• 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.

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Finally made the call, question remains if I go

F

Floridaphobic

Junior member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
2
I have read forums on your site for weeks since I joined nearly a month ago. Thanks for providing a place to vent fears and garner support.
I had excellent dental care growing up, when I was in my twenties (many years ago) and had dental insurance I had two root canals done, still cost me 2 grand. They both failed and I experienced many problems, I refused to go back, scared to death and I hate needles.
Fast forward about 15 years, still have not returned to a dentist for anything...and then I started having issues near one of the failed roots. I went a very matter of fact dentist who took and x-ray and pointed out a black area that he said " probably cancer ".......I never went back, that was over 10 years ago.
In my mid fifties now and having issues, concerned about a couple rotting teeth and possible health problems from it. Eating is now getting painful.
SO, I promised my wife and mother that I would call and make an appt. I am terrified and will lose sleep all weekend, I am also embarrassed.
Not sure I can go thru with this, but I am sick of the discomfort, still I will look for an excuse.
Any advice for the Key West Chicken is most appreciated!!
 
Hi WELCOME to the forum :jump::jump::jump:

I am in the UK but the advice is the same no matter where you live. The dentist will not judge you or make you feel embarrassed, or even scold you.

Things are much different these days since you last went. The dentist that you saw years ago was sadistic and very unprofessional, he shouldn't have said that you probably had cancer without investigating properly. It was likely to be infection. But now you can go and get it looked at properly and have your mind settled, and get you free of pain.

The first appointment will only be for you to meet the dentist and you can explain how you feel and what you are most nervous about. They will want to have a look and maybe take an x ray. They will either discuss what treatment you need then but most likely they will make another appointment to talk to you about what you need and how best to get it done.

They can start with the small stuff and work up to the bigger jobs. The injections can be given totally pain free as can all treatment. You will be able to get a trusting relationship with the dentist.

If the dentist makes you feel uncomfortable in any way you don't have to go back, you find another that will put your comfort first.

Good luck :clover::clover::clover: let us know how you get on please :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::butterfly:
 
Thank you, when I saw the website was based In the UK, I was like OK at least it's unlikely anybody will know me and what a chicken I am. I never did like going to a dentist and after the horrible experiences....well I thought about it a lot but always talked myself out of doing anything.
Even now I am trying to find a reason to get out of the exam scheduled for Tuesday, the good news is the very nice girl did her best to calm me down and reassure me, I just tried to be funny on the phone...my wife said I was trembling.
Thanks for all the support and for having a place for cowards like me to try and feel ok about this
 
We all understand how you feel. We have all being there for one reason or another, myself included. I was just as bad if not worse than you in being terrified but I found that a dentist that listened to me and has given me pain free treatment works wonders.

I hope you keep the appointment I think you will be pleasantly surprised. The thing is, if you go and don't like it you don't have to go back, and no damage will have been done. It is amazing how good you feel after that first appointment and in a funny kind of way it makes you feel much stronger. Facing this fear gives you much more than healthy teeth.

I look forward to reading how good this appointment went.

All the best to you :clover::clover::clover::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::butterfly:
 
You are not a coward. You had bad experiences and it is only natural that those experiences put you off going back to a dental surgery. Been there, done that, currently wearing the T-shirt. Good luck for Tuesday :clover:
 

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