Finally scheduled an appointment..

[emuhleigh]

Hello! I am a 23 year old college student, who has not been to the dentist in about ten years. I have neglected my oral health for about that long. My teeth are in a rough condition: yellowing, probably some cavities, small chips in places. I have no reason to be afraid of the dentist- I mean, I've never had a bad experience at one -but I am so afraid even thinking about it.

About two months ago I noticed that the bottom molar on my right side is broken about in half down to the gumline. The tooth had a large filling in it, and now there is only about half the tooth and half the filling left. I was too afraid and ashamed to call the dentist, but since then I have been obsessive about it, checking the tooth several times a day, looking for any changes or sign of infection. It does not hurt, although it's a little tender sometimes when I brush. There is kind of a V-shaped depression in the gumline where my tooth used to be.

finally, today, i got up the courage to make a dentist appointment. I couldn't really find any local dentists who take my insurance that were recommended by other phobics. The dentist I finally found had one very positive review and the receptionist sounded nice; so I'm hoping for the best. The appointment is in four days and I'm very nervous and anxious. I'm embarrassed about the state of my teeth and worried about the cost of the work I know needs to be done.

I have been lurking on this forum for awhile and reading some of the stories..and really it's been this site that finally gave me the courage to make the phone call. I figured I would join now as the days tick down to my appointment and get the support I know I'll need.

 

[Yorkie]

Hi emuhleigh,
I, like you, found great strength from this forum and it spurred me on to make my appointments and get to the dentist. I understand your fear. I was exactly the same, scared, anxious, embarrassed, worried about the costs, all of that. Taking the first step into the dentists office is huge and half the battle. Don't worry about costs just yet, just concentrate on getting yourself there. You may be surprised at what can be done and there may be various solutions ranging in price that will help you get your oral health back.
I know how big a step it is to make the call. Well done for doing that. For people like us it's a huge achievement. I did the same thing in January and have been to the dentist 3 times in total now, and started my treatment plan.
This forum is a great place for support and sharing experiences. I hope your first visit goes well.