Beyond terror

[Trishd]

Shameful and embarrassing but I really need help and advice. PLEASE

Here I am turning 60 and still in total fear of the dentist. I have to go, I am in fear of serious health issues if I don't. I have already lost enamel from my teeth through grinding.
the problem is now beyond fear, I did make myself go last year finally, for the first time in I can't say really.... The awful emotion was not enough, I kept gagging and retching. The poor dentist was at a loss. This is serious, I can't have anything in my mouth fir more than a couple of seconds. I had an endoscopy recently and after they placed the mouth piece it became a major event to whip it out due to major heaving. they had to place it when I was asleep.
I seriously hope there is help here, I HAVE to be able to try and rescue what is left of my teeth and prevent illness.

 

[TwoThirty22]

Trishd, you need to use the resources here to find a friendly dentist who will listen to your fears and then hopefully 'Just take a look', come up with a treatment plan, and get everything done under IV sedation. That way the gagging won't be a problem.

Dentists who are used to working with phobic/fearful patients won't poke and prod you about so much, if they know it's a problem.

It's not shameful or embarrassing - eveyrone here has been where you are, now. It's not shameful to have a phobia and these days no-one will judge you.

 

[haggis for the soul]

While I don't gag or retch, when I'm on my back in the chair and the dentist is working, within a few seconds I start thinking that I can't breathe. I can, and I'm getting better at managing the fear, but I don't think it will ever go away completely. It helps me to have a dentist who knows I'm very anxious and who will stop the procedure for me to get a good deep breath whenever I need to. Sedation might be helpful for you as it was when you had your other medical procedure.

And age has nothing to do with it. I'm in my early 50s. I don't know if people ever grow out of their dental anxiety, I know I haven't. I'm just working to manage it.