• 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.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Advice Please Toothache - Scotland

I

indenial

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Messages
39
Actually not sure if I’m posting this in the right place so apologies if not. I have used this forum a few times and find it the most helpful place!



What’s going on? So, I have had massive issues with anxiety & depression as long as I can remember. Around 15 years ago I had developed a serious fear of my teeth.. touching them, eating, brushing them. The lot. My teeth ended up in an awful state as you can imagine. I eventually found this very forum about 12 years ago and with advice and support I received I found an amazing dentist and got it all sorted out.



Around 5 years ago, I started dentist dodging again, I started seriously struggling with my mental health again. Around 3.5/4 years ago I developed a TMD closed lock. This added to my anxiety around my mouth massively. I carried on avoiding the dentist while I tried to find a medication that worked for me. Eventually (Dec2019/jan2020) after posting here again I plucked up the courage and went to my dentist. Still unable to open my mouth more than 20mm. I booked in for a filling and a scale and polish. My appointment was the first week in April 2020… so that never happened. I have since AVOIDED AVOIDED AVOIDED. Thanks to COVID and struggling to find a medication that has helped my mental health I am no further forward.



Two weeks ago I started getting toothache, I finally decided I had to get an emergency appointment. The receptionist didn’t want to give me the appointment as I had ‘cancelled’ my previous appointment. I explained the situation with COVID and was given an emergency appointment for the next day. When I went in (alone) I tried to explain to the dentist I was nervous & ashamed, i also tried to explain about my jaw (which still doesn’t open far). I started to panic. She got quite cross at me, told me to open wider. I actually had a panic attack in that chair while she scolded me and actually told me that it was ‘10 minutes out of my life and not the end of the world’. She gave me a temporary filling and then told me that if I ‘wouldn’t’ open my mouth wider my teeth would just need to be extracted. Which makes me think then why not just do it? Because now part of the temporary filling fell out on the Monday, I can hardly eat and it hurts to even swallow as it seems to shift… I can’t believe it is the same dentist that helped me so much.



I don’t want to go back to my dentist and I don’t know what to do now? She told me repeatedly she couldn’t treat me so do I need a special care dentist? Is that something I access myself or do I need a referral? Does any one have any recommendations in south west Scotland? Also, what can I do about this tooth? I think I need it out, asap.



Thanks in advance for any help! It is massively appreciated!
 
Can you PM me where you are? I worked in Ayrshire for a long time so might be able to point you towards somebody helpful?

You need a referral to Special Care, but your doctor can do that for you if you don't want to go back to that dentist (can't say I'd blame you either).
 
Hi, thank you for your reply, I have messaged you with my location.

I can definitely ask my Doctor as she understand my mental health & jaw situation! I just know they are not keen on dealing with dental situations so wasn’t sure if it was something they could deal with!
 
You don't want her to deal with anything, just write a referral :)

Unfortunately my old friend in your part of the world retired a couple of years back, but I'll ask around.
 
She is very helpful so I’m sure it won’t be a problem. Thank you so much for your help.
 
Back
Top