• 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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18 years - I did it!

M

Mrskb

Junior member
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
15
I'm not really sure why I am dental phobic - as a child my teeth were always very good ( I never even had a filling). My mum took us to the dentist every 6 months and then when I turned 17 the decision was in my hands and I stopped going. Fast forward to age 34 absolutely convinced all my teeth were full of cavities and I had impacted wisdom teeth.

I had my 2nd baby last year and currently have an exemption card (until April 2017) and decided enough was enough and I needed to deal with this fear and get my teeth sorted and take advantage of the free check up and any nhs treatment I could.
 
I started to lurk on this forum and read about other people's experiences - I hadn't even been brave enough to look on here after I had my first baby so didn't make it to the dentist then.

When we were away on holiday I convinced myself my wisdom teeth were rotting away and taking the other molars with them. I have always had passable dental hygiene brushing at least 2 times a day thoroughly (not flossing though) as I couldn't even bring myself to look in my mouth. I was thinking constantly about the rotting teeth
 
When we got home I decided enough is enough and built the courage to book an online appointment for a check up with a young lady dentist at a new practice accepting NHS patients. I don't know why the younger lady dentist seemed a better option to me perhaps because I had a stern older male dentist growing up.
I then popped in to the reception of the practice to explain that I was very nervous and asked if they would accept my exemption card.
 
They were really lovely did some paperwork
With me about my exemption and said the dentist was lovely and would keep
Me safe and look after me. That was Sunday my appointment was booked for Thursday.

I hadn't told anyone about the appointment as felt that if I wimped out I would be embarrassed even more.

So 3 agonising days passed - my mind racing and imagining numerous issues etc

The day of the appointment I cried at every opportunity but managed a brisk walk before my appointment to get some of the adrenaline under control - I love walking it is my happy place and this really helped me
 
I want in flooods of tears s I said my name to the receptionist - she could see how anxious I was and came and sat with me in the waiting room. I also had my 10 month old with me (this helped! My principle was as I make the girls go I need to go too). The receptionist had given the heads up to the dentist about my state.

I wa violently shaking when I went into her room and still crying but she explained I had done very well to get to this stage and if all I wanted to do today was chat that would be no problem.
 
We had a talk about any problems and my fears - I explained about my wisdom teeth and my embarrassment about not having been in 18 years and that I wanted my mouth to be healthy and she was so kind and gentle I agreed for her to look at my teeth and got into the chair. I put my music on my mobile super loud.

It seemed like forever but probably was only a minute and she examined my wisdom teeth - she did probe too. There was no pain at all.

After she had looked she said from what she could see they looked healthy but had concerns regarding one having a small cavity. There is a build up of plaque due to me not being able to reach with my brush properly.
 
After the word healthy was mentioned in the same sentences as my mouth it just felt like a massive weight had been lifted. She asked my permission to clean the wisdom teeth with the scaler and I allowed her. She advised me how to clean them going forward (child toothbrush)

She said she couldn't do a full exam today or my X-rays but to book in again.

My appointment for that was yesterday and although I was still anxious it was so much more manageable.

I still can't quite believe the results
 
I don't need any treatment just a good scale and polish with the hygienist.

I do realise how incredibly lucky I have been and I guarantee that I will continue to attend now going forward.

No matter what your situation I urge you to get help - this was something that was consuming me and as you can see from my story was all in my head!

I have my hygiene appointment at the end of the month and can't quite believe I will have the healthy mouth I always dreamed of having
 
Sorry for the long post just wanted to share my experience - please feel free to ask questions I really want to try to help others
 
Congrats on your accomplishment! This really helped me, thank you very much :) I have been trying to get over my own fear on the dentist. I went to the dentist (after 12 years!) who was personable, caring and easy going back in October 2016. Went in and expected the worst like losing every tooth but ended up only needed a cleaning, 2 small fillings, one bad wisdom tooth extracted and a possible root canal...which was shocking to me and great news. Fast forward to February 2017, my wisdom tooth now has a infection and I am terrified to go back. Mainly because it has been because of my four month absence, feel I will be lectured by the dentist for that :shame:
 
Bless you paranoid patient - you did so well just to attend last year I know exactly how hard that must have been for you. I promised myself that I would deal with any problems when I knew what I was up against and treat myself to something lovely once everything was sorted ( I wanted teeth whitening - kind of fitting ?). As I was so so incredibly lucky I didn't feel I deserved the £100 treat but I know that I really do need to attend every 6 months to stop my phobia rearing its ugly head again.

I really would urge you to try to build up the courage to make an appointment - it is so much easier said than done. It is more the psychological torture for me that I dread than any pain. If you need to talk anything through I will check into this post and I am more than happy to support in any way I can x
 
Did you manage to go back for treatment after your initial appointment? X
 
I did not, for that I feel like a fool and I feel beaten by my fear. I sit alone and cry in my room honestly, I can't believe my fear has control over me and I hate it! I get sad, scared, mad and even a random boost of confidence here and there but it disappears as fast as it built up. It's an emotional roller coaster for sure. Thanks for listening :) it truly means a lot
 
I think you are doing so well even posting on here - I honestly couldn't even look on here when I have been really bad. If I can do anything to help please let me know.
 
Thanks! It's nice to vent to someone. Have not even talked to my mom or close friends about it. Feel I will just be laughed at for being afraid of the dentist! Obviously after looking at this forum I am not alone at least!
 
I know exactly what you mean - just the same myself! Now I have been though want to talk to everyone about the dentist. One extreme to the other (I was so bad I had to leave the room when people started talking about dentist) vent here!
 
I would say out of the three "projects" I need done. Fillings, cleaning and extractions, the extraction scares me the most. I guess it's because there will be cutting, pushing, pulling and post operation recovery time with bleeding and pain. it really has to do with me previous experience when I had a tooth pulled and was not completely numb for it and the dentist ignored me. This tooth is right next to the aforementioned one which makes me very uneasy. Also the injections send a shiver down my spine. Not afraid of needles but my mouth is one of the last places I would want one! :o
 
I would say out of the three "projects" I need done. Fillings, cleaning and extractions, the extraction scares me the most. I guess it's because there will be cutting, pushing, pulling and post operation recovery time with bleeding and pain. it really has to do with me previous experience when I had a tooth pulled and was not completely numb for it and the dentist ignored me. This tooth is right next to the aforementioned one which makes me very uneasy. Also the injections send a shiver down my spine. Not afraid of needles but my mouth is one of the last places I would want one! :o

Hi,
In my experience the dentist I saw in 2014 had to extract quite a few of my teeth, he was very gentle and firstly broke the ligaments around the tooth therefore the need to push and pull was almost non existent.
I'd say chat to your dentist and ask if he/she will do the same thing and agree a signal beforehand where you can stop the treatment if you feel pain, this could be just raising a hand.
When I was injected it was right between the gum and cheek and I can honestly say all I felt was a bit of pressure, what did hurt was having injections in the roof of my mouth to remove two teeth that were in my pallet, again it wasn't pain it just hurt if that makes sense? Anyway it was just for a short time and not a big deal.
So have a talk with your dentist for reassurance and you'll be fine.
 
I don't need any treatment just a good scale and polish with the hygienist.

I do realise how incredibly lucky I have been and I guarantee that I will continue to attend now going forward.

No matter what your situation I urge you to get help - this was something that was consuming me and as you can see from my story was all in my head!

I have my hygiene appointment at the end of the month and can't quite believe I will have the healthy mouth I always dreamed of having
Well done you. :jump:
 
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