In pain, terrified and fed up of being scared

[Scottish scaredy cat]

Hi there,

im new here and id just like to say that im glad ive found you all and that im not the only one who has a fear of the dentist.

my trouble atarted about a year ago, i had a filling come loose and after countless trips to the dentist( i get refered to be sedated) i lost the tooth. The same tooth on the other side has a lump in skin beside the jaw,i can feel it when i press down and it moves about, its a hard lump. I have had root canal after root canal and yet it atill hurts, in fact all my teeth do, i have a wisdom tooth at the top at the same side that i am always on edge with as i feel it might "explode" with pain. My front teeth are chipping at the back beside my gumline and the molars on the right hand side of my mouth hurt, in fact all of my teeth eventually hurt. Even if i feel too hot they start playing up.

I have a four year old daughter who i feel i cant get the good of as i am constantly on edge and my teeth and the pain is all i can think of. I get iv sedation for any dental work but it takes about 6 months each time in between for an appointment so i have to live with the pain. Its every day, im absolutely miserable and in tears most days. I want to really overcome my fear and be able to go to a dentist, im sure they think im making the pain up or im just being too sensitive. Im desperate, i dont want this to rule my life anymore, i dont want to be in pain. I dont want to loose all my teeth.

Is there anything that anyone has done that has helped them overcome a fear so extreme? I never used to be afraid until i had a wisdom tooth removed that didnt freeze properly, the dentist did stop but i told him to keep going as he couldnt leave me with half a job he had to just take it out. Im at my wits end and its taking over my thoughts everyday. Please help, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tink]

Hello, welcome!

You're in the right place - you'll find lots of people here who have been through the same sort of thing, and people really can get over a fear so extreme. You're not alone, and there is hope!

I see you're Scottish - do you have the budget to go private? Depending on where you are, there are a couple of really fantastic dentists based in Scotland who could help you work on overcoming your fear.

If you can't go private, then the dental hospitals I believe have some specialist clinics for phobic patients to help you work on conquering your fears rather than having to wait for sedation every time. I think there's probably a waiting list for these clinics though.

You'll find plenty of support here too!

Tink x

 

[Scottish scaredy cat]

Thank you for replying,

yes im scottish, suppost to be the land of the brave but im a blubbering baby when it comes to anything dental, id rather go through another C section than have any dental work.

unfortunatly i cant afford to go private, the dentist i have is newly opened and they are all fantastic, the dentist who sedates me is also based here but there is a 6 month wait for him.i want so much to be able to go and just sit in the chair and get them fixed, the needle doesnt bother me at all its just the thought of feeling pain with the drill that sends me into a panic. I keep thinking i feel something else wrong every day, im in tears most days and feeling really down about it. Its all i can think about, im not enjoying my daughter as much as i should be, its two weeks from christmas and all i want to do is cry. I keep thinking if they all hurt then they must all have cavities and all need treatment. I want so badly to overcome this so i can enjoy my time with my family but i cant on my own.

In terms of oral sedation i dont know if UK dentists can give u anything or even if i got from the doctor if they would treat me if i had it before hand. I feel so embarresed and angry at myself, they dont do the kaughing gas here(i so wish they did) but i really need to overcome this. Did u have any experience with overcoming dental fear? If so how did you do it?

thank you x

 

[Tink]

Hello


There's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about! Lots of people are afraid of the dentist, that's why this forum exists! And when you decide you want to face up to it and do something about it…that's actually really brave.

unfortunatly i cant afford to go private, the dentist i have is newly opened and they are all fantastic, the dentist who sedates me is also based here but there is a 6 month wait for him.i want so much to be able to go and just sit in the chair and get them fixed, the needle doesnt bother me at all its just the thought of feeling pain with the drill that sends me into a panic.

Glad to hear you have a good dentist! That's a great start.

For what it's worth, you shouldn't feel pain with the drill - at all. The local anaesthetic should take that away entirely. Now occasionally it doesn't quite work, and there can be lots of different reasons for that (it sounds like you had an experience like that before with your wisdom tooth?), but there's also lots they can do about it. Very often just putting more anaesthetic in will do the trick, but if that doesn't work there are more advanced techniques they can try. They should be able to get you completely numb to do the work, even if it takes a few attempts.

I keep thinking i feel something else wrong every day, im in tears most days and feeling really down about it. Its all i can think about, im not enjoying my daughter as much as i should be, its two weeks from christmas and all i want to do is cry. I keep thinking if they all hurt then they must all have cavities and all need treatment. I want so badly to overcome this so i can enjoy my time with my family but i cant on my own.

With the right help you can overcome it though!

Are you able to go in for a checkup and/or a chat without needing sedation?If so, go and see your dentist, have a chat with them, tell them what you're telling us here and see what they suggest - they may be able to help you tackle your fear themselves, or they may be able to refer you on to somebody who can help (this might be the dental hospital). Tell them about your worries about feeling pain during treatment too, they may be able to help put your mind at rest.

If all your teeth hurt it doesn't necessarily mean they all need treatment. Try not to panic (easier said than done, I know!) - often that can be down to sensitivity, which can be caused by lots of things. It doesn't mean they all have cavities. If you feel able to have a checkup, then the dentist should at least be able to tell you what needs done so that you know what you are dealing with and your head won't run away with you so much.

In terms of oral sedation i dont know if UK dentists can give u anything or even if i got from the doctor if they would treat me if i had it before hand.

I don't know if UK dentists can prescribe oral sedation (I think they maybe can?), but your GP certainly can, and that shouldn't be a problem for the dentist treating you, just make sure you tell them what you have had.

Maybe your GP could give you something to help you over that first hurdle?

Did u have any experience with overcoming dental fear? If so how did you do it?

Yes, some. I'm still very much a work in progress (it's a long story!) but I've been working through a long process of tackling my fear. For me personally, it's all about trusting the dentist - I was hurt by an unsympathetic dentist in the past - so much of the work I have done is about building up a relationship with my dentist and learning to trust him.

I've been working through a process of desensitisation with the dentist - starting out from just sitting in the chair and having a chat, through having a checkup, then he spent time showing me the drill and how it worked, eventually working up to being able to put it in my mouth and run it. He spends a lot of time explaining what he's doing and why, which is something I find helpful (I know many people don't want to know, but it works for me! - takes the mystery out of it all, which makes it seem less threatening.) The whole process takes quite a long time, several months in my case, but it really, really works. We've come a long way and I can do stuff now that I would never have dreamed of before.

My dentist is private which has allowed us to spend a lot of time on it - I'm not sure if an NHS dentist would be able to do this sort of treatment to the same level of detail because of the way the funding works, although somebody at the dental hospital might. Your regular NHS dentist should be able to work with you on building up a relationship though, and help you to gently and gradually get used to having checkups and treatment without sedation if that's where you want to end up. It's all about the relationship, and taking things one step at a time.



Hope something in there is helpful! Everybody is different, so what's right for me may be different to what's right for you - I can tell you that it's possible though!

 

[Scottish scaredy cat]

Thank you so much, its good to able to talk to someone who understands the fear. I have an appointment on wednesday for sedation dentistry after a 6 month wait, and im going to do what you have suggested. I dont want this ruling my life anymore.

Thank you so much.xx

 

[Tink]

Any time! It's nice to see you coming on here so motivated

Let us know how you get on on Wednesday! Will be thinking of you x

…and drop in if you need support before then, we'll be here!

 

[Scottish scaredy cat]

What a weekend i have had ?? ive been cryin non stop with. The pain in my mouth!! I phoned NHS 24 and after a long list of questions i had to answer whilst i was sobbing i was told that i was taking too much pain meds and that i need to stop taking them and phone the dentist in the morning. Its getting to the point where i cant even touch my tooth or close my mouth for the pain. Ive phoned the hospital and have to go up in an hour, i cant take the pain anymore, its everyday all day ? Im hoping they can give me anything to try and stop it


theres a tooth near the front with a filling that seems to have gone very dark, theres a metallic taste on my tounge when i touch the tooth with it. Im already on antibiotics, what the heck is happening? Why are all my teeth hurting, ive been sobbing and sobbing all weekend.im staying with my mum as i cant cope with girl on my own and its not fair that she sees me crying all the time.

Will my tooth freeze if its infected? Thats whats scaring me the most, i cant deal with this anymore.

 

[Tink]

Oh no, that sounds horrible! So sorry :hugs:

Have you managed to see a dentist yet? What did they say?

 

[Tink]

Hello, just wondering how you're getting on? I think you said upthread that you had an appointment with the sedation dentist on Wednesday so hopefully you'll have seen somebody by now.

Hope you've managed to get some help with the pain.

Check in and let us know how you're doing if you feel up to it! Right here if you need support x

 

[Scottish scaredy cat]

Hi there,

yep had an awful night on sunday, had shooting pains running through all my upper back teeth to the point where i actually ended up at the hospital to beg for some kind of relief. i thought it might be a loose filling so i made an appointment to see the dentist on monday only to be told its not my teeth and prescribed strong toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

yesterday i finally got sedated and had the lower molar extracted. This was a tooth that had been root filled over and over and was still getting infections. Now its gone hurray!!there is still a. Piece of root left as it was curved into my jawbone and he said not to worry about it? The dentist x rayed all my teeth and seen no cavities or reason for pain in a dental sense however he said that my upper roots are very long and he thinks sinisitus may be causing the pain. I swear ive never felt pain like it!! He also thinks im grinding my teeth which doesnt help? He has gave me abntibiotics

I dont know if it sinisitus would cause that degree of pain? Ive never felt anything like it. Back to the doctors today to tell them what the dentist said only to be fobbed off and told its a dental problem, i could actually scream!! I have a weeks corse of antibiotics to take and go back and see my dentist in a week. I could actually cry, its never ending!!

 

[Tink]

(Gah, just typed out a long response and then lost it all! Is it just me or is the forum software throwing a lot of errors at the moment? Anyway, try again!)



Hi -

Glad to hear from you! Been thinking of you.

First of all, well done for getting that tooth out! That's a big step forwards.

I'm afraid I can't answer your questions about things like sinusitis - although my understanding is that sinus stuff really can cause pain in your teeth like that. You might want to try posting in the "Your Dentistry Questions Answered" section of the forum, there are a few dentists who pass by there and answer questions, although it can take a few days.

Re grinding your teeth, that can certainly cause pain and sensitivity, and there are things that can be done about it - e.g. a mouth guard to wear at night - ask your dentist the next time you see them, they may be able to help.

Meanwhile, give the antibiotics & sensitive toothpaste a few days to work, hang in there and see how it goes. Both of these are things that can really help but they may take a few days for the effect to kick in - that will be why your dentist has asked you to come back in a week. And take good care of yourself, it's been a rough few days It's OK to cry if you need to, you'll get there.