Much-feared dental extraction turned out to be way easier than imagined

[essella]

Haven't posted here for ages, but wanted to post an update as today I finally had the tooth extracted that should have been removed pre-covid lockdown. Four years, five dental surgeries and many attempts later (the most recent attempt ending in a failed attempt at IV sedation at a different dental surgery, and me being put on a three year NHS waiting list for extraction under GA) and today I finally managed to have the extraction done , with no IV sedation, no general anaesthetic - just a really good dentist who took the time to listen and to do some desensitising work with me first (this worked brilliantly, highly recommend).

I did pay to go private for this, but have zero regrets. The surgery is absolutely fantastic, and the surroundings are really pleasant and homely, which makes a big difference to me in terms of feeling comfortable as I'm very sensitive to the environment I'm in, and that can make all the difference in terms of how I feel about treatment.

I did have one failed attempt at the same dentist before the successful one today - but the dentist used that failed attempt to do some desensitisation work with me - applying some gel and a small amount of local at that appointment so that I could experience how it didn't hurt. This helped hugely ahead of the appointment today, when I finally managed it, and although it wasn't top of my list of pleasant experiences in life, it was nowhere near how terrible I had imagined it would be.

I managed it today with 2mg of prescribed diazepam before the appointment (was prescribed 5mg, but only took 2mg as I was new to it and even 2mg affected me quite strongly), and moral support from my partner in the surgery - the dentist was fine with him being in the surgery for hand holding, and actively encouraged him being there to support me, which was hugely appreciated.

The dentist put some numbing gel on my gums first so I didn't feel the injection at all. I did have to have a second lot of local as the first lot worked but I definitely needed a top up for total numbness. I've heard this is quite common with badly affected teeth, that more local anaesthetic is often needed.

I had earphones in with some loud music playing on my phone as I'd been told this was a good idea - it was.

The extraction was painless, just some wiggling of the tooth from side to side and maybe one or two seconds of actual pulling sensation - which was absolutely painless. Then it was out. I was in there for around 15 mins in total - and it would have been less if it wasn't for the fact that the dentist took his time with the treatment and making sure I was ok every step of the way on account of my anxiety. He said it was a good job the tooth was out as it was really badly infected - I'm very relieved too. The dentist was absolutely brilliant, happy to pass the details on to anyone in North East Wales looking for a dentist who is good with anxious patients.

I feel like I turned a corner today. From a very traumatic extraction as a child to this one today - no comparison. Like many people in their fifties I had bad dental experiences as a child and it left me with severe dental phobia - but treatment has moved on so much since then that it's honestly a totally different experience. I don't think I'll be scared again to that extent now that I know how different things are now, and that I can do it.

The thing that made me determined to get this done was knowing that otherwise I was sitting on a 3 year waiting list to have general anaesthetic at a hospital an hour away from my home - and as someone with health anxiety and agoraphobia I just couldn't face all that, and was scared the tooth was going to kick off in the meantime and I'd end up in A & E or at an NHS drop in emergency weekend surgery where they might not be so patient or understanding of my dental phobia and anxiety.

Anyway, I'll leave it there - I wanted to share my experience today in case it helps anyone else.

I have to go back for further treatment - either two root canals, or one root canal and an extraction, and after it's all done I want to treat myself to teeth whitening, that's my goal and also my reward to myself for managing to do all this - I'd better start saving up now for that! I'm not worried about the remains treatment now, I feel like I turned a corner today, and my dental phobia will be way more manageable going forwards.

 

[Natzuk]

@essella this is amazing thank you so much .

I also have a bad tooth that’s turned brown as it’s dead that needs taken out . I am under a special care dentist due too how bad my health anxiety and fear is and also I’m autistic and have lots of sensory issues . I will be offered sedation so I will have to go with that as last time I was allowed to be put asleep but am not sure they will for this one tooth .

Well done . I will definitely need something more than a local anaesthetic though not a chance I’m doing that .

 

[essella]

@Natzuk sounds like we have similar concerns around dental and medical treatment, and the sensory stuff totally resonates. I honestly think that they key most important thing for people who struggle with dental phobia along with sensory issues and health anxiety is to find a dentist who is happy to work with us and who understands that we really can't help the stuff that we struggle with. Also think we need to feel that we have agency in the situation - it's when I feel that I don't have any agency that I panic the most. Think it's a trauma response tbh to bad dental experiences as a child. So a patient and understanding dentist is a must.

I have every faith in you that you can do this. Have faith and trust in yourself and also I hope you have an understanding and patient dentist. Whatever way works for you is the right way. Being comfortable and having agency is half the battle. I think you can do this, and I look forward to reading your post on here when you have

 

[Natzuk]

@essella thank you so much for your kind words . I just keep crying I’m scared I’ll die because the tooth’s been bad now since March and it’s just dead in my mouth . I keep using salt water and I’m getting some clove oil just to rub round the gum before bed as I know clove oil is good . I feel sad because all this has happened and I actually want them all out what’s left off them anyway. I’m 41 with a partial denture and I still need partials for some bottom teeth also so they may as well take the rest out .

I’m so mentally and physically drained I’m restricting food again as it’s the only way I can cope . I don’t know I just feel I’ll die with this tooth

 

[essella]

I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling this way - if it helps to know, you're not alone in this feeling. I had four years of exactly the same fear, and totally get how that feels and the toll it takes on your emotional health and wellbeing.

It probably not much use me saying that you'll feel so much better once it's out of your mouth for good - because you no doubt know this already, and want it out, and are struggling hugely with wanting it taken out yet also struggling with that very thing.

Do you think it would help if you found a dentist who could maybe do some desensitisation work with you before they do the actual treatment? This helped me hugely. I prefer familiarity and it usually reduces my fear when things are familiar. So some desensitisation work ahead of the actual extraction helped me hugely.

The oral sedatives helped a lot too - is this something you might consider? In the end a multi-pronged approach helped me - a good dentist, some desensitisation work, some oral sedatives (diazepam), numbing the area prior to the local anaesthetic, loud music and headphones, moral support, a clam environment - lots oftors combined are what ended up working for me.

A word about oral sedatives too, I was scared to take them as I'm very health anxiety prone, including taking medication. So I did a trial run before the appointment and took 1mg of diazepam first - and I even cut these up into tiny pieces first and took them 15 mins apart! When I found that it didn't do me any harm, and that it relaxed me, I then gradually moved up to taking 2mg before the treatment. I even broke the tablet into pieces to do that, that's how severe my health anxiety is! But this is what worked for me, baby steps that I was in control of. I also knew I couldn't deal with a one hour trip to the hospital plus general anesthetic, and was pretty desperate to find a way to get it done, which spurred me on to try and find a way to get this done.

I 100% know that you can do this!

 

[Natzuk]

@essella thank you for being so kind and understanding. Well the special care dentist/ community dentist they deal with vulnerable patients, disabled people etc , so they definitely are more understanding and supportive. I am going October and it will be too sort out a plan to get this tooth out . The thing is I don’t want to take diazepam if I have sedation as like you , I’d be extremely scared of any interactions ! Yes I’m petrified of putting medication in my body even when I’ve had too take antibiotics I would sit and cry and hope nothing happens to me and luckily it didn’t. . Yes I will feel so much better once it is out it’s just the getting it out I’m so scared about . I’ve only ever had my teeth done under general anaesthetic and I recovered well the sockets healed perfectly and I had no complications. I sometimes wish I had a friend who would help me through things like this , I do have my daughter but she’s like me anything medical related is a big NO NO ! She takes me to appointments but she won’t sit and stay in the room especially if I have treatment done. I just want this all over with , I get scared of eating because it’s so bad . I don’t even turn the light on anymore at night when I do my teeth because of how bad it looks .

It’s so lovely to read your journey. Thank you

 

[essella]

You're so welcome - it's through reading other people's stories on here that I realised I wasn't alone in my fears. Totally get the fear around taking medication. That's why I tend to break tablets down onto tiny pieces and take them every 30 mins or so. I feel more in control that way, and as if I can monitor the responses and stop if I don't like them. I know breaking tablets up isn't advised, but if I didn't do it this way I wouldn't end up being able to take any at all.

How are you with herbal alternatives? I use rescue remedy a lot, inhale lavender a lot, and drink chamomile tea because I suffer with anxiety over a lot of things, not just dentists. I find them helpful, but again it's each to their own and some people wouldn't touch herbal stuff. I quite like it though and find it helpful. I tried to use it to combat my nerves previously for dental treatment but it just wasn't strong enough. You can't mix herbal stuff with diazepam btw, so I knew it had to be one or the other for this latest appointment.

The small amount of diazepam that I took did seem to do the job, if it helps I can describe how it felt: I just felt relaxed enough to be able to stay in the dentist's chair, and to not mind too much about what was happening and to not get panicky or want to do a runner. It just made me feel relaxed, and a bit dozy, not out if it or anything. The best way I can describe it is this: if someone had said to me 'ok, you can stay in the dentist's chair or do a runner' - my brain's response would have been 'doing a runner sounds like a bit of an effort, I might as well stay here instead so I don't have to get up'. The diazepam also removed the capacity to have a panic attack or feel panicky, which for me was what I needed. I'd take it again for the next extraction / root canal, again only in a very low dosage.

Yeh it was the first time that my partner had been on the dental surgery with me while the treatment was happening.On previous attempts he'd stayed in the car, or the waiting room. It hadn't occurred to me that he could be in the treatment room until the dentist suggested it. In the past I've gripped on to the poor dental nurse's hand! They don't usually mind, but sometimes I've had to ask. I'm sure they've seen it all before.

It took me four years to go through with this, four years of trying pretty much everything. It's so hard. I totally get where you're coming from on this.