M
Minniemoomin
Junior member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2016
- Messages
- 1
So I'm 23 and have had a dental phobia since I was about 17, after a horrific experience at the orthodontist when I couldn't open my mouth the whole way because of my TMJ and the nurse kept yelling at me. Since then, I actively avoided going to the dentist.
I felt one of my fillings come out, then had a horrific dental infection in that tooth until it died and broke in half, then it happened to another tooth, and then I managed to crack my front tooth which is when I thought enough was enough. My teeth looked gross and I was close to losing them. I went to a dentist to be told I had hundreds of work to be done and I gagged on the x-ray, then had a huge panic attack in the chair. My dentist referred me to the dental hospital as my mental health was at an all time low and I had lots of work to be done.
After waiting 6 months, I finally had a referral letter from the hospital. Tears of joy but also fear as I thought about getting back in the chair again. I finally had a chance to get my teeth back to normal. I went to the appointment a nervous wreck, I even got drunk the night before because I was so scared. The consultant sat me in the chair, talked me through my phobia and kindly asked to check my teeth. I managed to have an x-ray around my head rather than a bitewing as my gag reflex was so terrible. She delivered the bad news that I would be losing three teeth, but the rest could be saved! She then picked a young female dentist in the hospital who would be doing all of my treatment.
The first treatment was amazing. My mum came with me (yes even at this age!) and calmed me down all the way there. I was introduced to my AMAZING dentist, who is the kindest, most gentle and lovely, non-judgmental dentist. She stroked my arm as she was giving me my IV and I was fast asleep within minutes with the sedation. I've had about 4 or 5 appointments where I've had my front tooth rebuilt, my two back lower right molars removed which were abscessed, small fillings in other teeth, and I'm just having my canine tooth replaced as it was very badly decayed.
Fast forward to about 7 months later, I am nearly at the end of my treatment and I'm actually ENJOYING my appointments. If you are able to have sedation, please go for it. It's saved my mouth and my mental health, as I was suicidal before I started treatment. Once you find a kind and caring dentist, it's so much easier. I am happy and pain-free now, and have vowed to always go to the dentist going forward. Nothing is worth the emotional pain I was in before.
I felt one of my fillings come out, then had a horrific dental infection in that tooth until it died and broke in half, then it happened to another tooth, and then I managed to crack my front tooth which is when I thought enough was enough. My teeth looked gross and I was close to losing them. I went to a dentist to be told I had hundreds of work to be done and I gagged on the x-ray, then had a huge panic attack in the chair. My dentist referred me to the dental hospital as my mental health was at an all time low and I had lots of work to be done.
After waiting 6 months, I finally had a referral letter from the hospital. Tears of joy but also fear as I thought about getting back in the chair again. I finally had a chance to get my teeth back to normal. I went to the appointment a nervous wreck, I even got drunk the night before because I was so scared. The consultant sat me in the chair, talked me through my phobia and kindly asked to check my teeth. I managed to have an x-ray around my head rather than a bitewing as my gag reflex was so terrible. She delivered the bad news that I would be losing three teeth, but the rest could be saved! She then picked a young female dentist in the hospital who would be doing all of my treatment.
The first treatment was amazing. My mum came with me (yes even at this age!) and calmed me down all the way there. I was introduced to my AMAZING dentist, who is the kindest, most gentle and lovely, non-judgmental dentist. She stroked my arm as she was giving me my IV and I was fast asleep within minutes with the sedation. I've had about 4 or 5 appointments where I've had my front tooth rebuilt, my two back lower right molars removed which were abscessed, small fillings in other teeth, and I'm just having my canine tooth replaced as it was very badly decayed.
Fast forward to about 7 months later, I am nearly at the end of my treatment and I'm actually ENJOYING my appointments. If you are able to have sedation, please go for it. It's saved my mouth and my mental health, as I was suicidal before I started treatment. Once you find a kind and caring dentist, it's so much easier. I am happy and pain-free now, and have vowed to always go to the dentist going forward. Nothing is worth the emotional pain I was in before.
