A
AngelStar
Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2009
- Messages
- 27
- Location
- Somerset-U.K
Hi.
I am 21 years old and have suffered from a severe phobia for the last 7 years. I last went 7 years ago. I was a teenager who saw an awful NHS dentist that was male-he wasn't very good with people especially children/teens or anxious patients. He was also French. He never actually caused me any pain just was very unpleasant and terrible with me, as seeing him made me anxious. However, He broke a needle in my mums mouth and did a shoddy filling that broke up when she rinsed in the chair! To my knowledge he is still practicing. Since last going 7 years ago I couldnt walk past a practice, anyone talked about dentists I would leave the room or change the subject.
About two weeks ago I had a twinge. I tried to ignore it but I knew I wouldn't go away and could see there was a problem and it would need a filling. I burst into tears when I told my husband that I had toothache and knew that it was time to face my fear. The following day we went down to a local practice where he was registered. I managed to walk through the door, just, then I saw my neighbours in there! My husband said to the receptionist that my wife would like to register here and then he asked about sedation costs-the receptionist wouldn't give a starting cost and seemed to have no sympathy. After a couple of minutes I just burst into tears and ran out of the practice. Since that incident my husband has now moved over to the practice where I am, which is private and NHS.
We then remembered that there was a newish practice at the bottom of the road we lived in (how I tried hard to forget that was there!). We wrote a letter that night and put in through their door. The next morning they emailed us back. They invited us on the Saturday morning for a chat with herself (practice manager) and dentist, who was female (phew!). The time leading up to the day I could barely eat, I had stomach ache and could think of nothing else. When we got there, they were so supportive and took things at my pace and I even sat in the chair and then she had a quick look round! I was re invited the following Saturday for a check up and x-ray. I went back yesterday for that and she has seen that I will most likely need 3 fillings. However, she wants me to go for an OPG, which I am not too happy about (I went back yesterday for an x-ray, so I didn't get sent to the hospital!) I will have to wait and go for that until they will do anything. I am rebooked for 18th for scale and polish but I just wish they would sort the fillings out-I have never had one before and am very anxious, however I just want them sorted. I don't want to seem pushy but I cant bear the fact that I know that I need them done and I am fearing they will get worse in the time I am kept waiting for them to do them.
My husband has been very supportive, or as much as he can be about the whole situation. It is a tricky subject for us especially me, as he was born with a Cleft Lip and required extensive maxillofacial and dental work. It is hard for us as he has faced professionals for alot of his childhood, through no choice of his own and I couldn't even handle routine visits. I am a long way from being over this phobia, but I have come a long way in the last couple of weeks.
I am 21 years old and have suffered from a severe phobia for the last 7 years. I last went 7 years ago. I was a teenager who saw an awful NHS dentist that was male-he wasn't very good with people especially children/teens or anxious patients. He was also French. He never actually caused me any pain just was very unpleasant and terrible with me, as seeing him made me anxious. However, He broke a needle in my mums mouth and did a shoddy filling that broke up when she rinsed in the chair! To my knowledge he is still practicing. Since last going 7 years ago I couldnt walk past a practice, anyone talked about dentists I would leave the room or change the subject.
About two weeks ago I had a twinge. I tried to ignore it but I knew I wouldn't go away and could see there was a problem and it would need a filling. I burst into tears when I told my husband that I had toothache and knew that it was time to face my fear. The following day we went down to a local practice where he was registered. I managed to walk through the door, just, then I saw my neighbours in there! My husband said to the receptionist that my wife would like to register here and then he asked about sedation costs-the receptionist wouldn't give a starting cost and seemed to have no sympathy. After a couple of minutes I just burst into tears and ran out of the practice. Since that incident my husband has now moved over to the practice where I am, which is private and NHS.
We then remembered that there was a newish practice at the bottom of the road we lived in (how I tried hard to forget that was there!). We wrote a letter that night and put in through their door. The next morning they emailed us back. They invited us on the Saturday morning for a chat with herself (practice manager) and dentist, who was female (phew!). The time leading up to the day I could barely eat, I had stomach ache and could think of nothing else. When we got there, they were so supportive and took things at my pace and I even sat in the chair and then she had a quick look round! I was re invited the following Saturday for a check up and x-ray. I went back yesterday for that and she has seen that I will most likely need 3 fillings. However, she wants me to go for an OPG, which I am not too happy about (I went back yesterday for an x-ray, so I didn't get sent to the hospital!) I will have to wait and go for that until they will do anything. I am rebooked for 18th for scale and polish but I just wish they would sort the fillings out-I have never had one before and am very anxious, however I just want them sorted. I don't want to seem pushy but I cant bear the fact that I know that I need them done and I am fearing they will get worse in the time I am kept waiting for them to do them.
My husband has been very supportive, or as much as he can be about the whole situation. It is a tricky subject for us especially me, as he was born with a Cleft Lip and required extensive maxillofacial and dental work. It is hard for us as he has faced professionals for alot of his childhood, through no choice of his own and I couldn't even handle routine visits. I am a long way from being over this phobia, but I have come a long way in the last couple of weeks.
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