Made an Appointment, freaking out

[Anxietygirl]

I have had Dental anxiety for as long as I can remember. As a child I would end up in a full blown panic attack either before or during an appointment. I recall sitting in the chair maybe 5 years old, the shiny tools sitting next to me on the tray, the dentist in a mask. He sat down grabbed a pointy tool and I lost it. I started hyperventilating and crying...this dentist yelled at me "I cant look at your teeth while you are crying, stop!" when I wouldn't calm down he stopped trying and told me I couldn't take a toy from the chest. I assume this is when it all started.

I have been to the dentist, only when I couldn't handle the pain of a tooth. I have had a few molar extractions over the years, because to me it was easier to just go in and pull it, go home and forget about it, then having to go back over and over to fix my mouth.

Right now I have a molar that has decayed to the gum line, and it seems concave in the center, I have a few jagged edges sticking up a bit, I have 2 wisdom teeth still in my mouth, as well as a few other cavities I do know know how bad they are. It could be worse on the inside. My mouth feels terrible, gross really. I obsess over my broken molar, I also have a generalized anxiety disorder that manifests itself with health worry. So I constantly worry about my decay and mouth issues turning into something much worse, or life threatening, and I hate the thought of a dentist telling me how terrible they are, and that it may be something so bad I have to go through a long lengthy treatment.

I currently have no severe pain, I have discomfort, and now I have a sore spot on my neck, I assume either a lymph node, or possible start of an infection, so I made an appointment for tomorrow, because I am sick of waking up in a panic attack that my sore neck is going to kill me, I know that sounds stupid, but it is how my brain thinks.

I am so scared, embarrassed I am freaking out inside. I also have a fear of anesthesia so that alone makes me panic, thinking they may suggest it.

I hate this feeling, I am so sick of being unhealthy, but this fear is overwhelming.

 

[Sevena]

Welcome to the forum! You're not alone. Lots of anxiety sufferers here, including me. I have health anxiety too. It's not fun.

Your teeth are probably not going to kill you, but it's definitely best to get them sorted. Your childhood dentist sounded horrible, but not all dentists are like that. Finding a good dentist you can trust is the key for phobic people, I swear. If a dentist shames you or makes you feel uncomfortable or scared, just walk on out the door! You deserve the best treatment, and that includes a compassionate and understanding dentist.

Be honest with the dentist about your fear and anxiety, so they can help you best. You can arrange stop signals for during the appointment, like raising a hand, if you need to take breaks.

They may offer things like twilight sedation or GA, depending on the practice, but you don't have to use anything like that if you don't want to. You're in charge there. I know one of the scariest things about being in the dentists chair is how helpless you can feel, but if you can establish some trust with a good dentist, then you can control the pace of your appointments.

Finally, please don't be ashamed. Countless people end up in similar situations. It certainly wasn't your fault you had a traumatic encounter with a dentist when you were just a child. And the dentist will have seen teeth much, much worse than yours, probably some that very same day. They've seen it all, and their job is to help, not to shame you.

You can do this!

 

[Alex_1]

I just made an appointment for wisdom teeth just 5 mins ago. But you seem to have a lot more going on. The stress is almost indescribable, trust me I know how you feel. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. With what you have it seems like it would be best to do general anesthesia even though you don't like it. only IF the dentist or who ever decides there has to be some sort of operation. They probs will wanna get the last 2 wisdom teeth out then do all the other stuff. But it all depends of your situation. From my research and talking to dentists they say the sore area's on the neck are caused by wisdom or something and causes swelling on the neck in the glads. I don't know how all that works, my dentist told me that to scare into me getting teeth out I think. I have to be put fully under to. But theirs no way I'm doing it with being awake. I've never had general anesthesia but my friends tell me tell they give you this gas and your all relaxed/careless then they pop the little iv thing in and all you remember is waking up what feels like a minute later with it all finished. Without hearing, seeing or feeling nothing until the anesthesia wears off after the operation IF it comes to that. I hear it happens super fast to. But its your choice of how to you decide to do it. My anxiety is pretty bad at this point but I'm doing this all in baby steps which has help. Researching, talking about it and seeing people that have been though this sort of stuff really helps. You've made the first step and good for you doing that. Just take it as it come nice and easy.