for the movie so everything else could be drowned out.

I really hope everything will be okay. Right now I'm trying to occupy my time by doing something else to take my mind off it but I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight :o
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

ahhh, I get it... I didn't realize you meant watching the movie DURING the appointment. I thought you wanted to just watch movies for entertainment to help get your mind off things before the appointment.

you have a great sense of humor!!!! and things really will be ok.

we're rootin for you. and enjoy the music or the movie!

and the healthier smile you'll have when you're done. woohooo. smilin' all the way

cheers to your success!!!!:yay:
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

Oh I'll be watching movies all day to get my mind off it! :XXLhug: Appointment is tomorrow, I'm so scared and yet really excited!! I'm gonna have nice teeth again!

I can't wait to post back here and tell everyone how I went.. hopefully I won't have a fear-induced stroke and die on the "operating chair" :p
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

Having gone through the anxiety before an appointment after ten years of not visiting a dentist...and then visiting the dentist, I can say that this is the hardest part. I too thought for sure I would have a heart attack as I walked back to the dentist chair.

I didn't as is evident by me writing this.

After going ten years of not visiting a dentist and almost every hour of every day thinking of my cracked tooth and wondering what else needed fixing, I can say that the relief I felt after getting through that first appointment was great. However, I did receive news that I had those extractions and seven fillings. So all was not total relief. After those were all done (about a year later), I can say that the fear of the dentist is not with me anymore.

To a couple of your questions...

I think that watching a movie or listening to music helps alot because it gets your mind off of what the dentist is doing. My dentists does not have such an option and I wish she did. She did turn the music up so I could hear it.

As for valium, I have tried it and for me it did nothing. I was more worried about the effects than the appointment...hey, maybe it DID help!

I never tried laughing gas.

Having endured almost a dozen fillings and five extractions since that first appointment, I can say that it will get better. I never forget what the receptionist told me on the first day with a kind smile, "I can tell you that every appointment gets easier. The hardest is the first." And she was right.

Now I actually look forward to seeing my dentist and the office staff. No, I don't like the dentist but I can tolerate it quite well. I have history with them and I know that I can endure quite a bit. In about a month, I will have a cleaning. I am looking forward to seeing them all again. Now if I can just get out of there with no cavities.
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

I really really hope I don't have any cavities :( I look in the mirror and see a little bit of reddened gum around one of my back teeth but hopefully a good cleaning will fix everything right up.. *fingers crossed* I've had terrible experiences with fillings (six at the age of six and two baby teeth extractions) and I'm not sure how the procedure goes nowadays. Either way, I'm praying for there to be no holes whatsoever. No pain in the mouth is a good sign, right??

I just took another valium (I'm preparing to go to bed as we speak) but it's not doing anything for me right now. Beforehand it knocked me straight out, perhaps I'm starting to build some sort of resistance to it. :confused:

If all goes well, I know I'll be doing yearly check-ups from now on because I'm starting to feel a bit more confident with myself lately :)

Still debating between watching the movie and bringing in an mp3 full of my favorite songs though...
:grouphug:
Thanks for all the support everyone! I'll be checking this thread in the morning for the last words of wisdom I can get from you guys before I finally take the plunge!
 
Re: Appointment in two days!!

Thank you everyone for your replies! The dentist's trip is over and you can read all about it here:


:cloud9: Clean teeth.. they're so pretty!
 
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