It’s a start!

[TKB1974]

I made my first dental appointment in 10+ years! It was pain/discomfort that spurred me to do so, but I’m proud that I finally did it! The appointment is for x-rays/focal exam so they can figure out what’s causing the pain in my upper molar. I will also book my appointment for the cleaning and anything else that needs to be done (a lot, I’m sure). I’m absolutely petrified to go in on Friday but just making the appointment is a major achievement for me. I was shaking the whole time I was speaking to the scheduling coordinator, but she was so kind and reassuring. Baby steps. Small wins. ?

 

[TKB1974]

Ack! They just had a cancellation and I took it. Appointment in 1 hour. So scared!!

 

[StephscaredAF]

What an amazing thing!! I hope it went well!! Congrats on this huge step!!

 

[TKB1974]

So, I made it to the appointment on my own! I was a shaky mess and could barely fill out the paperwork, but I did it! The front desk person was so incredibly kind & comforting. The dental assistant was amazing too. I burst into tears when I sat down in the dental chair & I was horribly embarrassed about that, but she calmed my nerves and was so sweet, understanding & gentle. She offered me a heated blanket & pillow. She then took 3-D
x-rays of my painful tooth. The dentist came in and was an absolute angel. Again, she was gentle & very kind. She never made me feel embarrassed or ashamed about not going to the dentist for over 10 years. She just wanted to get me out of pain. Turns out that my molar will need a root canal & a crown. I was so scared to hear this, but she assured me that the endodontist that she is referring me to is very gentle, highly skilled & excellent with anxious patients too. Soooo, I will call to make my RCT appointment tomorrow. In the meantime, I’m taking antibiotics for the infection & she also gave me a prescription for a few stronger pain pills (so I can sleep at night until the antibiotics kick in). I also scheduled my full check-up/cleaning for April 22nd. I knew if I didn’t do it today, I’d probably be too scared to do it later. I guess this is called immersion therapy?! I know that there will be fillings and other work to be done, but I FINALLY took the first step and I feel pretty proud of myself. Like everyone else here has said, make the appointment. Was it scary as hell? Yes. Did I survive? Absolutely! Do I want to go back? No! Will I go back? Absolutely! I want to get this monster phobia under control for good.

 

[StephscaredAF]

Thats soooo awesome!! Congrats on going!! It sounds like you did amazing, AND have a dentist that truly cares!! ??? I hope the meds work quickly for you!! You did GREAT!!!

 

[Enarete]

Hey, well done on going!
Your dedication is impressive. It is a nightmare to get a tooth ache if you're scared a dentist, but you are pushing yourself and using it as a jumping board to bounce yourself back to dental health. That's amazing. Sounds like your dental team is very kind and caring. I wished everyone would have such a practice!
Give yourself a pat on the back! Look forward to reading your updates soon!