N
Nalz
Junior member
- Joined
- May 19, 2023
- Messages
- 11
- Location
- United Kingdom
I apologise that this is such a long post!
I had been with the same dentist for around 20 years. Initially, my experience with my dentist had been good. He put me at ease and as good as cured my fear of the dentist....until lately.....I have lived with anxiety and depression for around 20 years, which had a major impact on my dental hygiene in the past. I am the most unconfrontational person you will ever meet and would walk away from any type of confrontation. For around 2 years, I have vastly improved my dental hygiene and I also now floss, if not every day, at least 5 times a week. Since taking more care of my teeth, the last year or so has been an absolute nightmare. I appreciate this has possibly been the result of years of neglect finally catching up with me.
Last year, I think I had to visit my dentist around 5 times as an emergency to have mainly fillings but one infected tooth that had to be extracted. Each time, my dentist had been more and more passively aggressive. He was however a Jekyll and Hyde type, whereby, you didn't know what mood you would get him in (a past post of mine touches on this). Sometimes, he was totally fine. At other times, he would make sarky comments and pretty much instigate that I was lying when I said I wasn't numb. At these times, I was highly anxious and mid-panic attack. I am a people pleaser, who doesn't like to make a fuss, who when mid-panic attack, no-one would really notice. My partner can tell by certain signs. When I have a panic attack, I don't experience hyperventilating. I feel dizzy, like I'm going to pass out, feel like I can't breathe properly, my heart races and pounds, and I feel like I'm choking. But, not wanting to make a fuss, I internalise it. I felt like I was back to the dental phobia state I was in before I saw him (not only fear of treatment but fear of HIS TREATMENT TOWARDS ME). After the 2nd time of being treated this way last year, I had a 3rd issue of pain. I waited a week and half before I could bear the pain no longer, and ended up phoning the dentist. Not only was the dentist snarky, the receptionists were too. After calling to say I was in pain and needed an appointment and being spoken to like a piece of rubbish by the receptionists, I came off the phone and cried my eyes out. As someone who suffers from depression, believe it or not, I NEVER cry. This is when I realised something needed to change.
However....I suffer from anxiety. And as those with anxiety will know, I HATE change..even change that may be good! It took me a while (2 more visits to said dentist in fact) before I realised in the new year that I couldn't continue the way I was going. I called my dentist to cancel my contract and then contacted denplan to officially cancel (I'm in the UK).
The thing that now terrifies me is that I am now dentist-less! I am the most indecisive person on the planet and am looking into dentists to join. The thought of making the wrong choice terrifies me. I'm looking at reviews and also at ones who specialise in dental anxiety if possible. My biggest challenge now is making the choice and calling to arrange it.
Sorry again for the ultra long post!
I had been with the same dentist for around 20 years. Initially, my experience with my dentist had been good. He put me at ease and as good as cured my fear of the dentist....until lately.....I have lived with anxiety and depression for around 20 years, which had a major impact on my dental hygiene in the past. I am the most unconfrontational person you will ever meet and would walk away from any type of confrontation. For around 2 years, I have vastly improved my dental hygiene and I also now floss, if not every day, at least 5 times a week. Since taking more care of my teeth, the last year or so has been an absolute nightmare. I appreciate this has possibly been the result of years of neglect finally catching up with me.
Last year, I think I had to visit my dentist around 5 times as an emergency to have mainly fillings but one infected tooth that had to be extracted. Each time, my dentist had been more and more passively aggressive. He was however a Jekyll and Hyde type, whereby, you didn't know what mood you would get him in (a past post of mine touches on this). Sometimes, he was totally fine. At other times, he would make sarky comments and pretty much instigate that I was lying when I said I wasn't numb. At these times, I was highly anxious and mid-panic attack. I am a people pleaser, who doesn't like to make a fuss, who when mid-panic attack, no-one would really notice. My partner can tell by certain signs. When I have a panic attack, I don't experience hyperventilating. I feel dizzy, like I'm going to pass out, feel like I can't breathe properly, my heart races and pounds, and I feel like I'm choking. But, not wanting to make a fuss, I internalise it. I felt like I was back to the dental phobia state I was in before I saw him (not only fear of treatment but fear of HIS TREATMENT TOWARDS ME). After the 2nd time of being treated this way last year, I had a 3rd issue of pain. I waited a week and half before I could bear the pain no longer, and ended up phoning the dentist. Not only was the dentist snarky, the receptionists were too. After calling to say I was in pain and needed an appointment and being spoken to like a piece of rubbish by the receptionists, I came off the phone and cried my eyes out. As someone who suffers from depression, believe it or not, I NEVER cry. This is when I realised something needed to change.
However....I suffer from anxiety. And as those with anxiety will know, I HATE change..even change that may be good! It took me a while (2 more visits to said dentist in fact) before I realised in the new year that I couldn't continue the way I was going. I called my dentist to cancel my contract and then contacted denplan to officially cancel (I'm in the UK).
The thing that now terrifies me is that I am now dentist-less! I am the most indecisive person on the planet and am looking into dentists to join. The thought of making the wrong choice terrifies me. I'm looking at reviews and also at ones who specialise in dental anxiety if possible. My biggest challenge now is making the choice and calling to arrange it.
Sorry again for the ultra long post!
