I Know I Have to Call, But I'm Scared

[haeshin]

My last tooth, upper left side, has been experiencing a light throbbing or pressure for a month now. The sensation sometimes feels like the pressure is pushing against the back of the tooth, or squeezing it above the gumline, and sometimes seems to spread to the other teeth in my upper right side. I was scared that, though painless, it may mean I need a root canal or worse, tooth extraction. Or what if something went wrong when my dentist put in a filling where there was tooth decay, because that's the area where the throbbing/pressure usually is?

Then recently I woke up to a headache in my left temple, and the painkillers I took didn't seem to work. Neither did an ice pack. All I could do was wait for it to go away, which it didn't until after I threw up liquid into the sink. During part if not most of the headache, I felt as though my upper left teeth were being pulled upward into the gums. Before and after, I sometimes felt pressure in my left temple/cheek after it originated somewhere in my teeth. Yup. The sensation travels or stretches out. Could it be TMJ? What if it's the kind that needs surgery? Or what if the headache is something else and, God forbid, I've got head problems along with tooth ones? If so...how lovely.

Either way I know I must call the dentist but simply put, I am scared. I've had (wisdom) teeth extracted before and it HURT despite numbing shots. Last time I went for the same symptoms (minus headache), I was told that it might be plaque and food bits, so I needed to floss and wait a while before the dentist started talking things like root canals. Well, it's been a month and I still got the same symptoms. Does that mean I'm not flossing properly or do I need a root canal? I wish he hadn't said those words at my last visit! What if I didn't explain my symptoms properly? It's not always easy to do so when I just don't know the right words.

I know I have to call, but I'm scared. Not freak-out-cry-exclamation point kind of scared, but quietly, constantly, really just scared. I'm hoping that I find the guts to call soon, because they always say the sooner the better, but I'm scared and a little tired too, after a year of various other problems that had me in the dentist office every other month. I don't know if it's getting me depressed or irritated.

 

[carole]

Hi try not to let the stress make the symptoms worse by thinking about what might be going to happen. It could be that you are clenching and grinding your teeth on a night in which case a mouth guard will help and stop you damaging your teeth.

If you did need a rct and an x ray would be needed to see what was going on under the gum to decide this, don't be worried about that either.

They are pain free and a lot easier than a filling. I hope you find the courage to make the call so that you can get to what is causing you this pain and discomfort and get it treated. I have had quite a few rct's and I used to be terrified of them but no more. Like I mentioned I would rather have a rct any day rather than a filling. I can describe what will happen if that is the case if you wish.

Try to calm down and when you feel ready make the call. You need to do things in your own time and when you feel able to cope with doing them. I wish you all the best, let us know how you get on please

We all understand how you feel and are ready and waiting with a bucket load of sympathy and support for you