Hi Folks, Looking for some advice :)

[mick1988]

I asked the following on the support sub section but didn't receive a reply and was wondering if anyone in here would be able to help?

"How's it going folks? I've been tasked with sorting this problem out for my girlfriend.

She is terrified of dentists, turns the TV off if anything similar appears, can't listen to people talking about it and so on.

She desperately needs work done. About 2 years ago she was booked into a dentist, went for the first check up and that was grand. Then went to get the work done and she burst into tears and left the dentist never to go back.

At the time she needed a filling removed and a root canal done on the one tooth. She says she isn't entirely sure because the tooth is still sensitive to hot and cold, which suggests the nerve isn't dead? She now has a dull throb every day.

She needs to be knocked out we think. I have tried to research NHS sedation clinics, but all is not simple.

Just looking for the first step. Is the first step to register with an ordinary dentist and tell them and they might refer you to a sedation clinic?"


An update is that this morning we went to her GP to see if she could get a referral to a dental hospital but the doctor didn't know what we were talking about, so back to square one

Thanks folks!

 

[Ihatedentistss]

Hi there Mick you've come to the right place! I think it's very wonderful that you're trying to help your girlfriend out. Maybe you could refer her to here? It's such a great place for support when you're afraid of the dentist or endodonist or what have you! I was told I would need a root canal on the 22nd of this month, and I ended up in tears while I was still sitting in the chair I must have looked like a basket case but the assistant was very kind. Anyways, I was terrified to have the root canal because my mom went to a bad dentist for two root canals that weren't good and I've always been told by everyone how terrible root canals are. Like your girlfriend I wanted to be "knocked out" for the procedure but apparently that wasn't an option around here. Not to mention that, even if it had been, it would have been really expensive and I need a lot of cavities filled so yeah. Well, I was referred to an endodonist and my appointment was yesterday. I was okay but when I got in the chair I sort of freaked. But the assistant was lovely, my endodonist knew his stuff which reassured me a ton and he was nice. In the end it wasn't bad at all! As they say, it was no worse than a regular filling. I had to be numbed a few extra times, so I raised my hand, and that was that! It's a piece of cake, honestly.

If you have something that will calm her, it wouldn't hurt your girlfriend to take something before she goes to her appointments. I know plenty of people like to take a Valium or Xanax, that type of thing.

I hope everything works out and that you can help her overcome her fear. Best wishes!

 

[Spike 1969]

Good Evening Mick and

Its great you are helping your girlfriend with this, you have definitely come to the right place. Dental Phobia is an all too real and common thing.

I've never had sedation/general anaesthetic for routine dental stuff (fillings/root canal/extractions) so I'm not 100% sure but I think you need to be referred to an NHS sedation clinic or dental hospital by your own dentist if they think it's necessary. I'm pretty sure for General Anaesthaesia this can only be done at a hospital in the UK.

If your girlfriend is a private patient she can opt to pay to have Intravenous Sedation privately I believe.

hope this is helpful.

Kind Regards

 

[CollegeBound]

Hi!
Maybe you could try to convincer to just make an appointment for a "chat" with the dentist, and have her talk about her fears. You could have her write them down and hand them to him/her if you don't think she will be able to say them out loud.

Another thing... If you can, stay with her during every appointment for moral support. Hold her hand if necessary. Let her know that you are there and won't let anything bad happen to her. Sometimes, you just need someone in your corner.

One more suggestion. Maybe try to take her to her favorite restaurant after her next appointment?????

Hope this helps!