I have had depression recently and I am scared to see the dentist. Does anyone have any advice for me?.

[anonfemale]

I have been really depressed recently because I am not getting the care that I need at home and I am going through a bereavement so it's a lot to deal with. I haven't brushed my teeth or used the interdental brushes that I usually use as much as I should have been using them over the last few weeks and for a while I wasn't eating or drinking very much so I am really anxious about going to see the dentist at my next appointment which is on Thursday next week. I think I have noticed either some black lines or a hole on one of my back teeth. I'm not sure how the rest of my teeth and gums are but I hope there won't be anything wrong or if there is anything wrong I hope it won't be anything serious. I know there are lines on back teeth that are there all the time but I can't really tell if they really are are black or if there is really a hole there. Some days I haven't brushed or used the interdental brushes at all and some days I have only brushed and used the interdental brushes once a day. I feel like I might have a panic attack if the dentist tells me that there is something wrong. How can I make myself get in to the chair for the dentist to have a look in my mouth and how can I get through the appointment?. I know the dentist will be understanding if I tell her about me not being able to do things because I have been depressed and she is very kind and I know she will want to help me and that it's important to see her but I'm still very anxious. Has anyone else on the forum had depression and not eaten or drank or brushed or used interdental brushes or floss very much and what happened when you saw the dentist after that?. I would really appreciate any advice.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi @anonfemale, really sorry to hear that you still haven't been able to get the care you need .

Great to hear that your dentist is very kind and understanding. It sounds like the best way forward will be to be honest with her and tell her how you have been depressed and that you don't get the support you need.

Do you have anyone who can come to the appointment with you and give you moral support?

 

[anonfemale]

@letsconnect I have bern waiting to have an allocated social worker for nearly 3 months now and me and my family have rang them so many times and explained that I need help with everything because I'm not capable of doing things on my own because I have autism but a duty social worker has only arranged 2 calls a day except for when I half an hour and a half each for shopping twice a week with the carers that come to see me that last for half an hour each which is hardly any time to get anything done at all and the carers who come now are only allowed to clean and tidy the kitchen and help me to have a shower and the care company and social services have said different things about cleaning and laundry because first one of the duty social workers said that their manager won't commission any cleaning and then the care company said they can only help with a bit of cleaning but not all of it and that I would need to pay them to do that and some of the carers say that they can help wit some things and then other carers say that they can't help with those things and they just turn up at my house at unsuitable times and they don't let me know when they are coming so it's been making me very unwell when the care company and social services have said different things and because they don't come at set times. I will be contacting social services again tomorrow to ask why there have only been duty social workers contacting me and to ask why the duty social workers can't arranged all of my longer term care and why I need to wait for an allocated social worker.


Thank you yes my dentist is very kind and understanding and I will explain to her about me being depressed and that I don't get the support I need. Since I last posted here I have been eating and drinking as much as I used to do but I have only brushed and used the interdental brushes once a day just in the mornings. That's because I have been depressed and also because I have finished eating too late at night and then been too tired to brush and use the interdental brushes at night. I'm trying to think of a way I could brush and use the interdental brushes earlier before I get too tired at night or I could just use my toothbrush at night if it's ok to just use that without using the interdental brushes at night because I know that people only need to use the interdental brushes at least once a day.

My mum will be going to the dentist appointment with me but I still feel too scared to get in the chair and to let the dentist look in my mouth and I'm worried about having panic attacks if she says there is anything wrong in my mouth and I have been having panic attacks about it recently too.

 

[anonfemale]

Does anyone have anymore advice for me?. I'm terrified of going to see the dentist this thursday and I keep feeling like cancelling the appointment.

 

[anonfemale]

@letsconnect I'm feeling terrified of seeing the dentist on Thursday. Should I cancel or rearrange the appointment or is it better to go there in case there is anything wrong in my mouth?.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Hi Anonfemale, just catching up here. I am so sorry for all you are going through, and also for your loss as you mention bereavement. I sure hope the resources and people get in place to help you! You are so strong going through all this! To me, it reminds me a little of the freeze trauma response, only because that is my trauma response and when something triggers the old trauma, a new situation I freeze, not Alot gets done. Sometimes you just have to give your self grace to do what you can, get rest, eat, support yourself . Sometimes I push myself through but I also sometimes just know when I can't and just slow down. Once you get the rest and what you need you can pick back up again and take baby steps. I don't know if any of that helps. but just related to some of what you mentioned and really do hope you can find Alot of grace for yourself in this time! and that others help!

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Would calling with specific questions before you go help?

 

[letsconnect]

@traumaanxiety gave some really great advice here a few days ago which might be helpful to you, too:

"Your brain is catastrophizing, making you think of every worst case scenario to stop you going, it thinks it's keeping you safe because you've taught it that the dentist is unsafe, but its doing the opposite.

Make that appointmet, go through with it. Go scared, so shaking, go crying if you have to. Just go. And when you come out you will be so relieved. You will get your life back without all this worry hanging over you."

Does that make sense?

 

[anonfemale]

@krlovesherkids777 @letsconnect Thank you for your replies. You are both very kind and very helpful. I sent a message to the receptionist yesterday mentioning how unwell I am and about what has been happening recently. Also someone I tried having a relationship with has stopped contacting me and they havent told me why so that is also making me unwell and making it difficult for me to do things. It's a lot to deal with all at once. The receptionist at the surgery said she let the dentist know about my message and said I can contact them when I feel like going in to the surgery and they were very kind and they said they hope I get well soon. I know it could be my anxiety making me think of the worst case scenario and I will only feel relieved if there isn't anything wrong in my mouth or if there isn't much wrong in my mouth. I'm hoping that I can still go there soon. I think I need to be taking my medication for my anxiety more regularly before I go to to see the dentist and I have only been taking it regularly again for just over a week now. It wouldnt be too bad if I just need fillings like what I have needed a few times before or if I need any back teeth taken out and I was fine when I had one of my back teeth taken out a few months ago but I worry in case any of my front teeth need taking out. I cant always tell if teeth feel loose and I read that someone on here said that teeth always feel a little bit loose anyway. I hope I can let the dentist do the checkup and let her explain if I need anything done when I go there even if I am scared and shaking and crying.

It could be the freeze trauma response that I am having and I am trying to stay strong and do what I can each day as much as I can and I try to take baby steps.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Anonfemale, You are doing all you can with every strength you have. Keep pressing on! You are strong and we see you and care!

 

[anonfemale]

@krlovesherkids777 Thank you. I'm glad that everyone here sees me and cares and it's helpful talking to people here who have been through the same as me in some ways. I like to help people here too.

 

[anonfemale]

@krlovesherkids777 @letsconnect I'm still not sure how I will be able to be brave enough to go to the appointment because I think I will be feeling scared whenever I go there. I'm hoping that I won't be as scared when I have been taking my medication for my anxiety longer. If there is anything wrong in my mouth can it get worse if it's left like that longer?.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

I remember many appointment just so scared walking in all anxious. One day before there was a song on the radio, Fear is a liar. really helped me walk into the appt and really my dentist was literally an angel. but my fears captured me every time. You have everything that it takes to make it though! We know it! It's just finding your peace to do it ..

 

[anonfemale]

@krlovesherkids777 I know how you feel with walking in feeling scared and anxious. That's how I feel too. I'm glad that the song on the radio helped you walk in to the appointment and that your dentist was an angel. I still need to rearrange my appointment with the dentist. I hope I will be able to make myself go there as soon as I can. I have been worried about when I have eaten or drank anything that has sugar in it and anything acidic and then haven't brushed sometimes at night after eating and drinking those things. I hope it won't have caused any problems with my teeth and gums. Anxiety is awful isn't it?. I use the interdental brushes and brush my teeth as much as I can in the mornings and at night. I'm hoping it will be ok as long as I don't go too long not brushing. I'm still very unwell with the depression and panic attacks.