• 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 tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

S

shambock

Junior member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
12
Location
UK
Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Been putting it off for five years, but it's got to the stage now where I can no longer self medicate with pain killers and temporary filling kits bought from the pharmacist. My teeth are a mess. I'm 27 years old. I'm in the UK.

Two of my lower back teeth have decayed, crumbled and turned into a couple of black holes. The back teeth on the other side seem to be going down that route too, but are nowhere near as bad. As for the rest of my teeth, I have various small cracks and holes scattered around. Luckily, my front teeth are unaffected, so I can crack a smile without feeling embarrassed or scaring any small children.

I can't believe I let it get to this stage. The fear and embarrassment of facing the dentist is what has prevented me from going all these years, but now that my teeth are at their absolute worst, I decide to go? I must be some sort of an imbecile.

I'm already going over in my head what I'm going to tell the dentist. The stories and excuses so that he doesn't tell me off, so that he doesn't frown upon me. I am scared stiff.

It's going to take weeks, months and loads of cash to get this fixed. I feel sick to the stomach and I don't know what to do.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Been putting it off for five years, but it's got to the stage now where I can no longer self medicate with pain killers and temporary filling kits bought from the pharmacist. My teeth are a mess. I'm 27 years old. I'm in the UK.

Two of my lower back teeth have decayed, crumbled and turned into a couple of black holes. The back teeth on the other side seem to be going down that route too, but are nowhere near as bad. As for the rest of my teeth, I have various small cracks and holes scattered around. Luckily, my front teeth are unaffected, so I can crack a smile without feeling embarrassed or scaring any small children.

I can't believe I let it get to this stage. The fear and embarrassment of facing the dentist is what has prevented me from going all these years, but now that my teeth are at their absolute worst, I decide to go? I must be some sort of an im,becile.

I'm already going over in my head what I'm going to tell the dentist. The stories and excuses so that he doesn't tell me off, so that he doesn't frown upon me. I am scared stiff.

It's going to take weeks, months and loads of cash to get this fixed. I feel sick to the stomach and I don't know what to do.


I honestly know what your feeling i put going to the dentist off for more than 5 years .. But i had another problem it was my top teeth which were rotting even the front i couldnt smile ..
Youve already toke a big step if you have booked an appointment ..
You have to remeber that
Dentists have seen ALOT of peoples mouths and teeth im pretty sure yours wont be the worst he/she has seen, as for thinking they`ll be dissapointed or mad at you for letting your teeth get to the stage that there at
Just come out and tell him/her the truth about why youve been avoiding the dentist they WILL understand if they are a trustworthy dentist

Just think after the first appointment you`ll be on your way to healthy teeth and confidance
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Hi and welcome.:welcome:

I too have let my fears make my mouth far worse than I should have done, but its a real positive step to decide that enough is enough and start going in the opposite direction.

You ARE doing something positive NOW. Forget the past as it can't be undone, you can only effect the future of your mouth. My biggest advice though is not to be rushed along into treatment, your teeth have lasted (sort of) this long, they can wait another couple of weeks for you to get comfortable with your dentist if you want to go slowly at first. If you take the time to build up a relationship and trust with the dentist then the treatment can be more bearable.

If you don't feel comfortable with the dentist, then you have the right to thank them for their time and leave. There are plenty of dentists out there. Once you have found the right one for you, it will make getting a healty mouth again a whole lot easier.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Thanks for both replies. Really appreciate your time. :)

Just a quick question. From what I've described, does anyone have an idea of what treatment I might need for my two lower back teeth?

Basically, the two teeth (both next to each other) have chipped away and are non-existent to such an extent that my gum has slowly but surely grown over the broken teeth and left me with a makeshift tooth made of bits of enamel, gum and some gory black stuff. (Sorry for graphic description)

Does it sound like they're going to need extraction? :( I had an extraction once before and it wasn't pleasant. Just want to prepare myself for the worse. Does anyone have any ideas? :(

Thanks in advance...
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Yes, well done for going. You are not alone - a broken back tooth forced me to the dentist but not before I let it rot away to near nothing.

See what the dentist says about your broken teeth and maybe get a second or third opinion from another dentist if you can face it.

Once you see the first dentist, it does get a bit easier.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

You may be surprised, many of my lower back teeth are broken to gum line but my dentist assures me that not is all lost back there just yet.

The black may just be the softer inner part of the tooth being stained. Once the smooth enemal has gone its very hard to remove staining, but it can be done. So don't think black teeth = rotting, its probably not.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Thanks peeps.

Just getting ready to go now. Will report back later if I can.

Hopefully won't need to have any teeth removed, but if that is the case...I'll just have to do it I suppose. I'll be honest, I'm fairly scared of dental treatment but I'm much more scared of the dentists reaction when he sees my teeth. :shame: Although, I'm sure he's seen much worse.

:hidesbehindsofa:
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Just got back. Dentist was nice, understanding, non judgmental... pretty good.

Had a quick look inside my mouth, and it looks like those 2 teeth I mentioned earlier, need to come out. :( I'm booked in for another appointment in 10 days, for a more thorough check. X-rays and extraction I suppose? :cry:

I don't know too much about this, but what happens after a tooth is pulled out? What takes its place? Is it an implant? A crown?

:hidesbehindsofa:
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Well done you for going :jump:

Now the dentist has seen your teeth the fear of being judged should diminish.

i wouldn't think the dentist would do the extraction next time, usually they will do a full examination before any decision is taken on what needs to be done. Yes the back teeth need to come out but perhaps there is something else to check/do first.

At the end of each appointment I always go through exactly what is planned for next time so that I can be prepared rather than worry about what might happen. If you can, it may be worth a quick call to the surgery just to double check what is planned for next time, that way you won't work yourself up over something that may not be happening.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

As I say, may be worth going to a different dentist if the next examination says you should extract just to confirm that extraction is only option and to make yourself sure.

Opinions can vary but should hopefully give a clear enough picture of your options.

Don't rush into anything.

My tooth was broken well below the gum in parts at the edge and the centre had decayed to only a couple of millimetres above the root. Even then, there was a theoretical possibility to save with crown lengthening, root canal, crown, though no dentist could guarantee because of the extent of the decay below the gum.

One talked about extraction but then suggested "having a go" at a root canal to see if possible, another said crown lenghtening (cut away gum and bone) might give enough solid tooth, another said any attempt to save might not even last a year. The last two favoured an implant.

Implants can replace teeth but they cost around £2,000 per tooth in the UK, though, and it takes many months.​
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Well done you for going :jump:

:yay:Thank you!


no_idea said:
Implants can replace teeth but they cost around £2,000 per tooth in the UK

OUCH! :o Really? I knew they were pricey, but not THAT pricey. A few hundred quid at most. WOW, so is that the option you went for? What are the alternatives for someone who can't afford implants?

I think I'll go look for flights to Hungary. :(
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Even a root canal and crown could cost £800 or so for a single tooth if done privately.

Yes, implants are very expensive in the UK but, as you say, can be done much cheaper in places like Hungary.

Cheaper options in the UK? Maybe a partial denture if you have a couple of back teeth to replace?
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Cheaper options in the UK? Maybe a partial denture if you have a couple of back teeth to replace?

:shame: It's an option that I'm not totally against, I suppose. There is always a stigma attached to wearing dentures though, and that's when "older" people wear them. I'm not even 30 yet! Do I want to be wearing dentures at this age? It's something I'm going to have to get used to, if I have to. Can't really blame anyone....it's my own doing. :shame:
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Yes, the cost, the anxiety, the regret... In hindsight, it would have been so much better to have gone to the dentist earlier but the trouble is that it seems like a good idea at the time not to go. Daft, I know, but lots of people do the same.

I tend to do the same but try not to beat yourself up. These things happen.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

You asked what happens after a tooth is removed. I have had 4 extractions and will have a 5th tommorrow. The first is to let the space heal. Thie time this takes is different for everyone. Some people heal faster/slower than others.
In my case. the tooth being extracted tommorrow will be replaced with a bridge. The other 4 are all in the back where no one sees them so the space has been left open to be utiltized later when I have some orthodontic work done to straighten my teeth.
Hope this helps maybe
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

The two teeth that I'm probably going to need extracted are my lower molar teeth on the right side. :redface: I don't know how long someone can survive without them. At the moment, they're obviously broken, but they're there at least, and I'm able to chew on them usually.

I would just leave them in there if I could, and not have them extracted. But I guess that's not a very good thing to do. :(

I don't know. The more I look into implants, extraction, the ££££ of it all, the more I'm getting put off my the whole thing. This is just a nightmare. :hidesbehindsofa:
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Yup, it's not fun but ultimately it will have to be done and lots of people have to go through the same. Try and keep positive.

Wait till everything is confirmed and talk with your dentist about your options.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Hi peeps,

I got back a few hours ago from my second dental appointment.

To be honest, I'm a bit confused about what happened.

My 2 molar teeth that I had previously mentioned, that were broken down the the gum line were x-rayed and the dentist told me that he was going to "remove the root". And that's what he did.

I don't really get it though. Was this an extraction? I just took the cotton wool thing out of my mouth and had a look and there's nothing there anymore. Just a couple of bloody sockets. I'm just a bit confused because when I asked him if he's doing an extraction, he said NO. So what's the difference? :confused::( Maybe I misheard, misunderstood what he said.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Well, yes, if the roots have been taken out then it was an extraction. But it sounds like there wasn't much to extract if only the roots were remaining and maybe this caused the confusion.
 
Re: Dentist tomorrow for the first time in 5 years. Feeling embarrassed, ashamed...

Looks like it, yea. It all happened so fast and painlessly that it doesn't seem real. :giggle: Well, glad that bits over. It's what I was originally dreading the most. :hidesbehindsofa:

Hopefully the rest of my treatment will go as smoothly. Appointment again next Monday. Feeling a bit more confident now....even looking forward to it!:scared: :jump:
 
Back
Top