Huge Dental Work Starting on Friday.

[welshswan]

Hello all, I am glad I have found somewhere I can talk through my fears and not feel so alone and ashamed! I should start this by saying I am a 28yo female and after ten years I went to a dentist today. I am embarrassed to say that over the course of the last 10 years I have mistreated and not really cared about my teeth at all. I finally plucked up the courage to go to the dentist when I noticed my front teeth were starting to show signs of rotting, I am trying to lose weight and basically undo a lot of the damage I have done to myself.

I was under no illusions before going that I was going to need a hell of a lot of work done, my wisdom teeth have gradually rotted away but the roots remain. My other back teeth are all broken and in various stages of decay, some are saveable most are not. I am so ashamed to say this but I need 8 teeth removed in all, along with 6 fillings and a possible root canal. I am booked in on Friday morning to have four on one side of my mouth removed, I don't yet know how long I will then have to wait to have the other four removed.

So yeah, at 28 I feel like a complete and utter misery as most of my teeth will be gone and I might need dentures before I am 30. I know it is my own fault and I know I have to tough it out and start getting the work done as it will only get worse if I don't. I just feel so scared and miserable right now.

 

[sleeplessinseattle]

First off welcome! Secondly you are absolutely not alone. My dentist tells me that he sees patients that haven't really taken care of their teeth or been to a dentist for over 25 years that need very little work done and others that do everything right at home and after 3 years have problems. There are genetics and body chemistry at work. Don't be hard on yourself. You should be proud that you have begun taking control and are making huge leaps in the right direction. Keep it up. Look to the future and think of everything that will be better when all of the major issues are fixed. Congratulations on the taking the first steps, they were the hardest for me.

 

[lallyy13]

Hello! I'm in the same situation really! How long have your wisdom teeth been rotten down for? I left mine for years. I'm so depressed at the moment with my situation. I've just posted about it if you want to read on my post. I don't know how to move on from this

 

[adoption97]

Please don't feel like you are alone. Last year I had 9 teeth extracted with IV Sedation (4 of the teeth were wisdom teeth). The recovery process was amazingly easy! About a month ago, I had 4 of my top front teeth removed and had a flipper put in----with this, I opted to just go with novocaine.
I am 46 years old and suffered from dental phobia my entire life---my teeth were pretty much broken, rotted or missing. It took me YEARS to find the courage to get the work done and I am so glad I did.
You can do it!!!!

 

[comfortdentist]

Not to try to disrupt your plans but have you considered overdentures? I am a big fan of them

 

[bugs25]

Yep i just had 16 removed 4 days ago and now i have a full upper and a full lower denture.

Dont feel ashamed - like it was just mentioned genetics plays a huge role...so if u have to go down the denture path, trust me when i say you'd be amazed just how many people wear dentures. ...They're lifelike now....look at mine!

 

[welshswan]

Thanks everyone for the kind words! I am still absolutely terrified about Friday, there's no sedation so everything will be done under a local anaesthetic and I am scared to death about whether I will feel pain when they pull. The dentist was very sweet and understanding though, unlike the last one I went to who refused to stop doing a big filling on my back molar even though I lifted my hand up to indicate I was in pain, the pain was 'in my mind' apparently.

I was going regularly to the dentists up until then, that experience scared me to death. I just hope the teeth are not difficult to remove, I don't know how the heck they will be able to get the roots out as there is no tooth there to grab hold of.....I have visions of my mouth pouring with blood and me crying like a child!

 

[welshswan]

Hello! I'm in the same situation really! How long have your wisdom teeth been rotten down for? I left mine for years. I'm so depressed at the moment with my situation. I've just posted about it if you want to read on my post. I don't know how to move on from this

Mine started to rot away probably about 6/7 years ago now. I also grind my teeth big time in the night, to the point where I have been waking up and have had bits of teeth in my mouth which I have broken off in my sleep. Had the front teeth not started to go bad, I probably wouldn't have gone to be honest. When I was 12 I had an abcess for 18 months and only went to the dentist when the pain was absolutely mind numbing.

I am trying to think positive at the moment though, I have had toothache and problems when eating for 5 years now so once the treatment is all completed I hope I will actually be able to eat again without worrying about pain. Also this kickstarts my ban on fizzy drinks, which have caused the most damage. Problem is, I HATE plain water so I don't know if squash or flavoured waters will be okay to drink.

Sorry for rambling on!

 

[FearfulInMA]

From what I've heard, extracting teeth doesn't really involve 'pulling' them out. Instead, the apply pressure to the tooth rocking it back and forth to loosen the roots. It then comes out easily. Again, from this and other things I've heard, having very little tooth left doesn't make it any more difficult.

Best of luck for tomorrow!

 

[Pollo12]

Reading some of your stories makes me cry and I don't even cry for funerals. I'm 21 whith visible plaque on my teeth and when I get close to the mirror I can see tartar at the bottom of the tooth. And in the back but it's only a small amount of tartar. I made me an appointment for wends day the24th 6 days left and I'm shaking in my boots. I always blamed my mom for not forcing me when I was younger as I had a bad tooth extraction when I was younger. But I can't blame no one but myself. I'm scared that I will come home crying in pain and the pain will be constant and uncureasble. I have not seen a dentist since I was like in 2nd or 3rd grade as a result my whole life I have always outcasted myself due to my smile and gapped teeth. ???I even contiplated suicide recently when my molar started hurting but it's not wroth it I don't want to see my mom in tears nor do I want to miss out on my nephew growing up.as my uncle committed suicide back in in 96 and how I wish I could have met him and how I wish I would have gotten a chance to play soccer of baseball with him that is why I made me an appointment for this coming wendsday. Hope is Life. life is Happiness.

 

[welshswan]

Hello all, just to let you know I had my teeth pulled out this morning and it all went well! Dentist was patient and lovely, all of them came out easily enough, including the wisdom roots which I were sure would be hell to get out. I did bleed a fair bit and it took about an hour for that to stop but honestly, the worst part of the whole thing was some of the noises that I heard as the teeth were being pulled.

If I could give anyone a tip, ask your doctor for diazepam before you go, I only had 4mg but it really does take the edge off your nerves. Also if you are able to use in ear headphones (I can't, they fall out of my ears) perhaps take an ipod or your phone and listen to some music whilst the treatment is going on to mask any noise.

I am now booked in on the 29th for the other four extractions, will pop in and out to let you know how I am doing.

 

[Pollo12]

Hello all, just to let you know I had my teeth pulled out this morning and it all went well! Dentist was patient and lovely, all of them came out easily enough, including the wisdom roots which I were sure would be hell to get out. I did bleed a fair bit and it took about an hour for that to stop but honestly, the worst part of the whole thing was some of the noises that I heard as the teeth were being pulled.

If I could give anyone a tip, ask your doctor for diazepam before you go, I only had 4mg but it really does take the edge off your nerves. Also if you are able to use in ear headphones (I can't, they fall out of my ears) perhaps take an ipod or your phone and listen to some music whilst the treatment is going on to mask any noise.

I am now booked in on the 29th for the other four extractions, will pop in and out to let you know how I am doing.

Man man your Brave! Im still panicing about My 1 st appointment in over 9 years my parents never took me to the dentist ???only once when I was younger

 

[welshswan]

Another update! Last Wednesday I ended up going back to the dentist as an emergency, one of my very rotten teeth on the right hand side was giving me a tremendous amount of pain so had all 3 teeth on the lower side of my right taken out. That's a total of 7 and everything is healing up nicely.

Today I went back and had my upper right wisdom root removed and three fillings. Two of the fillings are on my upper left row and the other bottom left, the bottom one is a root canal filling and the other two are only temporary to basically stop the rot and try and save the teeth. She said it is very likely I will end up losing those three teeth as well but it's worth trying to save them. She's given me a prescription for high fluoride toothpaste and told me to come back in three months, she wants the fluoride on my teeth to build up before anymore work or cleaning is done which I understand.

Honestly, whilst I feel sad that I may well end up needing at least partial dentures before 30 I have no one to blame but myself and I am thankful I made the step forward and got the treatment I needed. For the first time in pretty much 8 years I am pain free and the dentist and the practice is lovely, I felt absolutely nothing again today and now I am not really afraid anymore as I know if I go and they start driliing and I do feel pain they will stop and give me more Novocaine.

I've gone out and bought myself a nice electric toothbrush on Sale in Boots for half price and I have now quit fizzy drinks for two and a half weeks so hopefully I can do my best to save the teeth I do have left!

 

[welshswan]

Well it's been 2 weeks since my last update and I am pleased to say the 2 weeks have been blissful! It's only now the teeth have been removed and filled that I realise how much pain I was in, some nights I couldn't even sleep because my whole mouth was throbbing but I have had nothing since I womaned up! The gums are all pretty much healed, had no issues, the fillings have settled down nicely.

One thing I am definitely going to need to do is save up for some tooth whitening treatment when everything is sorted, I hate how yellow my teeth are and I could kick myself for letting them get into such a state.

 

[gamergirl123]

Mine started to rot away probably about 6/7 years ago now. I also grind my teeth big time in the night, to the point where I have been waking up and have had bits of teeth in my mouth which I have broken off in my sleep. Had the front teeth not started to go bad, I probably wouldn't have gone to be honest. When I was 12 I had an abcess for 18 months and only went to the dentist when the pain was absolutely mind numbing.

I am trying to think positive at the moment though, I have had toothache and problems when eating for 5 years now so once the treatment is all completed I hope I will actually be able to eat again without worrying about pain. Also this kickstarts my ban on fizzy drinks, which have caused the most damage. Problem is, I HATE plain water so I don't know if squash or flavoured waters will be okay to drink.

Sorry for rambling on!

What about sugar free flavored drink mix you can add to water? I drink that stuff all the time

 

[Spike 1969]

What about sugar free flavored drink mix you can add to water? I drink that stuff all the time

Yes that's not a bad idea, I also have a liking for still (not fizzy as one of the by products of carbonated water is Carbonic Acid I believe and I'm not sure how harmful or not that is, I intend to ask Mike when I go to see him later in the year). If you are in the UK, the Sainsburys Strawberry and Kiwi one is pretty good ?

 

[welshswan]

Hello again! Just went back for a check up on tuesday, booked in for next tuesday to have four fillings done, including having the two temporary ones removed and replaced with proper fillings. Those teeth were touch and go but the temporary fillings have settled them down so two teeth can be saved. Then I am back in the tuesday after next for another four fillings and a root canal.

I am not scared at all now, weirdly! I can't tell you how nice it is to actually have a very understanding and caring dentist, it really does make all the difference in the world. I wish I had found her sooner and maybe then I wouldn't be in the mess I am in now. Having said that, after having the teeth removed, it has been absolute BLISS! For the first time in a long time I have been completely pain free and I am now not ashamed to actually smile!

I am still considering partial dentures, my gums have healed nicely but as I love my steaks and red meat I do find it difficult to eat such foods as I am basically chewing a lot with my front teeth now and it's a little difficult. I haven't discussed the possibility of that yet though I am sure it is open to me. I am also now trying to save up to have some tooth whitening procedures done in the dentist though the cost is 295 pounds which is a hell of a lot but I wouldn't trust going anywhere else than a dentist for such a procedure.

Have any of you lovely ladies or gents had tooth whitening done? Is it worth the money? I am getting a scale and polish done after the treatment but having had one of those before, I didn't really notice much of a difference. I've been a smoker for nearly 15 years so the nicotine has stained my teeth quite noticeably.

 

[welshswan]

Hello again! Well, difficult day today. Think I was overconfident about how things were going to go, I spent nearly an hour in the chair having three teeth filled, I had to get the dentist to stop and give me another injection at one point as I felt a bit sore but in fairness she stopped straight away and I got no attitude from her whatsover, unlike my last dentist who kept drilling and told me the pain was in my mind!

I hadn't had anything to eat before going so once the work was all done I came downstairs and felt a little faint, the receptionist gave me a glass of water and a glucose tablet, so embarrassing! Nevertheless, I still have five more fillings and a root canal to do so I still have to keep womaned up!

PS I found out today that tooth whitening available at my surgery is 295 pounds, do you think it is worth it? Have any of you had it done? My teeth are fairly yellow thanks to smoking and not taking care of them and I was thinking whitening might be a good way of getting them looking nicer but it is a lot of money to pay for something that might not work.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Congrats on getting through the fillings! I often struggle with being too anxious to eat before appts and then feeling hungry/faint after. I think dentists must see that quite often. Could you try bringing something soft to eat or something to drink after?

Now that you've gotten through these the next treatments should get easier!

 

[welshswan]

Congrats on getting through the fillings! I often struggle with being too anxious to eat before appts and then feeling hungry/faint after. I think dentists must see that quite often. Could you try bringing something soft to eat or something to drink after?

Now that you've gotten through these the next treatments should get easier!

Thank you! I have another appointment next week, my mother said about me taking a banana down and eating that on the way before I go in as that will give me a glucose boost. I rarely eat breakfast anyway, I think I was a little faint because I hadn't expected to be in the chair quite as long. The three temporary fillings I had probably took twenty minutes but the two of the fillings were quite big so it took a lot of drilling then shaping and everything else. I'll have to see how I go next week, if the five fillings left are small I should be okay, if they are big I might have to ask to have another appointment, I know that won't be an issue as they really are understanding and patient. It's just a shame I hadn't found them years ago!