It's the sound of the drill

[StillMedusa]

Hi, I'm new here, dental phobic and ..well terrified.
Long story short, I had a terrible dentist as a kid.. the old paid per filling type, which left me with a lot of filled teeth and fear of the drill.
That was then compounded by having two teeth unnecessarily removed When I developed Trigeminal Neuralgia 5 years ago.. I now can't even go for a check up without sobbing.

I'm now having trouble with some old filled teeth.. a fair bit of work to do, and permanent dull pain. First tooth to be sorted out at the end of this month.

I don't mind the injections.. I can cope with those.. it's the SOUND of the drill. Any drill.. even a DIY one in the neigbourhood makes me break out in a cold sweat. I've tried headphones but they don't help.. basically the sound makes me vomit with fear. My dentist is lovely but doesn't do sedation, and I can't afford to go private elsewhere (I have an NHS dentist).. plus really I WANT to be able to cope.. I'm a capable professional in my daily life.. it's just the sound of a drill that renders me a mess.

Has anyone any ideas on how I can help myself?
Thanks!

 

[carole]

Hi to the forum.

I hate the sound of the drill too and any drill for that matter. What has helped me is that my dentist talks to me all the time. I haven't a clue what she is saying half the time but it is distracting and also she drills in short bursts. There are two drill sounds and the high pitch one is the one I hated most but I have noticed through having to have a lot of work done that it is the high pitch one that is the better one as the other one is the one that feels like it is bumping around and I hate that one with a vengeance and it makes me jump all the time.

I know you can take headphones but as you say they don't work, I have also tried to do my times tables which is impossible believe it or not I cannot even do the 2's. But that also distracts my mind a bit. I never really feel comfortable when there is a drill bit about but I don't go into an instant panic.

I don't know if this will help any but know you are not alone in this we all understand on here how you feel.

 

[Tink]

Hi Medusa - welcome!

So I've been mulling over your post - there is something that could help you, but it's not for everyone so I'm just throwing it out there! No pressure.

You said that you WANT to be able to cope - and you have one very specific trigger for your fear - the sound of the drill. That sounds like the sort of phobia that could respond very well to a desensitisation approach, and you sound very motivated.

The basic idea is that, rather than trying to shut it out or avoid the thing that's triggering your fear (as you've already found, that's not always possible!), you work with a dentist or therapist to get used to it through gradual, gentle exposure to it. It's about taking something alien and threatening, and making it familiar instead, through a series of positive, safe experiences with it.

So I realise you're probably reeling in horror at this point...but the thing is, it works! I know because I've done it.

I've worked through a very similar process with my dentist - we started out by just looking at the drill, he explained to me about the 2 different types of drill, what all the parts were and how it worked - then I handled it (!), then when I was ready he would try running it at a safe distance (I would joke that about half a mile should do it...), first just for 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 15...together we worked all the way up to putting a drill in my mouth and running it for 15 seconds, which is something I never imagined I could do!

Note that this has to be done *very* slowly and carefully - it took us maybe 6-8 sessions over several months to get to the end of the process - and it has to be done with a therapist or dentist who you can trust, and who knows what they are doing. After all, you're facing your biggest fears head on, so it's a delicate process.

Just recently we did a miniature version of the same thing when I needed a root canal - the rubber dam they use turned out to be a bit of a trigger to me as it threw up associations with a past trauma - so a couple of weeks before the second session of the root canal, I went in to see my dentist and we had a look at the rubber dam, and he gave me one to take away with me. That allowed me to get used to it, so by the time the treatment rolled around, it was something familiar and it was much easier.



The problem might be accessing this on the NHS. Ordinary NHS dentists aren't funded in a way that allows them to spend enough time with you to work through a process like this. I've been lucky enough to go private, but it was an expensive process as it involved a lot of time! (Worth it though)

You may be able to find something like this at an NHS place that has a specialist clinic dealing with phobic patients - I think some of the big dental hospitals might have that sort of clinic? I think there's somebody on here who has had similar treatment at a dental hospital. May be worth asking your dentist if he can make a referral. What you would need is several sessions with either a dentist who has experience doing this sort of treatment, or possibly a therapist who treats phobias, working alongside a dentist.




Finally, if you need more convincing that it really works: recently I've noticed that I'm getting less afraid of spiders...without even trying!!

I have (had??) a terrible spider phobia, one of those really deeply ingrained, can't stay in the same room and definitely can't control the urge to shriek and run away phobias. Oddly, and very gradually, I've found myself less inclined to run away and even found myself watching a small spider on the shower curtain the other day and thinking it was kind of cute! (I named him Bruce)

The guy who's been treating my dental phobia wasn't all that surprised, apparently it happens. Who knew??!




So if you're up for it - that's the challenging way, but it totally works and I can highly recommend it!



(Totally understand if you're hiding under the sofa by now though...)

 

[Tink]

Ah, just to add, there's lots of info on this page:

Exposure and CBT for Dental Phobia

How is desensitisation used for overcoming dental fears? Includes an example of a needle phobia desensitisation protocol.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

(Cartoon seems about right to me!)

 

[carole]

Tink is so right about this, I had to have a lot of treatment involving the drill a couple of years ago. I was a total mess going to see a dentist at the hospital, had I known how much drilling was involved in my treatment I would not have agreed to it. The dentist didn't hide the fact but I didn't realise how long the appointments would be. Through going over a few months and seeing him for treatment each appointment involving the drill I actually did get used to it and my last couple of appointments I didn't worry at all.

The only problem is that it isn't often we need fillings and things so it is a bit un-nerving at first when we need work involving the drill, but that total fear isn't there any more that I used to have. As long as I feel really numb and my dentist takes her time and does it in short bursts it is easyish.

I am an nhs patient and there are dentists out there that will not have the time to spend doing the process that Tink had but with a confident and caring nhs dentist it is very possible to have work done using the drill and feel okay about it.

 

[jma1024]

For as many cavities I've had over my life you'd think I'd be used to the drill sound but nope that's what scares me the most. Once my dentist is done drilling and she's filling my teeth I am fine but the drill sound causes much panic.

I don't have good advice to get over it as I have yet to get over it I just close my eyes and try to think about something else, but know that you're not alone. My dentist always says if you want me to stop raise your hand I've done it sometimes you just need 10 seconds.