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Help! ? I'm petrified ?

I

ihatethedentist

Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
63
Location
England
Hi,
I'm 22 years old and haven't been to the dentist for about 3 years now. I'm absolutely petrified of going since last time I went I had a really bad experience. I had 3 teeth out, which got infected afterwards and I nearly ended up in hospital as I refused to eat because the pain was so bad. Plus my dentist is quite nasty and doesn't have much patience with nervous patients.(He probably still uses a mallet too)
Last week a filling fell out of one of my teeth, along with about a quarter of my tooth. I haven't been in much pain but somehow I managed to see an emergency dentist yesterday. Between the all the crying and such, I managed to go into the room and I was told it needed to come out. She gave me anti-biotics as its inflammed and infected. The dentist also asked me why I had stopped going to check ups and mentioned something along the lines of 'needing a lot of work doing'
She didn't say what that would involve (probably because I was nearly wailing on the floor at this moment) but I am absolutely petrified to find out. I haven't been able to sleep because I'm worrying that much, and I'm hardly eating. I really don't want any more teeth out than I need to, but if my dentist sees a tooth needs the slightest thing doing to it, he'd sooner take it out rather than fix it.
I've tried looking for other local dentists which are more friendlier but nearly every other one are fully booked up or miles away.
I've come to the point now where I'm constant worry if and crying , it's even effecting my concentration in work.
I'm just so scared the 'dental work' that needs to be done will mean I'll have to have loads more teeth out and I really don't want that. I find it hard enough as it is with three missing , which will soon be four.
I'm getting sedated for the extraction at a private practise, but even that terrifies the life out of me. I really just don't know what to do anymore.
 
Last edited:
Hi,
I'm 22 years old and haven't been to the dentist for about 3 years now. I'm absolutely petrified of going since last time I went I had a really bad experience. I had 3 teeth out, which got infected afterwards and I nearly ended up in hospital as I refused to eat because the pain was so bad. Plus my dentist is quite nasty and doesn't have much patience with nervous patients.(He probably still uses a mallet too)
Last week a filling fell out of one of my teeth, along with about a quarter of my tooth. I haven't been in much pain but somehow I managed to see an emergency dentist yesterday. Between the all the crying and such, I managed to go into the room and I was told it needed to come out. She gave me anti-biotics as its inflammed and infected. The dentist also asked me why I had stopped going to check ups and mentioned something along the lines of 'needing a lot of work doing'
She didn't say what that would involve (probably because I was nearly wailing on the floor at this moment) but I am absolutely petrified to find out. I haven't been able to sleep because I'm worrying that much, and I'm hardly eating. I really don't want any more teeth out than I need to, but if my dentist sees a tooth needs the slightest thing doing to it, he'd sooner take it out rather than fix it.
I've tried looking for other local dentists which are more friendlier but nearly every other one are fully booked up or miles away.
I've come to the point now where I'm constant worry if and crying , it's even effecting my concentration in work.
I'm just so scared the 'dental work' that needs to be done will mean I'll have to have loads more teeth out and I really don't want that. I find it hard enough as it is with three missing , which will soon be four.
I'm getting sedated for the extraction at a private practise, but even that terrifies the life out of me. I really just don't know what to do anymore.

First of all, you HAVE to find a dentist that you trust and feel confident with. Dentistry should never hurt now - it should all be totally painless. Apart from the cost!
Also a good dentist wouldn't take a tooth out if it could be saved.
I know how bad the worry and fear and imagining what it will all be like but, I can promise, that the thoughts are far worse than the reality if you find a kind and caring dentist.
Good luck and keep us posted :)
 
Hi, just wanted to say I understand your anxieties, but I do think sooscared is absolutely right. It is very important you find a dentist that you are able to build trust in. Also no Dentist these days would extract a tooth unless absolutely essential. All of us here with a real fear about dentists make ourselves feel so ill at the thought of what might happen, when in reality modern dentistry has moved on so much. There should be no pain whatsoever and many surgeries have televisions, music and sedation. Good luck with finding a helpful dentist! Do let us know how you get on.
 
First of all, you HAVE to find a dentist that you trust and feel confident with. Dentistry should never hurt now - it should all be totally painless. Apart from the cost!
Also a good dentist wouldn't take a tooth out if it could be saved.
I know how bad the worry and fear and imagining what it will all be like but, I can promise, that the thoughts are far worse than the reality if you find a kind and caring dentist.
Good luck and keep us posted :)

Thank you. I still haven't made an appointment because I can't bring myself to do it yet. I know it needs doing but I'm worrying over it so much. I have antibiotics from the emergency dentist at the weekend, and that's helped with the pain and inflammation.
I just keep thinking to myself ' because I haven't been in three years, I'm going to need loads of work doing' which is what the emergency dentist said. I have no pain (other than where my filling fell out) I brush 2-3 times a day so I know logically it can't be that bad, but I can't help but think of the worst.
I've already looked at the prices of implants/bridges/etc and I'm making it worse :(
 
Hi, just wanted to say I understand your anxieties, but I do think sooscared is absolutely right. It is very important you find a dentist that you are able to build trust in. Also no Dentist these days would extract a tooth unless absolutely essential. All of us here with a real fear about dentists make ourselves feel so ill at the thought of what might happen, when in reality modern dentistry has moved on so much. There should be no pain whatsoever and many surgeries have televisions, music and sedation. Good luck with finding a helpful dentist! Do let us know how you get on.

Thank you :)
All local dentists seem to be fully booked up unless I go outside the NHS. It looks like I'll have to make do where I am for now. Maybe get this problem sorted and then look around again. I just hope when I get an appointment he seems to understand how anxious I am and doesn't rush things because I haven't been there for a while.
I'm still dreading to know what the 'bit of work' is going to be. Couldn't sleep last night at all and it's really worrying me. I've decided its the fear of diagnosis that causes my anxiety. I'm phoning again on the morning to see if they can rush things along. (Never thought I'd say that haha)
 
So, I'm going the dentist tomorrow. Scared isn't even the word. I know for a fact I won't be able to sleep tonight. I know I have to have one extraction (where my tooth can't be refilled) but it's the other things the emergency dentist saw at the weekend. I've just got it into my head I've got to have at least 2 more teeth out. I'm absolutely terrified. I haven't ate properly in about a week, and if I have to get much more work done I just don't know how I'm going to cope :(
 
So, I'm going the dentist tomorrow. Scared isn't even the word. I know for a fact I won't be able to sleep tonight. I know I have to have one extraction (where my tooth can't be refilled) but it's the other things the emergency dentist saw at the weekend. I've just got it into my head I've got to have at least 2 more teeth out. I'm absolutely terrified. I haven't ate properly in about a week, and if I have to get much more work done I just don't know how I'm going to cope :(


I can honestly tell you I was terrified, I only went because I was in pain and it out turned out I needed a tooth out and fillings. I can honestly tell you that the thought is a lot worse. Getting it out and fillings are fine you won't see the time going.


Treat yourself after. Good luck you'll be fine.

Afraidnomore
 
I done it! :)
I went and a date has been made for my tooth to come out, but I've got a while to worry about that yet as it's in about a month. There was this new dentist who was lovely and she said I've got nothing to worry about. I told her that the other dentist told me I needed "work doing" and she said I have lovely teeth and just to keep doing what I'm doing otherwise I will need work doing in the future. I think I'm also going to start going back for regular checkups. I have no idea what's just happened but I'm quite proud of myself.
:jump:
I'll keep you posted about my extraction when that happens :o
 
I done it! :)
I went and a date has been made for my tooth to come out, but I've got a while to worry about that yet as it's in about a month. There was this new dentist who was lovely and she said I've got nothing to worry about. I told her that the other dentist told me I needed "work doing" and she said I have lovely teeth and just to keep doing what I'm doing otherwise I will need work doing in the future. I think I'm also going to start going back for regular checkups. I have no idea what's just happened but I'm quite proud of myself.
:jump:
I'll keep you posted about my extraction when that happens :o

Well done, it's a great feeling. Wooooo
 
Well done you!!!:jump::jump::jump:

Thats brilliant, it sounds like this dentist is a "keeper"

Soooooscared and Snowy are spot on, finding a good dentist is the key, it really is a team effort between yourself and your dentist, you should be proud of yourself, it takes a lot of courage to go to that first appointment.

After putting up with sub standard service and attitudes for years, I finally sacked my old dental practice and went to a new one, it was nerve wracking at the time but the dentist I have now is amazing, it has completely transformed the experience of going. I'm now getting stuff done (like an Implant) that I would never have trusted the old place to do and just the thought of it would have brought me out in a cold sweat.

good luck with your appointment, I'm certain you will be just fine :clover::clover:
 

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