A
andy50220
Junior member
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2010
- Messages
- 1
I just found this website and forum, I do wish I had found it years ago.
Last month after 20 years without a trip to the dentist I finally went in seach of help as the pain was driving me mad. I'd had pain on and off for years and I had learned how to control it with ibuprofen, but this time it was too much.
I have always been afraid of the dentist, but that fear turned into a phobia and even when I broke 3 teeth I still continued without treatment, it was awful, I had learned how to smile without showing my teeth and eating was always difficult so I avoided any foods that needed chewing.
When I went to the dentist is was petrified, I was also convinced that he would declare my teeth beyond repair, to my surprise only one of the broken teeth needed extraction and the others were repairable. The first sitting he said he was going to do a filling and I was paralyzed with fear, it's impossible to explain to someone who is not afraid of the dentist!
The filling was over very quickly and with zero pain, I was waiting for pain but it just never happened. The dentist was very gentle and understanding. When I had to come back 2 days latter for the preparation of a crown I found that most of my fear had gone and though I'll never be happy about getting into the dentist chair it's no real drama now.
A couple more fillings, a crown and an extraction later and it's like part 2 of my life had just begun, the part where my teeth don't hurt any more and I can eat what I like, where I can smile without fear of showing my teeth.
Strangely, it was the final procedure (scale and polish) which saw me in the chair for the longest session and was the least comfortable, though i would not call it painful at all, it was uncomfortable but that's a small price to see my teeth as I never thought I would ever see them again.
I would sincerely encourage anyone to make that first visit to a dentist and you will be surprised how relaxed you will be on the second visit.
One more thing, I live in Thailand where Dental work is cheap (but there is no insurance) and it was harder to communicate my anxiety to the Dentist who despite being very kind, gentle and understanding appeared to struggle with the concept of someone being afraid of the dentist. If I could speak Thai, or if the Dentist could speak better English then that stage would have been easier so I'd encourage anyone to discuss their fears with the dentist before getting in the chair.
Last month after 20 years without a trip to the dentist I finally went in seach of help as the pain was driving me mad. I'd had pain on and off for years and I had learned how to control it with ibuprofen, but this time it was too much.
I have always been afraid of the dentist, but that fear turned into a phobia and even when I broke 3 teeth I still continued without treatment, it was awful, I had learned how to smile without showing my teeth and eating was always difficult so I avoided any foods that needed chewing.
When I went to the dentist is was petrified, I was also convinced that he would declare my teeth beyond repair, to my surprise only one of the broken teeth needed extraction and the others were repairable. The first sitting he said he was going to do a filling and I was paralyzed with fear, it's impossible to explain to someone who is not afraid of the dentist!
The filling was over very quickly and with zero pain, I was waiting for pain but it just never happened. The dentist was very gentle and understanding. When I had to come back 2 days latter for the preparation of a crown I found that most of my fear had gone and though I'll never be happy about getting into the dentist chair it's no real drama now.
A couple more fillings, a crown and an extraction later and it's like part 2 of my life had just begun, the part where my teeth don't hurt any more and I can eat what I like, where I can smile without fear of showing my teeth.
Strangely, it was the final procedure (scale and polish) which saw me in the chair for the longest session and was the least comfortable, though i would not call it painful at all, it was uncomfortable but that's a small price to see my teeth as I never thought I would ever see them again.
I would sincerely encourage anyone to make that first visit to a dentist and you will be surprised how relaxed you will be on the second visit.
One more thing, I live in Thailand where Dental work is cheap (but there is no insurance) and it was harder to communicate my anxiety to the Dentist who despite being very kind, gentle and understanding appeared to struggle with the concept of someone being afraid of the dentist. If I could speak Thai, or if the Dentist could speak better English then that stage would have been easier so I'd encourage anyone to discuss their fears with the dentist before getting in the chair.
![[smiley=jumping.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/jumping.gif "Jumping [smiley=jumping.gif]")
