In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

[comfortneeded]

In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Hi everybody,
I'm new here, and this is the first discussion forum I've been in. I have literally not been able to sleep for the past few nights because I'm scared to lay on my mouth the wrong way or hurt my tooth further. I sometimes wake up to a dull or sharp throbbing in my left front tooth and the pain continues throughout the day if and is getting worse each day. About three months ago the sensitivity started after I hit my tooth slightly on my coffee mug, and about a week after that I bit down on a fork wrong. But the pain really started because about a week ago, I had somewhat of an anxiety attack about my joblessness and some cruel behavior from my family. Life in general. And I had a magazine and out of fear and frustration I just bit down really hard on it and stopped when I felt a slight popping way up in my gumline. I know how this must sound, and thats part of the embarrassment. And to think that now I've injured my self by doing something so stupid is like a recurring nightmare everytime I feel pain. And just when I try to pray and tell myself its not the end of the world, and I'm just sore or something, the pain gets worse, and now I feel my front tooth shifting a little in its place. I'm terrified! What have I done?! And I don't have a job or insurance and I'm hoping I can get some sort of basic care without being able to pay, and no one is going to help me. I feel like such an idiot! One stupid move and now my tooth may be dying, or will it even fall out of my mouth? I need to at least look my best to try and get my break in this world. Now I'm still in the same living situation as when I freaked out, only now with a scary scary dental situation. I feel even more pain when I cry so I can't even do that. I have all this bottled up fear and panic, and I can't sleep, and I don't even know if I'm gonna be okay. The frustrating thing is that I know that if I had the money, there are all these amazing things the dentists can do now to help a tooth stabilize and stuff, but I feel like because I'm broke, all people can do is tell me that I can get an extraction. My tooth is not chipped or broken, and it's my front tooth! I dont wanna just pull it out or sit back and wait for it to die helplessly. Please can somebody comfort me at all? The only one I've told this too is my mom, and that was a big leap of faith for me against better judgement, and unfortunately, I ended up regretting telling her. She just made fun of me and said, 'Well, teeth take a long time to die. Maybe you'll have a job by then.' And I don't plan on telling anyone else in my life about this because frankly, no one would care. Just words of kindness and actual compassion about my fears will be immensely helpful at this point. I feel so alone in this world. I know no one cares about my tooth but me, but I can't cry, I can't sleep, I go to sleep depressed and wake up terrified. I don't know what I can do to stop being so scared and angry at myself. Please can somebody help me?

 

[misti]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

i am not from your country and so do not know what avenues you can seek, eg. social welfare worker who can recommend a dentist or a volunteer doctor who sees patients at a community centre and he can do referrals for you. that aside, i am sorry you feel so alone in this. you have come to a very sympathetic forum and there will be others who might be able to suggest more constructive avenues for you to seek help or if not, will definitely be very empathetic to your plight.
is your front tooth now loose? and having pain at the same time? don't feel too upset about causing hurt to your teeth. there are stresses in life and they can get unbearable at times. we just deal with them differently and it can cause hurt to ourselves sometimes. we just learn not to, the next time. a BIG HUG to you. take it easy. don't be too hard on yourself, okay?

 

[comfortneeded]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Thanks so much for your kind words. Yeah, my tooth was shifting around a bit this morning, which set off another panic attack, but it seems to get better the longer I'm up. But I can tell it's still just not as sturdy as it should be. I'm trying to avoid touching it or eating any hard foods. I'm looking into finding some kind of dentist that I can maybe at least get an xray from this coming week, but I guess the main thing for now is to try not to feel so bad about myself. I can't express how much your message is helping me. My family is ignoring me and my mom is laughing at me when I'm looking sad or scared. I don't think they get how serious this is to me, but they don't know the pain I'm in. I live in a house where I either have to act like I'm okay or be ignored or yelled at or made fun of, so it's not often that I feel like someone is willing to just say something comforting to me, so thank you sincerely. I will try to stop thinking about how depressed I am and just focus on trying to get this taken care of. And maybe even do some soothing things like read and listen to music, because I'm probably obsessing about it too much. And I'll try to follow your advice and stop being so hard on myself. And the stress can't be helping my body heal either. The sooner I can accept this, maybe that will stop the waves of panic. I'm so grateful I found this place, and I will come back whenever I'm scared or panicking again. I am totally open to more feed back or just whatever your response is, but most importantly I just wanted to say thank you.

 

[chickenjen]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Yes, I'm sure the stress that you are under is NOT helping any healing.
I'm SO, SO sorry that you feel you can't turn to your family for comfort and support. My family have been the ONLY ones who have cared and pulled me through my life's toughest moments. I can't imagine how difficult it is for you.
My suggestion is to seek out a dental school to get treatment if you live near one. I think one of our members on here did that and got treatment he couldn't otherwise afford. The student dentists are supervised by licensed dentists.
's.

 

[misti]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

ah, chickenjen, dental school! that's a good suggestion that will help with the pocket!

dear comfortneeded, please feel better about yourself. take baby steps. every tiny step counts. if you fall back, just get up and take another. one day when you put them altogether, you will find that you are many steps ahead from now. every day is a new day. and every failure just gives you the opportunity to right it again, as long as you keep a positive mind.
we are responsible for our own well-being. it is important not to depend on others to give you that happiness. and as what chickenjen said, the stress you are under is not helping your healing. so take some control of it, little by little. be gentle on yourself! BIG HUGS!
ps. don't "test" the tooth to see how strong it is. give it time to stabilize and heal. and yes, bring yourself to see someone affordable, like a dental school perhaps? not sure. but seek the avenues where you can get help.

 

[Sashey]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Hello.

I have just made my first post here with similar problems but my teeth have shattered

I so wish you could have better support. Seems like the people here are wonderful. Be very careful of your tooth don't try to move it and try not to bite from it. Take things day to day, hour by hour. You are not alone and now I feel like I am not alone as well.

Like the before poster said. I would try to find an affordable dentist now rather than waiting liked I did.

Good luck.

 

[comfortneeded]

Comfort needed again after seeing cold traumatizing dentist! I'm in desperate need of kindness!

Hi,
Thanks again for all the kind words I've received since my first post. Thank God for this place and you all.

I decided to come post right now because I don't have anybody home to turn to right now. I went for a free consultation and exam at the dentist about my front tooth and he was very rude (he had me sitting in a chair for over 2 hours with no attendance while he dealt with I'm assuming non-complementary patients) and I told him please to be gentle with that tooth because of its extreme sensitivity and slight movement and protuding it's been doing. He just started wiggling at it anyway! I literally sat up in the chair so I could get my mouth away from this maniac! I've already been depressed and worried out of my mind, and now I'm traumatized. I explained to him that I'm uninsured, and to be honest I've hated telling people that because then their whole attitude changes. It's like I'm not even human anymore. I was just taking advantage of the free consulation and exam and x rays so I can at least have an idea of what's wrong with me, and hopefully figure out some avenues to get help. But this guy starts in on saying I need a double root canal in both front teeth ( the other tooth is perfectly fine) and a crown to seal them together, but the teeth aren't even lined up right against each other. And I told him it wasn't always like this and has gotten gradually worse with the movement of the hurt tooth. Can anybody tell me why he would suggest to take the root out of the other good tooth also and try to double crown two front teeth that aren't aligned? I think he was trying to take advantage of my emotional state. I'm not stupid. And he wanted me to make a decision right then and there and sign off on a financial estimate in the chair! Which of course I didn't.

Then he started asking about my employer and I told him I'm unemployed, but should that change the complimentary consultation/exam/and xray? It then turned into 'well, what can you afford?' What if I tell you it's free, will that help you? Of course my heart skipped a beat, and even through tears I said yes. I'm thinking the unbelievable has happened and its like one of those stories you heard about on Oprah or something where a person does something for another person in need. So then he says can you afford a dollar a month?, and I say yes. So then he estimates the cost of a double root canal, which I still don't think is necessary, the double crown and post to 4000 dollars. How is that free? And even at a dollar a month, that's not a realistic plan. Why tease me like that? But then I guess he was just saying the dollar a month, free stuff because there was a dental assistant listening and noticing his abrupt nature with me, and he was probably just trying to redeem himself. Because he told me to go get the estimate at the front and then I see he has written out a $166/12 month or 112/18 month plan (plus 15% interest)! How is that what he discussed in the room as either free or $1 a month? He was lying out loud while he wrote this crap! And I mainly wanted to know if my front tooth was fractured or misaligned or whatever, and he seemed not to give a crap enough to actually answer any of my questions about different solutions or options, or to even tell me exactly what is wrong! He just kept saying, 'I wiggled it, it's solid!' I feel totally stupid. I've already been to a hospital that had me wait in line early in the morning just to get in and be told that they only pull teeth. And I've been to another place where they told me I have to register and their earliest appointment is in February or April, and other need based places aren't taking any new people at all. I guess I should have known better than to go with a phonebook ad that said 'free' anything. But I'm desperate. And now I'm scared that after this novacaine he shot in my mouth against my will wears off that he probably put me in even worse pain by wiggling the crap out of my injured tooth even when I asked him not too. What was he trying to do, make it worse so I'll go along with whatever he throws at me? I feel like I don't even matter, and my life doesn't count to anybody.


I feel like I'm just a poor girl who's pain doesn't matter to people. I guess I shouldn't expect to be treated gently or even cordially. All I've dealt with in so called community based places or this place I went to today, are people with attitudes who don't seem to care about my questions. Don't I have a right to ask the effects of treatment or what different options may do or not do? Don't I have a right not to just want to pull my front tooth out altogether? I was told today that it's probably dying and a root canal is needed. That's a lot deal with, and when he told me and I started crying he yelled, 'Why are you crying?' Am I being too sensitive about all this, or am I really getting bad treatment? The sad thing is that all I'm trying to do is get the treatment I need before my tooth abscesses, or just falls out, or the pain becomes excrutiating, but it seems like there's no help for me until that happens. When I got home to an empty house just now after all this, I felt so alone. I picked up the phone but I'm tired of calling all these places with all their coldness and lengthy waits and procedures. I just needed help, and the funny thing is, I woke up this morning scared and in slight pain and I had enough, so I decided that I was going to just go to a private dentist and take advantage of the free xray/exam/and consultation. Then a little voice told me to just rest instead, that I wouldn't like what I found there. But then later the frustration and fear of my situation had me crying and my mom came in my room and yelled about just going to another county hospital or something, which I've already shared here what the 'extraction only' deal is with them. This got me more frustrated, so I just got dressed and wen down to this place anyway, (ignoring what my conscience had said earlier).

And this is what is resulted from it. My tooth will probably be hurting worse thanks to his 'gentle treatment', I'm now aware that my tooth is in fact dying, and there's no one who seems to give a crap but me. I'm still waiting if it will be shifting around even more now, and I'm pretty much feeling that I'm worse off than I was before. The only good thing is that I know my tooth is not broken, but I'm still really shocked that it is in fact dying. I just can't believe his apathy toward this fact. It's a traumatic thing, isn't it? I just would have appreciated some more sympathy than what I got. I show sympathy toward people, and I'm always polite. What is it about me that people don't seem to care about me? Even my own mom is just yells at me when I cry. But I'm scared, and no one is helping me. The last time I came here, my post was about needing comforting words because I'm worried about my injured front tooth. Now I know it's dying, and now I guess I'm just needing some kind of sense that someone out there cares about what I'm going through. I wake up in dread.

I'm not the same person I used to be. I'm not a morning person anymore. I wake up with a sick feeling hoping my tooth is still in it's place. My entire days have been driven by brushing carefully after eating soft foods and trying to get more dental resources, and hoping to God that my tooth won't protrude out too much, and if I'm sitting up too long the pain gets scary. This is a minefield I'm going through trying to get help without insurance, and no one to help me financially. The discounted or free stuff doesn't cover anything cosmetic, so aside from pulling my tooth out, it seems I have no option but to get a root canal in my tooth and watch it slowly turn gray. I'm in my twenties and still trying to get my start in this life. This is just another set back.

I feel hopeless, and now I'm scared and traumatized by this visit. I'm already starting to feel deep throbbing as this novacaine is wearing off. I'm going to rest now so that hopefully my body can heal a little from this traumatic treatment I've gotten today. I just really needed to vent though. And the more I've written here, the calmer I'm feeling, so I guess that's good. But I still know I'll wake up later scared, hopefully not in too much pain, but probably in tears again just thinking about today. But I'll keep coming back here, because at least reading other people's stories lets me know I'm not totally alone. I'm literally praying that my tooth doesn't just fall out now, because apparently no one can do the preliminary stuff to help me save my tooth, I just have to wait until...I don't know. I'm praying to God, I know that he loves me. But is there anybody out there who can relate, or can tell me my life isn't worthless? Cause I feel like it is. And between this and all the other stuff I've gone through in my life, this seems so unfair. I kinda feel like, not to sound vain, but my looks are all I have left. I'm not well off financially, and I come from a bad home. And now I feel like no one will ever hire me, and now I feel like I won't even have beauty anymore. I really don't mean that to sound vain at all, its just hard enough already to get your foot in the door, but now what'll I do? What do I have to live for? And the way people treat me, I'm feeling like maybe it doesn't matter if I'm in the world or not. I'm praying as I leave for now, but please anybody, I need a friend.

 

[tess456plum]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Hello-
I'm so sorry you had such a terrible time today. The dentist that you saw sounds terrible- I would not go back there ever! I would find another dentist in your area who also offers a free consultation and see how it goes. I can't imagine why he would want to do a root canal on both front teeth, that doesn't make sense to me, either. Perhaps one of the kind dentists on this forum will be able to answer that question.

Rest assured that there is something that can be done for your tooth. You just need to work through things and find the right dentist to help you. In the meantime there are a lot of kind, caring people on this forum who know exactly how you are feeling and are here for you.

Take care,
Hugs.
Tess

 

[misti]

Re: Comfort needed again after seeing cold traumatizing dentist! I'm in desperate need of kindness!

.... He just kept saying, 'I wiggled it, it's solid!'
....The only good thing is that I know my tooth is not broken, but I'm still really shocked that it is in fact dying.... it seems I have no option but to get a root canal in my tooth and watch it slowly turn gray. I'm in my twenties and still trying to get my start in this life. This is just another set back...

Hi Comfortneeded,
I am just relating from my own experience. It will take a long while before the tooth turns a noticeable gray. I had a root canal done on my front tooth when I was in my twenties and thirty years later, the color is not obvious unless I tell someone that tooth is dead. So do live your life, it's not the end.

As you said, this is another setback. But life has many setbacks. Take them as building blocks. Life is generally not smooth for everyone. It's how we deal with them that strengthens us. Not easy, definitely, but yes, you can make it. I remember something I read recently, "if your problems can be solved with money, then it's not a problem at all". I guess in some way that is true. Not ridiculing the severity of your problem, but to look at it from another angle, and you might feel a little more encouraged that this is not the end of everything.
Continue to seek help for that tooth. The weekend is coming. Take time to settle your thoughts and yes, cry if you must, but wipe away those tears and know this is just a bridge you need to cross, and you will be much the stronger for it.
Also to add, the dentist wiggled it and said it was solid still. So, take heart. There is still time for you to seek help and it doesn't sound like it will drop out anytime soon. Just continue to be gentle with it, don't "test" it, and good luck! Tell us later how it goes, okay? You will help many others who are in your position too.

 

[2sleepy]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

It's going to be hard to find a free dentist, but I think this is something you need to get taken care of. If the tooth isn't loose, why did this dentist want to secure it to the other front tooth? In any case if it was loose, they can usually secure it with a wire splint on the back of the tooth. I would guess $1500-$1700 total in California for a root canal and crown. If you are unemployed you can get medi-cal, but they only cover emergency dental which generally means extractions. Your mom is right, teeth take a long time to change color, but if you are in pain you should probably get it taken care of.

 

[Susan026]

Re: In need of comforting words, panicking about injured front tooth! Please help me!

Hi how did you make you make out with your tooth?