• 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.

dentist - I go every three months but I am scared

T

Thephilsblogbar

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Messages
812
Location
United Kingdom
Sorry for another rant

I have talked to my dentist is the past, the last appointment. she knows I get embarrassed and what I dont like, she knows I am nervous.

I got an appointment on Tuesday for checkup - I go regularly (every three months I hope this dont mean I have gum disease or high risk of things, okay I get a build of plaque etc. ) but I am scared again. over the years I have got white marks, dentist says not decay, just too much fluoride and other reasons I been told what have cause them. I get so embarrassed about my teeth at my age of 33. I had fillings done in the past, one re-rootcanal done, one adult tooth removed when I was 2006 I could not afford root canal as I saw a different dentist that day at the pratice (a filling will not have worked) and we were going on holiday in a few days time, so I got the tooth removed.

I am scared I will lose my teeth one day. I am scared I will get shouted at. I hate my teeth, my mouth. I think after a good polish my teeth and poke will look better, my teeth are not black, or aching. I am trying to get my teeth in the best condition I can get them.
 
Hey -

Don't worry about the rant, it often helps to vent, and that's what we're here for!

I think it's normal to feel this way just before an appointment, I know I do! All the worries that are usually in the background start coming up stronger again. It's OK to be scared. I know it feels overwhelming, but you will get through this, just like you have before - you are very good at going regularly. Each time it's scary but each time you manage it, and hopefully over time it will get a little bit easier as you see that it's ok.

You did great to talk to the dentist last time, that will really help her to know what you are worried about and how she can support you. She sounds kind and it seems like you are in good hands there.

I really don't think you will get shouted at, it doesn't sound like your dentist at all. They know that you are trying your best to look after your teeth, and going regularly is one of the best ways of doing that. I think from what you've said before they also like you to come in regularly so that you are used to going in and to help you feel less scared? It doesn't mean that you will lose your teeth.

Take care of yourself and vent on here any time you need!

You will be ok x
 
Thanks. I like my current dentist (she has never has shouted about my teeth) I have had remarks when I was a child with other dentists about my teeth, there is another one I like who took great care of me when I had an abcess she knew how frighten I was, what made it easier was she also had a great dental assistant, I dont remember her from school as we were in different years.

I dont want to offend her but when I was due to see her last year for a standard cleaning (she was away) so had to see another dentist at the pratice she was so rough with the cleaning and scaling, I had to go back as I found out I needed a filling, the time before she was fine and gentle

She is very good as gives me some special toothpaste with extra flouoride in (I was at 5,000ppm 7 years ago, now down to 2,800 ppm) another dentist gave me this, he know longer works at the pratice and gone private
 
Surprising when I had the root canal redone it was done in one session, she took her time I was offer a pillow to make me feel more at ease, if she had offered me a duvet I could have had a nap.

I been going to the pratice 33 years and it has changed a lot, better waiting room now my dentist owns the pratice for the last 4 years she has ripped out the old sitting, shut the old waiting room upstairs and made that into another dental room. I have seen 10 dentists I think at the pratice, some I hated but when I was a child I could not switched so we had someone was mean.
 
Last edited:
I use to go every 6 months, before seeing this dentist, my dentist says my oral hygeine has improved since I first saw her, still I feel ashmed about how much work I had done on my teeth in 33 years, and feeling quite down,. I know (not physical know) a lot of people have worse teeth than me and I am sure my dentist have seen a lot worst than mine and probably a lot better, my dentist teeth are not perfect, but clean and fairly straight.
 
I cannot believe I had this dentist five or 6 years now. now she knows more about my fears with the poker and my embarassment, there is more like the school dentist, I dont like the xray part if needed, scared of what might be found, but the good thing the abcess was seen last year, and the year before (I did not put off getting the treatment done for root canal)

I have sometimes wanted to cancelled my appointments, than think to myself if I do I just got longer to wait and be more worried.

I get upset how my teeth look, females must look at my teeth and think I wont date him.
 
Why do I see dread my due dates even for checkup, my Dad says it better than having bad teeth and plastic teeth. I know I am lucky to have a good dentist who knows I hate going, and both her and her dental assistant, well as the reception team.

I hate my teeth, I want them to get them in the best shape possible, by fixing the problems if I get any. a nice smile for me will help build my confidence up. I have been unable to smile in photos for years.

I dont act nervous and scare in the waiting room as I dont want to scare kids of being afraid of the dentist.
 
Do you think that my worries and being scared in from past experiences when I was a child and seeing other dentists, I mean I still remember when we saw the dentist who came into school with his assistant, a few weeks later we got given a letter back to given to us by our parents, I think these dentists were shock about my teeth when I was 6 or 7. I did not need a filling to when I was 19 and was only a tiny one.
 
She points out the bits I struggled to keep clean, during the five years no hurtful remarks, others dentist yes,
 
I have seen 10 dentists I think at the pratice,
.

I suggest you change that. You can ask to see only one dentist (who you like of course). Switching between dentist even for a specific treatment can really undermine your coping with your anxiety. I truest believe that if you know and trust the dentist you are about to meet, the anxiety and distress will lessen.
 
Thanks for the comment. I should I have said 10 dentists in my life, as some have moved on I do have a disability so find changes hard, cannot afford to see a specialist dentist who have more time, my current dentist is very patient with
 
Hello, I think you said your appointment is today! Don't know what time you are going, hope I'm not too late!

You're doing really well - when you have a phobia it's very common to struggle in the days before an appointment, so many of us do!

Dr Daniel is right that the biggest thing is trust, it's all about forming a trusting relationship with your dentist - over time you can start to feel safe there and safe with them. From what you're saying, it really sounds like you have a dentist there that you're able to do that with, and I'm sure you and she can keep building on that. Keep talking to her, keep on building that trust. It will get easier over time.

Sure you'll be OK today - the anticipation is almost always worse than the actual appointment - but do let us know how you get on!
 
Thanks Tink and Dr Daniel I have been no problems so no new priblems, just the usual bits of advice of the parts I am missing, I have a huge overcrowding problem which probably make my teeth look worst. my gums pockets are all 2mm, sometimes I get scored 2mm and 3mm,

My teeth feel a lot lot cleaner. The dental pratice where I attend has a changed a lot over the last 33 years (in the last five with a new owner, feels more modern) the smells have improved and you cannot hear the drill as much in the other rooms.

I told her about my dream I had a couple of weeks ago, why I was scared about going to the dentist as well as the other reasons, as some have started to put tags (like security) in your mouth, she says no that will never happen.
 
Last edited:
Hey, you made it! Well done!

Glad you got a clean bill of health too :) 2s are great! Sounds like you are taking really good care of your teeth.

Try to think about all the helpful things today, how well your teeth are doing and how the dentist listened to you and helped you today...store them up in your head for next time. You might find it helps to write them down if you like - it can help with that process of building trust. It works, I do this whenever I have a good appointment with the dentist!
 
Back
Top