How bad can it really be?

[Ozymandias]

Hey everyone, i think i'm here just to get some reassuring words about actually going to the dentist and seeing what's what. I'm 23, and i have never been to the dentist...which is embarrassing to say, having a couple of family members who are dentists and orthodontists. On top of that, i never really took good care of my teeth, and it's starting to show. My teeth still look good from the front, and i get complimented on them often, but there are a lot of problems not really visible to others.

All 4 of my wisdom teeth have erupted years ago, and i never went to get that checked even though it really hurt at the time. Every couple of months to half a year i experience a period of pain with my teeth, especially when eating cold food. Lately one of my molars, can't be sure which one, just randomly hurts for like an hour. After many years of not checking my mouth out, i just went to the bathroom with a flashlight and upon closer inspection...it doesn't look good. I can see that one of my wisdom teeth is almost black, overall my teeth look unhealthy and yellow, it's a far cry from my teeth just 3 years ago or so, they were perfect. On top of all that, i suspect i might have gum disease, which is probably the scariest part after researching it a bit more.

I guess i just need some reassurance that it can't be THAT bad, and that no matter what it's better to go now than to wait for my teeth to get even worse. I'm just really scared of actually opening my mouth for someone to check out, i'm afraid of what else is there that i don't know about. I have general health anxiety, and i always overthink whenever i suspect something might be going on, but for whatever reason i was just able to brush off any teeth issues i had in the past. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi Ozymandias,

Thank you for sharing with us your story. The dental experience is unfamiliar for you and hence the uncertainty about what might happen.
Here are some videos I made which might be helpful for you: first, a video about feeling embarrassed in the dental context
Fear of embarrassment during a dental visit

Second, worrying thoughts about dental issues:
Dental worrying

Hope these help.

 

[Ozymandias]

Thank you so much for making, and posting these here. I just watched the second video about dealing with obsessive worrying over whatever dental problems you may (or may not) have, and it actually made me feel calmer, and safer. I appreciate it!

 

[Enarete]

Hi Ozymandias,

I'm glad Dr.Daniel's videos put you at ease and make you feel calmer. Most people expect their situation to be FAR worse than it actually is. You will see it all across the forum if you take a look at the stories.

Wisdom teeth are far back in the mouth and many people struggle cleaning them properly, so don't beat yourself up for them not looking very good now. From what you write it doesn't sound like you have that many issues. Btw. it is extremely unlikely that you have periodontal disease at your age, but if you went through a phase of not taking care of your teeth much, your gums may be inflamed. A cleaning and good home care will solve that and your dentist or a hygienist should be happy to help you with this.

There is no reason to feel embarrassed for not having been to the dentist before. Your parents were responsible for taking you as a child and to help you build a habit of seeing a dentist regularly and having a good home care. What you are doing here is a brave thing: you are starting your own journey, creating a new way of taking care of your teeth. That's a great thing and it is ok if it's scary. Btw., if it helps, your dentist doesn't need to know how many years you haven't been. What counts is the here and now and your willingness to move forward.

It sounds like starting to look for a kind caring dentist may be a good idea. You can find some guidance on how to do it here.

All the best wishes

 

[Ozymandias]

Hi Ozymandias,

I'm glad Dr.Daniel's videos put you at ease and make you feel calmer. Most people expect their situation to be FAR worse than it actually is. You will see it all across the forum if you take a look at the stories.

Wisdom teeth are far back in the mouth and many people struggle cleaning them properly, so don't beat yourself up for them not looking very good now. From what you write it doesn't sound like you have that many issues. Btw. it is extremely unlikely that you have periodontal disease at your age, but if you went through a phase of not taking care of your teeth much, your gums may be inflamed. A cleaning and good home care will solve that and your dentist or a hygienist should be happy to help you with this.

There is no reason to feel embarrassed for not having been to the dentist before. Your parents were responsible for taking you as a child and to help you build a habit of seeing a dentist regularly and having a good home care. What you are doing here is a brave thing: you are starting your own journey, creating a new way of taking care of your teeth. That's a great thing and it is ok if it's scary. Btw., if it helps, your dentist doesn't need to know how many years you haven't been. What counts is the here and now and your willingness to move forward.

It sounds like starting to look for a kind caring dentist may be a good idea. You can find some guidance on how to do it here.

All the best wishes

Thank you so much for making this comment, i had a talk with my uncle, who's a dentist, and between that and Dr. Daniel's videos i do feel a lot better now. My uncle doesn't practice at the moment, due to some personal issues, but he recommended a friend of his that i can go to to get my teeth checked out. I will be going this Friday, and while on one hand i'm scared of it, i also realize how important it is to start taking care of my teeth as soon as possible, rather than just ignore it and wait for the next time a panic attack hits me, at which point it might be much worse than it is now. Again, thank you for taking the time, i really appreciate it!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Ozymandias, if you happen to check back here, how did your appointment go? Hopefully, your uncle's recommendation was a good one ?