Hoping someone can help me with fear of drilling and question

[CrystalG]

In case the rest is too long to read, I need to know from people here if when the dentist is drilling your teeth for a cavity..is it supposed to feel hard to breathe from your nose (like when you are trying to breathe when you have your head out of a fast moving car window but a bit worse)? I usually hold my breath as best I can until he takes a drilling break since he tends to stop the drill kinda often. Is this normal, or is it just me??

I need to go back to get a couple fillings done soon and am terrified. I'll try to keep this short..I've been to the dentist for fillings many times before with the same dentist and everything was fine. I found the drilling relaxing and never had a problem. Fast forward of few years and I went to a new dentist and now I'm terrified to go back because when this dentist drills I can't breathe until he stops the drill. I'm not sure if it's the drill or the assistant with the suction thing but I can breathe as soon as he stops drilling so I'm guessing it's the drill. The only differences that I can think of is that 1)My first dentist didn't have me as far back on the chair and 2) MAYBE this is newer equipment with strong air/water current that I'm not used to?? I of course block my throat with my tongue to prevent the air and water from choking me, so I know I'm getting that part right lol, buy why can't I breathe easily through my nose as he drills?

I'm concerned because I have laryngospasms in my sleep (when you choke in your sleep from gerd and wake up gasping for breath). So I need to know if this is normal dental process to struggle to inhale (like breathing through a fast car's window) during drilling or if my oversensitive throat is spasming during the drilling. I'm scared.

 

[Enarete]

Dear CrystalG,

reading about your issues with breathing at night and your experience with your new dentist, your fear is very understandable.

As to the drill. What the handpiece does is to rotate quickly and there is a beam of water coming out from it in order to to cool it. There is no air coming out of it and nothing that would make you unable to breathe through your nose. I am wondering what your dentist is doing differently so that you have these troubles and I would like to encourage you to find out. How about to explain your difficulties and let him show you the drill so that you see where the water exactly comes from and how fast? Maybe he can even adjust it? You could also ask him not to tip you too far back. Last thing that you might want to consider is the use of rubber dam - this isolates the treatment from the rest of your mouth completely so that all water and all rushing sensations do not take place in your mouth. This would help you to get rid of any choking sensations and the need to block your throat with your tongue.

The first step however, would be to talk to your dentist. I would like you to encourage him to experiment a little bit and find a way for you to be comfortable with a treatment. You want to make sure not to push yourself as it can make your anxiety worse over time.

All the best wishes and let us know your thoughts.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

CrystalG,

I can only imagine what a panicking feeling that would be with the breating and trying to control all that . phew.

I am with Enarete.. talk to you dentist and let him know the fears and anxieties about the drilling and breaths and your basic problems with this.. And most likely he will find a way to adjust and he will want to make sure you are comfortable.

I cannot tell you the years I froze through and panicked inside from various procedures because I wasn't used to speaking up and didn't know how to communicate my fears or thought I would be a bother.. I just started putting things out there this last year and its made a world of difference..

I hope you can have a better time easier next time.

 

[brit]

I don't think you should be blocking your throat with your tongue and how is that physically possible anyway? Your tongue should be flat in your mouth well out of the way. I don't think you should find it difficult to breathe out of either your nose or mouth during drilling either. Do not hold your breath at all it will not help quite the reverse.

 

[Snowball]

Check out a free meditation app, like Insight Timer - online or an app for your phone. The free introductory course called something like "Learn To Meditate" has a great session teahcing you how to breathe deeply for relaxation. I find this very useful when at the dentist. If you practice the technique daily, even after just a couple of days, you'll have it to the point you can breathe deeply and consciously, in and out and stay in control of that.

The app also has loads of (free) meditations to help you relax or calm yourself.