Im scared to go to dentist due to embarrassment.

[London1991]

Hi, ive just stumbled upon this site after googling dental fears. Im so scared to go to the dentist its making me extreamly unwell. I know i have periodontitis on my bottom two teeth, there is tatar build up that needs removing but im worried about judgment and removal of my teeth by doing this. I havent told anyone about this due to the fear of judgment and the fact ive done this to myself. The rest on my teeth are okay, if anything you wouldnt notice anything wrong with them, but my two bottom teeth are horrible. I dont know what to do. Ive googled and googled so called 'home remedys' but that jsut add to this feeling of helplessness I have a voice in my head that just tells me they will judge you, laugh etc. Its making me unwell, writing this is making me anxious. Can anyone help? Anything is better than nothing. Thank you so much.

 

[oneby]

A dental office is a professional setting and they are in the business of helping people improve their dental health. They have no reason to laugh at you. What's more, they've seen much worse teeth than yours, many times over. They probably see worse teeth than yours every day. So there's nothing in your mouth that will surprise them. Having said that, there are dentists, as there are people in every walk of life, who are rude and condescending. Most are not though. And we live in a great time when you can look for dentists online, read reviews, ask for suggestions, etc. and hopefully find one who will be considerate.

It's important to move forward with this, at a pace you can handle, and not let fear immobilize you. Fear can get worse over time as over time you just keep thinking about it and imagining the worst. It will be okay. Dental issues are common and normal and that's why there are so many dentists. We live in a great time where there are people with skills and technology to help you get to where you want to be.

 

[night_natter]

Hi @London1991. Thanks for sharing your story and being brave. It is an important first step in your journey. I have recently begun my dental journey after many years of being too embarrassed to go. I have been most amazed at how much accommodating, respectful and informative dentists are now. That has been my experience, anyway.
You’ve taken the most important first step. Each step from here will get easier. If you find a dentist judges you or even worse laughs at you, then you need to find another dentist. But I would be shocked if this is the case.
Wishing you all the best with your visit. You got this!

 

[Thephilsblogbar]

Dentists have seen everything, I go regularly she tells me she has seen a lot worst than me and my mum , she has not said anything bad about my teeth.

 

[Bobohawaii]

Hi @London1991 ,
I totally understand. I totally agree with what others have said.
Going back several years, I had stayed away from the dentist due to some bad experiences. But I knew I needed to go for my physical and mental health. I had periodontitis and needed LANAP (laser gum surgery). I had a couple of appointments with various dentists prior to finding the one I really liked. They were all good and no one was rude. The one I decided upon was a bit more patient and reassuring with my dental fears.
Dentists have seen it all, so do not worry about judgement. You are doing this for you. And ultimately what others think doesn't matter.
Luckily we live in a great time where we can really do our research with reviews. So take the time to do that. You'll find the only who vibes with your character and needs. I think you'll be excited to find how many kind and caring people there are in the dental industry.