Here we go again

[freakout]

Many of you know me from the previous site. It took a while, but I finally went to the dentist. I was going every week for check ups on the work he'd done, but this time I had two weeks in between appointments. Somehow, I was able to put it out of my mind for a while, but today I remembered I had to remind my boss to open the business Monday so I could keep my appointment Panic surfaced once again. I know we need to discuss what we need to work on next. Also today the tooth next to the one extracted started hurting and radiates into my chin. That is also a tooth that has a cavity. I fear that it may need more than a filling. I just wish I would not get so jittery days before the appointments. Maybe I can put the appointment in the back of my mind again until Monday, but I highly doubt it. Encouraging words would be greatly appreciated.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi freakout - welcome to the new forum ! Glad you made it here.

My two cents worth: sometimes, it can really help to try and lower general stress levels, for example by pampering yourself or treating yourself to something special, e. g. a hot bubble bath, listening to some relaxing music, buying yourself flowers or plants, lighting some candles, aromatherapy, or whatever else it is that makes you more relaxed (or all of the above ). Physical exercise can also help take your mind of things, if you're into it. Or meeting friends for an evening out. Spoil yourself!

You did fantastically well the last time, and you will be able to cope well again !!

 

[freakout]

Thanks, but I probably won't have time to pamper as I work tomarrow and Sunday I have errands to run to be ready for work on Monday. As for the exercise, still a little sore from my accident, but I have amachine in the basement lol. Hopefully I will be too busy to put much thought into my fears, that is at least until Sunday night. I am just glad I have an appointment first thing Monday morning. I am trying not to worry about the two teeth that are hurting, but the pain reminds me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they just need fillings , but I haven't had afilling in 12 years, and that was by the dentist that caused alot of my phobias

Congrats on the new site, I know it took alot of work, as that is one of my responsibilities at my office.

 

[letsconnect]

Luckily, you're not with the dentist who caused a lot of your phobias now - so things will be very different.

Many thanks for your comments re. the site !! Yeah, it took a little while to put it up (once you know how to do it, it's a lot quicker, but doing it for the first time is slightly more challenging!).

I didn't mean "pamper" as in go to a spa for the weekend , rather, try and get half an hour just for yourself each day where you can simply relax and not worry about chores and looking after others . Seems like you're doing a lot of that in the normal way, and it's good to just switch off from time to time and spend some time on yourself .

 

[freakout]

I will try to treat myself a little bit. I tried to treat myself by going to bed early last night to get a good nights sleep,(something I rarely get), but I had nightmares about the dentist and the oral surgeon I saw years ago for my TMJ. He was a nice doctor, but I don't want to see him again . I guess I am a little worried about making sure my dentist isn't to hurried on Monday and we can discuss the cavities and other teeth that must be fixed. As my relative said sometimes you have to stay on him, because he has such a busy practice, sometimes he forgets. The only thing in my favor is I had Ribs last night and the hole in my tooth in front is more prominant, probably what caused the nightmares

 

[gdentalfear]

Hi freakout,

just wanted to send you best wishes for your appointment tomorrow. Hope you can get a little sleep tonight.

Take care.

G.

 

[freakout]

Thanks for the well wishes! I guess I will get sleep tonight...The dentist office left a message this morning that my dentist will be out of the office tomarrow morning, so they rescheduled for Tuesday morning. Sometimes you wish you would get a call postponing the inevidible, but now I wish I didn't get that call. The one bottom tooth is really starting to bother me and I don't want to lose that tooth too. But on the other hand at least maybe I'll sleep tonight lol.

 

[letsconnect]

Best of luck for Tuesday from me, too!! (I'm feeling a bit under the weather at the moment and may not be around for a day or two - but will be keeping my fingers crossed for you )

 

[freakout]

Thanks "Lets". I hope you are feeling better.
I'm not sleeping very well and have nervous stomach, pretty much par for the course this close to my appointment. I am trying not to think about it, but kind of hard to do. I will just suck it up and go tomarrow. I will keep you posted.

 

[James]

Good luck tomorrow. Hope everything goes well for you.

 

[freakout]

Thanks James I just wish I didn't have so much anxiety before the appointments. Last visit went fine, I wasn't nervous, but I knew it was just to check on the extraction and he wouldn't be doing anything. Tomarrow I'm not so sure he won't try to do anything. Plus I need to bring a couple of my teeth to his attention, which I really do not look forward to. Being he moved todays appointment to tomarrow, he'll probably be real busy

 

[freakout]

Just went for my appointment! It went good, sort of . I was able to tell him about one of the teeth that is causing problems, but not bring up the cavity and the pain in another tooth when I brush. Because the tooth that is causing the most trouble is next to the extraction site I discussed that one. He said that the tooth definately needs work, but he wanted to wait until the extraction site healed to work on it. He said to come back in a few weeks and "Lets try and save that tooth". Not sure what work needs to be done (I was to afraid to ask) I am kicking myself now for not asking, but I feared what he might say. Now I will wait in fear until November 30th. Hopefully at that time I will work up the nerve to discuss the other problem teeth

Because the appointment is 4 weeks away, I know I will probably start with my phobia all over again. Even if it's just a filling I will be scared, because the last dentist to do a filling was the one that caused alot of my fears. He was very rough, pulled on my jaw hurting me and he was a very crude man. I know my current dentist is very gental and nice, but the flashbacks to the day of my last filling are truely upsetting. If a root canal is needed I will freakout, never had one, but I do want to save the tooth.

Oh why didn't I just ask, maybe he thought if I didn't know what he was planning, I wouldn't worry for a month. Which is probably true.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Freakout, sorry for not getting back earlier, I'm a bit tied up at the moment.

If it scares you more not knowing what will be done, could you ring and ask? You could then get a more detailed explanation here on this board.

Hope you're keeping well

 

[freakout]

Thanks for the reply "lets". This might sound strange, but I think I'm better off not knowing I know when I went back to the dentist originally he said, we may be able to get away with just a filling, however the tooth is hurting and there is a cavity on both sides. At the last visit he said "the tooth definately needs work, lets try and save that tooth" which makes me think more than a filling or two is necessary. Whether it is a filling or a root canal, my fear will probably be the same, because the last filling I had (my an uncaring dentist) hurt very badly. I keep telling myself that my current dentist is caring and much gentler than the last dentist, but flashbacks to that bad experience are hard to avoid.

If I have learned one thing from this site, I must tell my dentist my fears, which is hard for me, but I have promised myself that when he asks how I am, I will say I am nervous instead of OK (my usual response). I think that will open the door to a discussion on my fears.

 

[letsconnect]

Thanks for the reply "lets". This might sound strange, but I think I'm better off not knowing

No problem!

I keep telling myself that my current dentist is caring and much gentler than the last dentist

This really is the key - it's a different ballgame now, and you already know that.

If I have learned one thing from this site, I must tell my dentist my fears, which is hard for me, but I have promised myself that when he asks how I am, I will say I am nervous instead of OK (my usual response). I think that will open the door to a discussion on my fears.

I think that's an excellent idea. If you let him know about your fear of having flashbacks (of the bad experience), he may be able to help you with that as well. Besides, oftentimes simply sharing your fears can bring a lot of relief, and he will know to be extra gentle and careful with you.

 

[freakout]

Thanks for the reply "lets". I'm getting a little worried about the appointment being so for away. two of the teeth on the other side of my mouth are getting bad. One of the teeth has a huge cavity in between the teeth and is waring away (that's how the tooth I just had extracted started out) and another back tooth hurts when I brush my teeth I'm afraid that they are really going to be bad by the time I go in, but not afraid enough to move up my appointment lol. I guess if they start to hurt more I will have to go in and see if they can be fixed. I know he is trying to avoid fixing the tooth by the extration site until I heal, but maybe I should have brough these two teeth to his attention when I went in last time. I just hope waiting will not hurt me in the end

 

[James]

Is there any way you could ring up the office sometime before your next visit and give them a heads up about the teeth you are worried about? You could specifiy that you do not necessarily need your visit date moved up, but that you had other issues that you wanted to discuss with your dentist. That way, they could make sure you had plenty of time to discuss these other teeth, and you may not necessarily feel rushed and postpone bringing them up.

-James

 

[freakout]

I am very comfortable with every aspect of my dentist and his assistants, but not his receptionists. Everytime I have had to call I have had problems. My appointmet is early and he is usually able to spend more time talking to me than if I go later in the day, so I am hoping this will be the case on the 30th. I will, however, call if I feel the need (ie: pain gets worse). I am really hoping I will not have to call and that the teeth do not get any worse. I am trying not to worry so much, but it's hard not to worry. I do not want to lose anymore teeth!!!!

 

[brenda]

Gosh Freakout, I am new to the board and have been skimming it.....trying to educate myself a bit.
You are just as terrified as I am. It almost makes me feel better if that makes any sense.
My dental phobia started in 1992 by a crude, impatient dentist. The one I have now is gentle but the phobia is still there. I can't stand to wait either. I wish I could just go on the spur of the moment but it doesn't work that way.

I posted earlier today about my teeth/gums hurting. You were nice enough to respond, even though you are facing the same thing.

I have an appointment at 9am in the morning. I fear the dentist is going to want to do a root canal. I just don't think I can do it. Plus, my teeth are hurting worse now, that before she did the work.
I was told by another poster that the nerves may not have settled down. I don't know. I had root planing done on my whole mouth, then 3 days later had a tooth extracted. Then, 4 days later had 7 cavities and another extraction. A lot in a short period of time.

At 50, I wonder if it is worth all I am getting ready to go through...both monetary and time and anxiety. That's why I am reading this board every chance I get.

Anyway, I mainly wanted to tell you good luck when you finally do go.

 

[freakout]

Brenda, thanks for your kind words. Believe me I know exactly what you are going through!! I don't think I would have found the courage to go to the dentist, had it not been for an accident (I knocked out and broke all of my top teeth). I had to go, because I couldn't hide my mouth anymore. Unfortuanately for me I hadn't found this site yet. I thought I was over my fear, but when it was time to go back and work on my bottom teeth the fear (that I thought I was over) returned. That's when I found this site. Believe me it truly helps to know you are not alone I have a very good dentist, but I still fear the procedures that he has to do. It really helps to talk to others about theses fear.

I hope everything went well for you today Hopefully ths forum helps you as much as it helps me