F
FM30992
Former Member
Hi everyone,
I stumbled on the forum today psyching myself out about my "deep cleaning" (scaling/root planing) on Tues.
Some background... my parents never focused on dental hygiene when I was a kid. I brushed once a day and had an occasional dentist visit. No effort was made to do more than that. I remember thinking it was weird that all of the other kids in middle and high school seemed to be getting braces but I figured I didn't need them. My last dentist appointment for xrays/cleaning was probably around age 15.....
Until my wisdom teeth acted up last year. I went to a place that did an xrays and an exam. I had one cavity that they were able to get filled the next week. They had no openings for cleanings for SIX MONTHS. I booked the appointment, but my the time the date rolled around I had been promoted at work and could not make it. My wisdom teeth turned into a fiasco. Bottom two were on or near nerves, top two were in my sinus cavity. And the oral surgeon blindsided me by saying I had a mass in my sinus cavity. I was already freaking out about the possibility of multiple complications from wisdom teeth surgery and then she threw that at me. After two weeks of freaking out, I had the wisdom teeth removed... and no complications!! Less than a week later I had my sinus CT and was diagnosed by a ENT with a mucous retention cyst... something completely normal and benign that may cause issues later but for most people does not.
I'm 31 now, and I've gone back to school to study child development. There is so much focus on dental health and teaching it to children that my teeth make me self conscious. They are a little yellow (chain coffee drinker), the front teeth (top and bottom) are crooked/crowded, but they are generally in good health... I brush at least once a day (I've started making an effort to brush twice), I never flossed (I've started flossing), and I have this habit of using a clean fingernail to scrape the plaque off of my teeth. It's disgusting, I know... I also have, as far back as I can remember, had popping/clicking in my left jaw. So, I recently decided I wanted to give braces a go and sought out Smile Direct Club. Something about them rubbed me the wrong way... not entirely sure what it was, but I backed out and told my husband I wanted to see a real dentist.
Last Wednesday, I saw a dentist. Xrays show 5 small cavities that do not need intervention now, and 2 that did. They were able to do fillings that day. He also scheduled me for a "scaling and root planing" on Tuesday (7/7).... and I have an Orthodontist consult in the morning before that.
I'm a little nervous about the ortho consult because I want straight teeth SO BADLY but I'm worried that it's going to be complicated with my jaw or whatever else the orthodontist finds.
I'm absolutely terrified about the scaling and root planing. I'm booked for whole mouth, I confirmed that they will numb me completely. I don't like not being in control. I'm also not looking forward to sitting still for what they said will be "about an hour not including time to numb you." I hate sitting still. I hate not being able to do anything. I'm also worried about the recovery.... and I'm worried about how many shots I'm going to need for them to do my whole mouth. I know I could break it up and do sections at a time, but I'd like to get this over with so I can move on to whatever orthodontic work I need. I have never been happy with my smile (which is why I'm never in pictures when I go anywhere), so I really want straight, healthy teeth.
Does anyone have an advice, information, or comforting words?
I stumbled on the forum today psyching myself out about my "deep cleaning" (scaling/root planing) on Tues.
Some background... my parents never focused on dental hygiene when I was a kid. I brushed once a day and had an occasional dentist visit. No effort was made to do more than that. I remember thinking it was weird that all of the other kids in middle and high school seemed to be getting braces but I figured I didn't need them. My last dentist appointment for xrays/cleaning was probably around age 15.....
Until my wisdom teeth acted up last year. I went to a place that did an xrays and an exam. I had one cavity that they were able to get filled the next week. They had no openings for cleanings for SIX MONTHS. I booked the appointment, but my the time the date rolled around I had been promoted at work and could not make it. My wisdom teeth turned into a fiasco. Bottom two were on or near nerves, top two were in my sinus cavity. And the oral surgeon blindsided me by saying I had a mass in my sinus cavity. I was already freaking out about the possibility of multiple complications from wisdom teeth surgery and then she threw that at me. After two weeks of freaking out, I had the wisdom teeth removed... and no complications!! Less than a week later I had my sinus CT and was diagnosed by a ENT with a mucous retention cyst... something completely normal and benign that may cause issues later but for most people does not.
I'm 31 now, and I've gone back to school to study child development. There is so much focus on dental health and teaching it to children that my teeth make me self conscious. They are a little yellow (chain coffee drinker), the front teeth (top and bottom) are crooked/crowded, but they are generally in good health... I brush at least once a day (I've started making an effort to brush twice), I never flossed (I've started flossing), and I have this habit of using a clean fingernail to scrape the plaque off of my teeth. It's disgusting, I know... I also have, as far back as I can remember, had popping/clicking in my left jaw. So, I recently decided I wanted to give braces a go and sought out Smile Direct Club. Something about them rubbed me the wrong way... not entirely sure what it was, but I backed out and told my husband I wanted to see a real dentist.
Last Wednesday, I saw a dentist. Xrays show 5 small cavities that do not need intervention now, and 2 that did. They were able to do fillings that day. He also scheduled me for a "scaling and root planing" on Tuesday (7/7).... and I have an Orthodontist consult in the morning before that.
I'm a little nervous about the ortho consult because I want straight teeth SO BADLY but I'm worried that it's going to be complicated with my jaw or whatever else the orthodontist finds.
I'm absolutely terrified about the scaling and root planing. I'm booked for whole mouth, I confirmed that they will numb me completely. I don't like not being in control. I'm also not looking forward to sitting still for what they said will be "about an hour not including time to numb you." I hate sitting still. I hate not being able to do anything. I'm also worried about the recovery.... and I'm worried about how many shots I'm going to need for them to do my whole mouth. I know I could break it up and do sections at a time, but I'd like to get this over with so I can move on to whatever orthodontic work I need. I have never been happy with my smile (which is why I'm never in pictures when I go anywhere), so I really want straight, healthy teeth.
Does anyone have an advice, information, or comforting words?