K
Kitty84
Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2024
- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Hastings UK
Never in a million years did I think I would ever manage to have this done!
A while back I had a filling done under IV sedation that was worse than originally thought and the dentist told me might end up as a root canal. This literally made fear run through my veins. Everytime root canal is ever mentioned - on a telly programme, book etc it’s this huge big thing, and has always made me feel scared even just hearing it.
Anyway this is supposed to be a more cheery story!
So I posted on here about it and the amazing @Gordon replied to my posts with some really helpful descriptions of what it involved and would happen, what the sounds and smells might be liked and what things might be used. He wrote the messages so I had to really scroll down to see the info, so I could read it when I was ready.
I never realised that would help me so much before. I always thought not knowing what was happening, shutting my eyes and blocking it out would be the best way. And all that’s done - not just dentist stuff, but so many medical things - has just added to a load of trauma memories and made it worse.
So, the IV sedation I had for the filling was a game changer for me. I felt very mellow and still in control. But I couldnt have that for the root canal treatment - the dentist I saw first for filling left the nhs and I was lucky enough to just be able to afford to go to his private practise. But the practise he moved to wasn’t set up for sedation. So I had a low dose of diazepam my GP prescribed me.
That made me feel a few notches down on the anxiety scale.
And it was OK! Honestly, wasn’t the worst dentist experience I’ve had, and a lot of that was because I knew the plan. I was super worried about the rubber damn, so the dentist let me look at it first and checked I was happy with it on before moving on. I’m a bit of a mouth breather at times and this was a worry too - but was completely fine and I didn’t even realise until after it was done that I hadn’t had to think or panic about that!
To be honest, my takeaway from it was that it took longer than I thought! But that’s amazing - the first thing wasn’t “omg that was so awful”.
So it started with being numbed up and I had the gel stuff on my gums to help. Then dam thingy put on and this thing that helped keep my mouth open. The first bit was like having a filling - and wasn’t as bad as the original one. After that it was a bit faffy for a while - but fine - dentist said he was cleaning the canals out with a little file, and then it was all washed out - literally smelt like a swimming pool for a little bit! None of this was at all painful, just some different noises, but the cleaning of the canals bit was a lot quiter than the drill at the beginning, and once that bit was one I felt calmer. The file thingy felt a scratchy in a weird way - it didn’t hurt at all, and not the same bump as the drill - Gordon said it was a bit like having your nails filed and this is legit what it felt like! Then it felt like when they squish the stuff in for a filling, and then it was done! I was really worried it would take a couple of appointments to do - the fear of going back for the next bit being the issue but luckily he so and it was OK in one sitting. And I actually did it and honestly, it took a little while but it wasn’t anything near as bad as all the thoughts and tales about it from other people. In all honestly it was a lot easier than a filling I’d had before, and the sensations and noises etc where much easier to cope with. I had a bit of a jaw ache after but it was fine after an hour. And the amazing thing now is that I’ve already realised I’m not automatically swishing anything really hot or cold away from that tooth so it’s not hideously sore! Although it was a bit scary it was well worth it to loose the horrible sensitivity.
I think my main advice would be to know it takes a little bit of time, but it really is ok. And if it helps you to know the process - then look at my posts and the responses from Gordon about it as they were massively helpful.
if I can you can
like no pressure, and when you are ready for treatment - but it really was OK. I once stood on a broken glass with a bare foot and had a bit of a glass splinter in my heel. The treatment to get that out was a million times harder than this was!
I know even the words root canal sound scary but it was OK! Honest!
I’ve got to go back and have a crown on the tooth in the year, but for now im just quietly pleased that I did it!
Thank you so so much to everyone that helped with my messages because literally that is how I managed to get it done.
A while back I had a filling done under IV sedation that was worse than originally thought and the dentist told me might end up as a root canal. This literally made fear run through my veins. Everytime root canal is ever mentioned - on a telly programme, book etc it’s this huge big thing, and has always made me feel scared even just hearing it.
Anyway this is supposed to be a more cheery story!
So I posted on here about it and the amazing @Gordon replied to my posts with some really helpful descriptions of what it involved and would happen, what the sounds and smells might be liked and what things might be used. He wrote the messages so I had to really scroll down to see the info, so I could read it when I was ready.
I never realised that would help me so much before. I always thought not knowing what was happening, shutting my eyes and blocking it out would be the best way. And all that’s done - not just dentist stuff, but so many medical things - has just added to a load of trauma memories and made it worse.
So, the IV sedation I had for the filling was a game changer for me. I felt very mellow and still in control. But I couldnt have that for the root canal treatment - the dentist I saw first for filling left the nhs and I was lucky enough to just be able to afford to go to his private practise. But the practise he moved to wasn’t set up for sedation. So I had a low dose of diazepam my GP prescribed me.
That made me feel a few notches down on the anxiety scale.
And it was OK! Honestly, wasn’t the worst dentist experience I’ve had, and a lot of that was because I knew the plan. I was super worried about the rubber damn, so the dentist let me look at it first and checked I was happy with it on before moving on. I’m a bit of a mouth breather at times and this was a worry too - but was completely fine and I didn’t even realise until after it was done that I hadn’t had to think or panic about that!
To be honest, my takeaway from it was that it took longer than I thought! But that’s amazing - the first thing wasn’t “omg that was so awful”.
So it started with being numbed up and I had the gel stuff on my gums to help. Then dam thingy put on and this thing that helped keep my mouth open. The first bit was like having a filling - and wasn’t as bad as the original one. After that it was a bit faffy for a while - but fine - dentist said he was cleaning the canals out with a little file, and then it was all washed out - literally smelt like a swimming pool for a little bit! None of this was at all painful, just some different noises, but the cleaning of the canals bit was a lot quiter than the drill at the beginning, and once that bit was one I felt calmer. The file thingy felt a scratchy in a weird way - it didn’t hurt at all, and not the same bump as the drill - Gordon said it was a bit like having your nails filed and this is legit what it felt like! Then it felt like when they squish the stuff in for a filling, and then it was done! I was really worried it would take a couple of appointments to do - the fear of going back for the next bit being the issue but luckily he so and it was OK in one sitting. And I actually did it and honestly, it took a little while but it wasn’t anything near as bad as all the thoughts and tales about it from other people. In all honestly it was a lot easier than a filling I’d had before, and the sensations and noises etc where much easier to cope with. I had a bit of a jaw ache after but it was fine after an hour. And the amazing thing now is that I’ve already realised I’m not automatically swishing anything really hot or cold away from that tooth so it’s not hideously sore! Although it was a bit scary it was well worth it to loose the horrible sensitivity.
I think my main advice would be to know it takes a little bit of time, but it really is ok. And if it helps you to know the process - then look at my posts and the responses from Gordon about it as they were massively helpful.
if I can you can
like no pressure, and when you are ready for treatment - but it really was OK. I once stood on a broken glass with a bare foot and had a bit of a glass splinter in my heel. The treatment to get that out was a million times harder than this was! I know even the words root canal sound scary but it was OK! Honest!
I’ve got to go back and have a crown on the tooth in the year, but for now im just quietly pleased that I did it!
Thank you so so much to everyone that helped with my messages because literally that is how I managed to get it done.
