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I'm sorry for posting so much, but I really can't cope anymore.

rocklover

rocklover

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
89
Location
Devon, UK
I have my 2nd appt for RCT tomorrow which I am very nervous about, but what I really can't cope with is the meltdown I am having about my teeth.

Since my RC and wisdom tooth cavity were diagnosed I have been obsessively checking all my teeth with a dental mirror and despite my dentist doing complete x-rays and telling me I don't need anything else done, I just don't believe her. Every discolouration I see on my molar bite surfaces I panic about and diagnose myself with more problems.

I am terrified to eat much, I have lost alot of weight and I'm thinking I probably need to start taking supplements now. I no longer snack, I hardly eat sugar, I only drink water or diluted sugar free squash (through a straw) and I am just about to start cleaning my teeth 3 times a day instead of 2 after getting advice on here. I have been flossing and using mouthwash twice a day for the last 6 weeks and I have purchased an electric toothbrush, but even improving my dental hygiene routine I cannot stop worrying.

I have a pre-existing anxiety disorder which I know is making this worse and I am taking steps to deal with that (I have had it before, but I didn't have dental phobia last time), but this dental obsession is literally ruining my life. I cannot enjoy anything anymore, I seem to be obsessed that having 7 fillings (inc the RC) is a huge amount of work for someone who is 36 years old and I am ashamed that I didn't know enough about dental hygiene before to keep my teeth in better condition.

Has anyone else felt like this before or am I just going mad? I am literally scared of my own teeth!! :cry: Again I'm sorry for posting yet another thread as you all must be sick of seeing my name by now, I just don't know where else to turn.
 
How did the first appointment for the root canal go? You've done really well so far, just think, that's the worst of it!

I'm 26, and need a root canal and an additional 4 fillings, so don't worry, what you need is in no way bad! I've always brushed twice a day (ok sometimes once, but always always at least once!) so not sure why I need so much work. Everyone's different I think.

I was similar to this before they started work on my root canal (which didn't go as well as yours by the sounds of it!) - I became obsessed with brushing my teeth constantly, trying to avoid food, flossing, mouth wash.... then I was told by a dental nurse that brushing your teeth more than twice a day can actually aggrivate your teeth, & the best thing to do is brush twice a day along with mouth wash, and floss a couple of times too, especially before bed.

If I were you, i'd ask your dentist exactly how much you should be doing each day to prevent any further cavities, and just take her advice. And really, don't worry about the amount work you need done - people in my family always seem to be needing work done, younger than you and older than you and they really look after their teeth. It's just the lucky ones that never need anything. Just comes as we grow older I think! xx
 
Thanks Ruby, my first (well second really) RC appt went ok, however, just last week a piece of the tooth came off whilst I was away at my parents. I have had some temp filling put over the top and down to the gumline of my tooth by another dentist to stop my tongue catching on the tooth as it was making it sore.

Obviously this is making me apprehensive about tomorrow as I don't know how much this will compromise the RC, I'm hoping I will cope better this time than I did last time as my partner cannot come me this time. I am taking a Diazapam before I go as the effect seems to be very mild on me so I will still be able to function. Thinking about my teeth takes up every waking hour and I would love to ask my dentist millions of questions but she doesn't have time for that really.

I just want to be happy again.
 
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So my appt is today at 14.15 and I am absoultely terrified, I hardly slept as I spent alot of the night either in the bathroom with an upset tummy or listening to my partner snore and my baby fidget in his cot. All in all a rather bad night, had about 3-4 hours sleep and feel shocking this morning.

I took a diazapam at 7am to try and take the edge off the adrenaline, it has calmed me a little and I will take another one an hour before my appt. Luckily the dosage I have only seems to affect me slightly so I am still able to get myself to and from the appt after taking it. My partner will be looking after my son, so he will not be able to come into the treatment room with me like he did last time so I am pretty scared about that.

Rationally I know it should be ok, but after that bit of my tooth came away last week I have no idea what to expect at this appt. I really hope I can make it, because if I cancel it will be at least 2-3 weeks before I can get another appt. Please send good vibes my way, I really need them. :scared:
 
Just wanted to wish you all the best for your appointment today - really hope it goes well for you. :XXLhug:
 
Well that didn't go according to plan! My root canal still lies untouched as the dentist announced she is moving to Australia next bloody week! I had the filling I needed done, but now i have to wait until the 23rd of June for a preliminary check-up with the new dentist and THEN the RCT can start.

It means I have to go through all this panic again and with a new dentist to boot, I don't feel happy about this.

She did offer to start the RCT on Sat and then the new dentist could finish it, but that didn't really make sense. I hope the temp filling holds until then.

By the way, how long does it take for a filling to set? I'd like to know when I can eat, I have to say the bite feels all wrong but the dentist said I might need it filed down a bit.
 
Congrats on going anyway. Sorry to hear of the delay. Your still on the road to getting the work strong. So good luck for the future.
 
I had a dentist appointment today at exactly the same time :)
Sorry to hear that it didn't go to plan for you and i hope it gets sorted soon :)
 
Well that didn't go according to plan! My root canal still lies untouched as the dentist announced she is moving to Australia next bloody week! I had the filling I needed done, but now i have to wait until the 23rd of June for a preliminary check-up with the new dentist and THEN the RCT can start.

This sounds very odd to me... At your last appointment when you had the tooth dressed, afterwards when you booked this appointment, they must've known that it was for a root canal and should have allowed sufficient time. It may have been a miscommunication and this appointment may have just been for the filling all along (with the intention of leaving the root canal for the new dentist), but if this was the case, it sounds as though it wasn't communicated to you.

It means I have to go through all this panic again and with a new dentist to boot, I don't feel happy about this.

This is exactly the same situation that I had last year. Although I didn't have any infection in the tooth, it was so worn and painful, that the only option left was a root canal (or taking it out). I had the tooth dressed and a temporary filling placed and was told to book an appointment in a couple of weeks for the root canal (to give the tooth time to settle down). When I went back to reception to book the appointment, I was told that my dentist was leaving the following week and that they didn't have any spare appointments before he left. They said that they were trying to get a locum to cover until the new dentist started in five weeks, but suggested that as I'm nervous (big understatement! :rolleyes:), I'd be better waiting for the root canal appointment until the new dentist started. They also told me to not be afraid to tell the new dentist that I was scared right at the start before he did anything (this turned out to be a very good bit of advice).

For five weeks I absolutely turned myself inside out over it. I was convinced that the new dentist would be awful, cause me pain etc etc. I had no choice to back out though because the nerve of the tooth had been accessed and dressed, so I had to have a root canal.

On the day of the appointment, I kept telling myself that I could leave if he was horrible. When my name was called, I very nearly did do a runner. I stood dithering in the doorway to his room and had to be coaxed in. As it turned out, the new dentist was very gentle and patient and his calm manner seemed to ease some of the panic that I was going through. Everything was done at a pace I could handle and an hour later, I'd had a root canal.

Your new dentist might turn out to be better than your current one... you never know. :)


By the way, how long does it take for a filling to set? I'd like to know when I can eat, I have to say the bite feels all wrong but the dentist said I might need it filed down a bit.

It depends what they've filled it with. Most stuff should be set within an hour or so, some filling materials set even quicker than that. It should probably be set by the time that the local anaesthetic wears off. Just be sensible about it and go easy on the tooth for a few days (it might be sensitive for a few days anyway until the filling settles down - but that's normal).
 
Thanks Vicki, dentists are a bloody nightmare aren't they?

I am going back in tomorrow to get my filling filed down as it's a bit high and I am going to speak to the dentist about my temp filling (well I have two, one on top of the other due to a bit of tooth breaking off) as I am scared it won't hold until I have more work done. How long are they supposed to last?

No she definitely hadn't planned to do the filling in advance, she decided to do it because my RC tooth hadn't been hurting me and she felt it was safe to leave it for a bit longer. I did have the option of getting it started on saturday, then getting it finished by the new dentist, but declined that. Wonder if I should have said yes, it's all very confusing. Apparently I still have some of the roots left in it and they don't come out until they start using the files to widen the canals, but still I suppose while it doesn't hurt it's ok. Oh and they only ever do 30 min appts so I can never have the entire RC done in one go, will probably need at least 2 more visits.

She told me (again) to eat on the temp filling, whereas the other dentist who patched over my broken bit of tooth said she always advises patients not to, what is the consensus here, do I or don't I? :confused:
 
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Well went in to get my filling filed down and it feels much more comfortable now, although I still managed to panic my head off before I went despite knowing I didn't need much done.

I asked the dentist about my temp filling and would it be ok for 2 weeks since the part over my broken bit of tooth is wearing away. She just told me not to worry about it as it would be fine, all the decay in my tooth has gone and most of the root (I think) and it wouldn't be compromised even if some of the filling came away and she also said it is normal for it to flake off in places. Apparently the temp filling is there just to make it more comfortable for me really, I still feel nervous about it though.

In 2 weeks I have my preliminary check up with the new dentist and then I will have to make another appt for root canal work to start, it's absolute torture since I am going through hell every time I have an appt.
 
Just as an aside, I had my new filling filed down yesterday (upper #7) and the tooth waiting for the root canal is a lower molar on the same side. Since the dentist used loads of drills and polishers on me yesterday my RC tooth has been twingeing a little, could it have been disturbed by the vibrations?

It's not proper pain, just a little discomfort every now and then. I should add that I clench my jaw at night so i suppose it could be that. The tooth is also still a little sensitive to cold drinks, I told the dentist and she said that was normal and not to worry as all the decay has gone, but there is still some of the nerve left at the bottom of the canals which won't be removed until the RCT is started. I am so fed up having to wait so long to have this sorted, has anyone else had a situation like this?

I don't know how I am going to make it to the dentist for the treatment as my panic seems to be increasing each time. Also I have just started taking Citalopram for my anxiety, which, ironically is making me feel more anxious (which is normal for the first 2 weeks or so), but I just don't know how I will cope with the dentist whilst i feel like this.

By the way, when I took my 5mg Diazepam an hour before my appt on Tuesday it gave me a panic attack, has that ever happened to anyone else?
 
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