L
Libra
Junior member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2017
- Messages
- 2
After avoiding the dentist for almost 10 years I finally have an appointment tomorrow.
When I was in college I had a toothache and made my first dentist appointment. I asked my mom why I had never been to the dentist as a child. She told me that I HAD been to the dentist once but I panicked and attacked the dentist, and we had to leave. I have zero recollection of this, I must have blocked the traumatic memory.
Unfortunately going to that dentist in college didn't help my fears at all. She was mean, lectured me, and made fun of me because my teeth were "too small" (I'm petite, they're normal sized!), she told me my smile was ugly and my life would be better if I got braces. After having two fillings I never went back.
I finally worked up the courage to go in for an exam because my gums bleed a little when I brush my teeth. That problem on its own probably isn't horrible, but I also have hypochondria, and started freaking out and thinking I must have a horrible gum disease. That turned into an infection and that turned into needing to have my teeth removed. My jaw started hurting and I had a twitch in my jaw muscle for almost a week from anxiety. The problem with anxiety disorder is that it causes symptoms or makes me imagine them completely so it's hard to know what is real.
But anyway. I'm seeing the dentist tomorrow. He has excellent reviews online and I hope he'll be nice. Right now my main fear is the x-rays since I always gag so much, and my previous dentist yelled at me for that. I'm also terrified that he'll tell me I need to have my wisdom teeth taken out, because the surgery sounds really scary, especially if you're older. Hopefully everything will turn out okay. I'm mostly just venting here today but I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!
When I was in college I had a toothache and made my first dentist appointment. I asked my mom why I had never been to the dentist as a child. She told me that I HAD been to the dentist once but I panicked and attacked the dentist, and we had to leave. I have zero recollection of this, I must have blocked the traumatic memory.
Unfortunately going to that dentist in college didn't help my fears at all. She was mean, lectured me, and made fun of me because my teeth were "too small" (I'm petite, they're normal sized!), she told me my smile was ugly and my life would be better if I got braces. After having two fillings I never went back.
I finally worked up the courage to go in for an exam because my gums bleed a little when I brush my teeth. That problem on its own probably isn't horrible, but I also have hypochondria, and started freaking out and thinking I must have a horrible gum disease. That turned into an infection and that turned into needing to have my teeth removed. My jaw started hurting and I had a twitch in my jaw muscle for almost a week from anxiety. The problem with anxiety disorder is that it causes symptoms or makes me imagine them completely so it's hard to know what is real.
But anyway. I'm seeing the dentist tomorrow. He has excellent reviews online and I hope he'll be nice. Right now my main fear is the x-rays since I always gag so much, and my previous dentist yelled at me for that. I'm also terrified that he'll tell me I need to have my wisdom teeth taken out, because the surgery sounds really scary, especially if you're older. Hopefully everything will turn out okay. I'm mostly just venting here today but I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!
