Dental Filling next Monday

[Jayster1997]

Hello I am getting my first ever filling done next Monday and I am bricking it.

I went to the dentist for the first time in years 7 years 4 months ago (I am 22 years old) and I was shaking like a leaf ! my dentist was surprised and said that my teeth are actually quite good considering I smoke/unhealthy diet etc but your gums are quite bad and inflamed so she recommended for me to see a hygienist for a deep clean, she also said I have a small cavity on my teeth and that a filling would be needed. I said to her If I left it would it be ok as it is small and I suffer from anxiety she obv said no because she said as it small not much drilling is needed but if I leave it then root canal might be needed.

Anyway I went ahead and booked to see the hygienist before my 4 month check up and filling as the date came closer I bricked and cancelled the appointment I was shaking even to pick up the phone to cancel.

I decided not to cancel Monday appointment at the moment because I know I need to get it done I just don't want to be told off for not going to the hygienist. I am still very nervous however and I am very tempted to cancel the appointment !

since going to the dentist 4 months ago I invested in a water flosser and a electric toothbrush which I use daily and have noticed a difference in my gums (less bleeding etc) also got no pain etc my wisdom tooth is a bit achy as they are coming through but nothing to worry about I think, I have also decided to go on a diet and loose weight which is slowly but surely coming off which is also great.

any Suggestions on how to overcome the anxiety and to face my fears and go !

 

[kitkat]

Hi Jayster1997,
Welcome to DFC!
Well done on making it into the dentist for a check up and taking initiative in improving your own self-care and health! I know that those first few appointments can be very scary but they do get easier as you go! The more positive experiences you have, the more you will build trust in your dentist. Most people truly find that the worst part of dental appointments is the waiting but once they get there, it is actually not as bad as they had imagined. It is very common to be worried about being judged for cancelling appointments but the truth is, people cancel all of the time for all sorts of reasons whether it be because of fear or scheduling conflicts or financial reasons and it is not very likely that they will judge you for that. If they do, you need to find a new dentist as there are so many out there who want to help people. If your dentist didn’t judge you for the long absence at the first appointment, I’d say you‘re pretty safe!

Your dentist is correct in that it is better to do the filling now while it is small so that it can be taken care of more quickly and easily. Is there anything specific that you are worried about regarding the filling or is it more fear of the unknown?

 

[Jayster1997]

Hi Jayster1997,
Welcome to DFC!
Well done on making it into the dentist for a check up and taking initiative in improving your own self-care and health! I know that those first few appointments can be very scary but they do get easier as you go! The more positive experiences you have, the more you will build trust in your dentist. Most people truly find that the worst part of dental appointments is the waiting but once they get there, it is actually not as bad as they had imagined. It is very common to be worried about being judged for cancelling appointments but the truth is, people cancel all of the time for all sorts of reasons whether it be because of fear or scheduling conflicts or financial reasons and it is not very likely that they will judge you for that. If they do, you need to find a new dentist as there are so many out there who want to help people. If your dentist didn’t judge you for the long absence at the first appointment, I’d say you‘re pretty safe!

Your dentist is correct in that it is better to do the filling now while it is small so that it can be taken care of more quickly and easily. Is there anything specific that you are worried about regarding the filling or is it more fear of the unknown?

fear of the unknown and pain i know i will be numb etc I just have anxiety anyway and anything new I get really panicky

 

[kitkat]

I can definitely understand your fear of pain and the unknown. My best piece of advice would be to arrange a stop signal with your dentist prior to starting the filling, this could be simply raising your hand if you are uncomfortable. This did wonders for me for helping me to feel more in control. Another thing you could do is ask your dentist to talk you through the procedure so you have an idea of what is coming next before she does it that way you don’t have any surprises. A small filling will probably only take around 20ish minutes to fix and the drill should only feel like vibration at the most. If the numbing injection is given very slowly, it can be done completely painlessly with or without topical but some people ask for topical just to be safe. I hope this helps you and I really hope that you manage to keep your appointment!

 

[Jayster1997]

I can definitely understand your fear of pain and the unknown. My best piece of advice would be to arrange a stop signal with your dentist prior to starting the filling, this could be simply raising your hand if you are uncomfortable. This did wonders for me for helping me to feel more in control. Another thing you could do is ask your dentist to talk you through the procedure so you have an idea of what is coming next before she does it that way you don’t have any surprises. A small filling will probably only take around 20ish minutes to fix and the drill should only feel like vibration at the most. If the numbing injection is given very slowly, it can be done completely painlessly with or without topical but some people ask for topical just to be safe. I hope this helps you and I really hope that you manage to keep your appointment!

I hope so too ! I am going to keep my appointment that way it be only my fault if I have to pay the charge !!!

20ish minutes not so bad I would prefer to use the topic it is only one small filling which is good and not several I just hope there hasn't been any more changes in 4 months ! I have been taking better care with my teeth since so

 

[kitkat]

I hope so too ! I am going to keep my appointment that way it be only my fault if I have to pay the charge !!!

20ish minutes not so bad I would prefer to use the topic it is only one small filling which is good and not several I just hope there hasn't been any more changes in 4 months ! I have been taking better care with my teeth since so

Just to clarify, the topical only numbs your gums (not your teeth). But the topical will make the numbing injection more comfortable in some cases. Some people do opt to do small/shallow fillings without numbing or at least try it without and then request it if they need it (sometimes it’s not always needed; I’d ask your dentist what their opinion is on it, sometimes they can judge better than we can!). Personally, I prefer to be numbed rather than risk feeling any pain. Tooth decay is typically a fairly slow process so it is unlikely anything major has changed in 4 months, especially if you are keeping up with oral hygiene at home.