• Dental Phobia Support

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scared and embarrassed

O

oh heck

Junior member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
13
Hi there,
I am ashamed to say that the last time i visited a dentist was 18 years ago. Due to my mass phobia i was treated under GA at a hospital. I remember a nurse at the time telling me i was being silly and to try going through childbirth, then i'd know what pain was. I have since had children and would seriously go through that again than have to face a dentist... until now.
Over the years i have endured toothache until four of my back teeth have broken off at root level. Three of my front teeth have holes and now after years of hiding behind my hands & perfecting a wonky smile i have broken my front tooth completely, half of it has gone - vertically! There is no way i can hide this now. This is how i came to find this place in a search to beat my fear. My life both awake and asleep seems to be governed by the state of my teeth.
As i was reading through this forum ( for the last 4 hrs) the local free paper arrived with an advert for a dentists that is accepting nhs patients and i took it as a sign. Have phoned up(heart pounding) and have to go down and fill out a few forms and make an initial appointment ~ eek.
My embarrassment factor is at the moment over taking my fear factor, what if they took one look and think there is too much work to be done for an nhs patient.
 
oh heck said:
My embarrassment factor is at the moment over taking my fear factor, what if they took one look and think there is too much work to be done for an nhs patient.
Click to expand...

Hello and :welcome:

Congratulations on making that first phone call, I can still remember making mine last November and boy is it scary!

From reading your post, you are in a similar situation now to what I was in in November. It had been 17 years since I had visited a dentist, and it was the state of my front teeth (that and the pain) that drove me to finally make that call.

The embarrassment factor that is worrying you is a common thread amongst us that suffer from dental phobia, however, all of us have found that when we get to the dentist no one bothers about the state of our mouths, they have seen it all before time and time again. I know its not easy but please try not to worry about this, they won't judge you, just try to help you.

I also had concerns about there being too much work for the NHS, but when I got there, there was not an issue over this at all. I did opt to have quite a lot of work done as a private patient, like the crowns, but I was offered this on the NHS, in fact I was offered all of my treatment on the NHS.

Please keep us updated on when you get your consultation appointment, and you will get lots of support from here.

Good luck.

Holly
 
I too have had several nurses (also at hospital when getting dental treatment under GA) trot out the childbirth line and I find it deeply annoying, patronising and offensive. I actually posted this as a reason for prefering my male dentist in the male/female poll thread. That aside, I just wanted to say a big well done for getting this far :jump:. Do hang in there and let us know how you get on.
 
gettingthere said:
I too have had several nurses (also at hospital when getting dental treatment under GA) trot out the childbirth line and I find it deeply annoying, patronising and offensive. I actually posted this as a reason for prefering my male dentist in the male/female poll thread. That aside, I just wanted to say a big well done for getting this far :jump:. Do hang in there and let us know how you get on.
Click to expand...

The thing is they are wrong...you can medicate childbirth too..these people must not believe in epidurals or something ;D.
 
Thankyou for your replies.
I can't believe i actually made it, even if it was only to fill out a medical form. I know it sounds silly but i walk out of a room or make myself busy when so much as a toothpaste ad comes on tv. So to walk in a place that has the dreaded D word over the door doesn't even bare thinking about. My initial appointment is thurs 12 march at 10:45 am. I actually sat observing the place for a while looking for some one who looked ill at ease coming out, so i had an excuse not to go in. But it didn't happen. The practice is quite a journey away and i broke down in tears, but this time not over fear, but over the thought of who i could have been had i had the courage to make this miniscule step sooner. I am trying to hold onto that thought for next week.
Unfortunately i never told the receptionist about my fears and i wish i had have done. I am just hoping that i can make it next week and not have found a new wonky smile to cover what lies beneath.
 
Taking action is a very positive first step. Even if you're only taking little steps, they're steps in the right direction. Try to go to every appointment you make. (Easier said than done, I know.)
 
I made it to my initial first appointment, shaking like a leaf. The dentist was really kind to me and in fact quiet calming. His primary concern for treatment is my front teeth, and this was the only thing we have discussed at the moment. I was given the option of having 3 teeth removed and a partial denture or 3 root treatments and the teeth capping. I have no idea what came over me but i have opted for the root treatment and caps. I am absolutely terrified!
Today i have to go in for a clean prior to commencing treatment and even the prospect of that is scary. I have a really sensitive tooth that i cant even touch and am really worried about anyone going anywhere near it.
 
oh heck said:
3 root treatments and the teeth capping. I have no idea what came over me but i have opted for the root treatment and caps. I am absolutely terrified!

Well done for making it to the appointment.:yay:

I had three root canals on my front teeth done in December and had them crowned a few weeks ago. Like you I had the same options for them.

I am rerally pleased with them now, and they look really good. Also, I found that none of the treatment hurt at all, not the root canals, or the crown prep, or the fitting of the crowns, it was all totally pain free, and I am so glad now that I had this done, and I am sure you will be as well.

good luck with it.

Holly
Click to expand...
 
Hi there, congratulations on making it to the appointment - great to hear that you found a kind and calming dentist :cloud9:!
With regards to the sensitive tooth, please do let your dentist or hygienist know about this so that they are aware of the issue and can make sure you're comfortable. It may be possible to skip the area or else numb it :).

Well done :jump::respect:!!!
 
Know what--if people had perfect teeth the dentists wouldn't make money. That's what they get paid to do, the way I see it. I'm pretty sure they've seen it all.
 
Holly i have been reading back over your story and it has given me great comfort to know that you have been through similar treatment and come out the other end literally smiling.

I made it through the cleaning, the lady who did it was really supportive and when i did feel a twinge she offered to do that bit manually than with the water jet so i didn't feel discomfort. Afterwards she told me that i had just made it through a deep clean without being numbed and i will feel less having my other work done as i will be numbed for that.

In an hours time i will be setting off for my root canals at the front, i know i'll make it into the chair, i know i'll manage the injection. Beyond that i am terrified, i am sat here crying. It all seems to have happened so fast.
 
oh heck said:
In an hours time i will be setting off for my root canals at the front, i know i'll make it into the chair, i know i'll manage the injection. Beyond that i am terrified, i am sat here crying. It all seems to have happened so fast.
Click to expand...

Wow - it has happened very fast you are right....are they just doing one root canal today? You could always request that to break you in gently - that may be the intention anyway as they can be time-consuming and fiddly but it won't be painful...if for any reason you feel discomfort or need a break, just raise your arm and the dentist should stop and top-up the LA or let you rest or whatever. (All dentists know what this signal means whether you discuss it first or not). Front teeth have fewer canals than molar teeth so that may be why they think they can do two at once.

I've only got one root canaled tooth and that was painfree even 16 years ago! So please be aware that you do not have to put up with pain during treatment and any dentist who tells you otherwise isn't one you should be going to. It sounds like you will be fine and they will treat you very kindly :cloud9:so please just marvel at the experience...how they work so deftly in such a small space is beyond me! :)
 
Hi brit.
I'm not sure to be honest if it's just the one today or not. My dentist told me he would do it over three visits so maybe one at a time? I think i was that shocked i'd made it in the chair i was more concentrating on getting out again rather than listening to him.

The one thing i do remember is his calming voice. He tried to get me to smile while looking in a mirror, i couldn't. He then told me that he was going to fix my teeth and soon i would want to grab that mirror and smile away. I think thats what image i will focus on if i start to panic and have the urge to just leave the chair.

Oh well, here goes.
 
He sounds really nice.....:)
 
I can barely believe i'm typing this but ... i made it through it. Not only that but pain free!

The second i sat in the chair the tears came, and my dentist did say to me again that the easiest option would be to have my front teeth removed if i felt i couldn't cope. But i was this far now and after reading Hollys past story i had to give it a go.

I was given 3 injections but all i felt was the first 5 seconds of the first. I had two root canals done that took about 1hr 15 mins including waiting for the numbness to take affect. The only time i stuck my hand in the air ( thankyou brit for telling me about that universal signal) was when he said he'd just removed one nerve and was moving onto the second. Not because it hurt at all, just because i didn't want to know.

I have temporary fillings in at the moment that aren't the best to look at but it's only while tuesday till they settle and i am then going to have temporary crowns and impressions taking.

I know i have a long way still to go and no doubt by tuesday my anxietys will be back again, but for now i can't believe i did this small step.
 
Congratulations - you should be very proud :respect::jump:
I am so pleased it went well. Probably the reason you felt the first injection a bit was because it was likely in the palate (these are hard to do totally discomfort free unless you use a system like TheWand and very few dentists have this - or lots of topical and good technique).
Extracting your teeth would have presented more problems than it solved and as you saw, most root canals are ok. Glad the signal worked - so you stopped him to tell him you didn't want a running commentary! We're all different ;D.
:grouphug:
 
oh heck said:
I can barely believe i'm typing this but ... i made it through it. Not only that but pain free!

The second i sat in the chair the tears came, and my dentist did say to me again that the easiest option would be to have my front teeth removed if i felt i couldn't cope. But i was this far now and after reading Hollys past story i had to give it a go.

I was given 3 injections but all i felt was the first 5 seconds of the first. I had two root canals done that took about 1hr 15 mins including waiting for the numbness to take affect. The only time i stuck my hand in the air ( thankyou brit for telling me about that universal signal) was when he said he'd just removed one nerve and was moving onto the second. Not because it hurt at all, just because i didn't want to know.

I have temporary fillings in at the moment that aren't the best to look at but it's only while tuesday till they settle and i am then going to have temporary crowns and impressions taking.

I know i have a long way still to go and no doubt by tuesday my anxietys will be back again, but for now i can't believe i did this small step.
Click to expand...


Hi,

I have just read this, and :thumbsup: well done for getting through all of this yesterday. I am glad that you found it a painless experience. I agree that the temporary fillings look awful. I had them all over Christmas because of the holidays and then into the new year, but if it's any consolation they didn't cause me any problems. I am sure that Tuesday will go fine as well, and to be honest, my temporary crowns probably looked better than my own teeth did.

If you have a wobble and get anxious on Tuesday post on here for support, as you know from my support thread I posted for support for most of my earlier appointments, and got so anxious and tearful for most of them, and then when I got home posted again about how it was ok, and painless.

I am glad that you have found my past story helpful, there are a lot of similarities in the treatment that we both need and the options we were given.

However, I couldn't have done it without the support of this forum. I don't think I would have even gone for a check up if I hadn't of been reading the posts here for days, and then registered to get support.

Holly
 
Well, i'll be off to my appointment in an hour and panic has set in. I think it's the fear of the unknown. One of the teeth i had done is a bit sensitive which i thought wouldn't happen if the nerve had been removed. My main worry is that my appointment is half an hour before they close for lunch and i'm thinking,

The temp fillings are to bulky to have a temp crown put over so am i having more drilling done?

Will i have an injection to numb the area if they are going inside the teeth again?

Will there be time to do what needs to be done painfree?

After how well it went last week i can't believe i am getting myself into this state again. I am so scared right now.
 
oh heck said:
Well, i'll be off to my appointment in an hour and panic has set in. I think it's the fear of the unknown. One of the teeth i had done is a bit sensitive which i thought wouldn't happen if the nerve had been removed. My main worry is that my appointment is half an hour before they close for lunch and i'm thinking,

The temp fillings are to bulky to have a temp crown put over so am i having more drilling done?

Will i have an injection to numb the area if they are going inside the teeth again?

Will there be time to do what needs to be done painfree?

After how well it went last week i can't believe i am getting myself into this state again. I am so scared right now.
Click to expand...

His lunchhour is easier to work into than a patient queue building up outside....you have every right to expect painfree care regardless of time constraints (even in NHS)...yes he will want to get you numb and relaxed if the procedure could potentially be uncomfortable or painful..don't worry even I wouldn't say the NHS is mean with LA..it is not...UK dentists tend to be trained to numb you up 'just in case'.
Yes it is normal for rct teeth to be a bit sensitive afterwards. You'll be fine I'm sure.:grouphug:Apologies if you are not a UK NHS patient.
 
oh heck said:
Well, i'll be off to my appointment in an hour and panic has set in. I think it's the fear of the unknown. One of the teeth i had done is a bit sensitive which i thought wouldn't happen if the nerve had been removed. My main worry is that my appointment is half an hour before they close for lunch and i'm thinking,

The temp fillings are to bulky to have a temp crown put over so am i having more drilling done?

Will i have an injection to numb the area if they are going inside the teeth again?

Will there be time to do what needs to be done painfree?

After how well it went last week i can't believe i am getting myself into this state again. I am so scared right now.
Click to expand...

Hi,

I have just read your post and hope that you get to read this reply before you set off.

I am sure that it will be fine and go well. There will certainly be enough time for the dentist to do what needs doing painfree. As Brit said, the appointment before lunchtime means that they will not have another patient waiting and feel that need to get on to the next one.

I have an appointment today at 12.45 that I booked as it was the last one before lunch, and a 30 minute appointment on Friday at 12.30 just because I like the feeling that he doesn't have another patient waiting.

Anyhow, good luck, and I will be thinking of you.

Holly.
 
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