Back In The Same Boat

Hi. This is my first post, and I think I am glad I found this place!! I am 38 and I have (in my mind) horrible teeth. Apparently, this runs in my family (mother's side); my grandmother had all her teeth (what was left) pulled out when she was 13. My mon had bad gums, my sister escaped with only braces & 1 pulled wisdom tooth, and I got the rest. I wasn't taken to the dentist until I was 10; first order of business was pulling 4 underdeveloped baby teeth (my first experience with a novocaine needle---as I am a self proclaimed needle-phobe, this was not pleasant). From then it was going from 1 dentist to another to another; specialists, surgeons, etc. Even a "hygienist" to show me how to brush my teeth (thanks, Mom & Dad, appreciate it lots). That faded off after a while, until I was 15 and started to bleed profusely at Thanksgiving dinner. The bleeding wouldn't stop, and yeah, I am afraid of the sight of my own blood too (I am a mess, honestly!!!!). I bled for about a month before Ward & June got me to yet another specialist (open the yellow pages, close your eyes and point). Turns out I had full blown gingivitis; more time goes by and I end up at another genius who tells me "I will make you look like a movie star". This was after we found out the gingivitis was starting to poison my blood. I had surgery, teeth taken out, gums shaved, roots removed, etc. Now I was on schedule for regular cleanings and such; long story short, that is where it pretty much ended. I found 2 more dentists on my own and was kind of holding my own for a long while. Recently, I cracked a tooth eating a hot dog, so I started eating on the other side. Doing that gave me some nerve pain, so I have been doing the pudding/mashed potato/whiskey on a cotton ball routine for a little over a month now. Have an appointment tomorrow with a new dentist for a cleaning/x-rays/consult. I would be very happy to have everything pulled out & dentures/implants put in. I am terrified, to put it mildly, and very shaky about it. I know I have to do something, at least so I can eat solids again, but I am still scared. Is it rational to so afraid of dentistry? Even sitting in the waiting room makes my heart race. I start to ramble on about nothing and make up a lot of scenarios in my mind of what could happen. Am I alone????????? Hope not!!

Thanks for listening to me vent everyone.

Hello and welcome

Thank you for joining us and sharing your story.

First, you are not alone. Approximately 60 million people in the USA suffer from dental anxiety.

You have obviously faced many dental challenges with less than stellar results.

The fear you are feeling is real as are the physical reactions. You are experiencing the symptoms of anxiety, but do not let the anxiety define you.

Anxiety thrives from feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. You have been through a lot and those experiences, coupled with pain have a way of wearing you down.

Anxiety is always future based and feeds upon the fear of what may happen, could happen or might happen. Your brain causes the fear response to protect you from something it sees as a threat to your survival. This is a normal reaction. The key is to disarm the perception that is causing the fear. This can be done by simple methods. If you would like I can provide some direction.

You have come to the right place. This board is populated by people that are willing to provide help and support.

Please stay in touch with us. We care!

GoreHound said:

I am going this afternoon with a new dentist for a cleaning/consult. I am petrified. It will hurt, and it will most possibly bleed, which I despise!!! But, hopefully he can come up with a plan for me. When I was there Monday for the initial visit,

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Good luck but the cleaning really doesn't have to hurt - they can apply numbing gels if your gums are inflamed or even give you local anaesthetic and as you mention nitrous also has a slight numbing affect on the gums.

Thanks. It wasn't as bad as I thought, honestly. I was in & out in about 15 minutes. I bled, yes, but I had no pain. She even flossed & polished me!!The doctor looked at x-rays I had taken at another dentist, and he said everything the previous dentist told me was wrong. I was ready to have all my teeth pulled and dentures put in; this guy said I am fixable. Monday I am having a cracked tooth pulled, followed by 2 fillings and replacing a crown. After that, with regular cleanings, they will begin looking at the cosmetic side. I am going to look around this site to find any info on Xanax. This is what they are going to give me for the extraction (they don't put you to sleep at this place, and I haven't had teeth pulled while I was wide awake since I was 11, and with GOOD reason.). So I am nervous about that and I want to know if the Xanax will work for me. If so, and this goes well, I am good to do anything I think. Thanks for your help!!!!!!!