Managed to send an e-mail

[Tinella9610]

It might not seem like much of a progress, but today i got enough courage to send an e-mail to a dentist in my city expressing my concerns and asking how they operate on extremely anxious patients, i have read on their website that they do use IV sedation or general anesthesia so.. i am hopeful. Can't promise i will be able to do more than this for now but at least it's something.

 

[Dg6300]

Well done!

 

[Kml1998]

Well done

 

[Tinella9610]

This is getting so hard, my e-mail was not replied to yet. They say on their website they prefer speaking through Whatsapp messages or over the phone but i am far too nervous to give out my phone number yet. I feel like such a stupid idiot, that i don't deserve to be helped and i deserve all the bad things coming to me for neglecting my oral health for so long. Living like this is tiring and is draining the life out of me.

 

[Imapparentlyhere]

@Tinella9610 You definitely don't deserve anything bad and I'm sure it won't come to that. Could you possibly use a family member or a friends phone and contact on whatsapp and explain it isn't your phone number? That way you aren't committed to anything

 

[Dg6300]

Any new word? Did they get back to you?

 

[Tinella9610]

@Dg6300 Unfortunately no. But i will try to contact another one soon.

 

[Cookierobots]

@Tinella9610 I'm sorry you are frustrated and I feel your pain. When I decided to make the call (after 12 years of avoiding it) I reached out to about 4 dentists one day, via phone and email, and only heard back from two, like 6 weeks later. The ones I emailed never responded, only the ones i called. I remember waiting to hear back and then deciding I must have scared them listing out all my problems! I was so saddened after getting up the courage and not hearing back....it took a few months for me to be brave enough to call back one of the offices.
I'm glad all this happened because the office I go to are absolutely the best and I feel so comfortable going there now. Facing these fears is crippling, the unknown of what might happen was so scary for me that I could have easily put it off 12 more years. But I was so fed up with my teeth that I went out on a little bit of faith (after reading tons of stories here from people who waited a long time like me, I felt supported and brave) and a promise to myself that if I felt uncomfortable or unsure about anything, that I would try another place. My first appt was only x-rays, and I thought it would be scary and uncomfortable. But my hygienist was so warm, friendly and supportive that I was immediately at ease and actually happy to be there, getting it done. They told me it's not as bad as everything I built it up to be in my mind. After that, I could not wait for my next appointment, I was so eager to get started. I am about 4 appointments in and I still look forward to going, I actually count down as the day approaches because I love my hygeniest and I love the feeling of working toward the end goal. I am so happy I got up the nerve to call when I did, even though at times i told myself I would go to my grave with my teeth as they were because I could not fathom ever being in the chair again!
Since I stopped putting it off, I have time to make improvements and it turns out, the world is not ending like I thought...!

My best advice is, expect to try and fail a few, or many, times. Forgive yourself for your apprehension... It's really ok to be scared! It's ok to say you will do it and then not go through with it that day. Who cares? Only you. And it doesn't help to beat yourself up about it, just accept that's where you are right now and in planning to try again later, you are already closer to accomplishing that goal of making an appointment. Give yourself a break when you need it, and you will be able to do it at some point, just don't give up the willingness to try.

I know you can do it. And when you do, your dental team will support you and they will be excited to be the ones getting you on the road to better health. They will make a plan for you and help you see it through. My hygeniest always talks about how much she enjoys getting new patients on the right track, and seeing the improvement they make over the first few visits. It's an accomplishment for them and it will be for you too. You will get there, friend!