My teeth - 'medicine' phobia and periodontal battle

[Pianimo]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Hi Carys.

Just wanted to chime in and say I agree with Carole - I think you really should be proud of yourself! I read your first post earlier today, and my immediate and overriding thought was that you'd done really well. Then I checked back in just now and saw your post about feeling ashamed, and I had to say something. The way I see it, you had a difficult experience with the unanciticpated injections and the panic attack, but you dealt with it - seemingly pretty quickly - got through all the remaing work and came out victorious! As I see it, that's an achievement - you deserve a big well done!

I also get panic attacks, and they are not to be made light of. You often can't stop them coming, it can be a horrible experience, and it's far easier to give in than to fight it and regain calm. But you did just that! I know how hard that is. And I would think your dentist (especially if he's as nice as he sounds) won't think at all badly of you over what happened - to start with, it sounds to me like you didn't really require any extra work, just a bit of extra time. What's a couple of minutes in the grand scheme of things? Non-phobic patients may well need a break longer than that long smetimes (albeit they may not require it quite so suddenly! ) He was probably concerned about you when it happened, relieved when you were ok, and proud of you for getting through it. His aim in the appointment was to do the RCT, and you let him do it (injections and all) - objective achieved!

As for the way you're feeling now, I've learned that's all part of the phobia. I actually feel a bit hypocritical writing all of this, because I'm usually the one feeling embarrassed and guilty and stupid about the way I've acted during my appointments, and fretting that my dentist is now annoyed with me and/or thinks I'm an idiot! (Don't feel obliged to, but if you look at any of my past posts, you can see it's a clear recurring theme!) If nothing else, I can say that you're definitely not alone either in what you did, or in how you feel about it now. It's also always easier to see things objectively in someone else's situation! So, just in case it helps at all, it's my 'expert' opinion that your actions today are, in fact, something to be proud of. Just saying!

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Oh gosh, thanks everso much for taking the time to write that thoughtful reply to me, I really appreciate it. You are right, you lose the ability to be objective when you are in that type of situation, after all the 'attention' is on you and the eyes of the professionals are on you and you don't see how other patients react and respond, so you imagine you must be the worst that they have seen/dealt with. Thinking about it, as you say, I didn't leave, I went to the end of the procedure with no more 'fuss' and got things under control. I guess I just feel disappointed as I thought I have cured myself totally of the fear, in previous weeks I have had a total of 9 other injections and didn't react in this way. My dentist is a sweet man; quite funny really, when I sat up and did my panic he quietly moved away and said he would get on with some paperwork on the computer LOL

 

[Pianimo]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

You're welcome.

I guess it's all a perspective thing, and the phobia really affects our pesrpective. I totally understand your disappointment after doing so well at previous appointments but, again, there's more than one way to look at things. The way I see it, you got through 10 out of 11 injections without any problem - that's a success rate of over 90%! I reckon if someone had told you before you started all this that you could have a success rate like that, you'd have seen it as a really good (and probably impossible to achieve!) thing!

I do think it's understandable that a strong fear like yours hasn't just gone for good, even after all you've achieved. But if this is a battle, you're winning, by a mile! Again, I know it's far easier for me to say than for you to do, but I think you should try to remember and focus on the 90% success, not the 10% blip. The phobia will want to keep dwelling on those 2 minutes, and tell you you've failed, but it's wrong!

Oh, and I love this:

My dentist is a sweet man; quite funny really, when I sat up and did my panic he quietly moved away and said he would get on with some paperwork on the computer LOL

lol Your dentist sounds great!

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Perfect sense Pianimo ! You are right, that is much much more than I would have imagined I would have achieved 2 months ago. Interesting how we can all be so objective until it comes to ourselves LOL

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Cue the 'bad stomach' (trying to avoid too much information here) and sweaty palms. This dental stuff is doing wonders for me in terms of weight loss.

So, the root canal done last week on the pre-molar has settled well, took a few days longer than I expected compared to root canal part 1, but there is no pain at all now from the surrounding tissues. Today I am having the work done for an overlay on this tooth and having a front crown removed to have it 'reshaped'. It is only a temporary crown and at the time he put it on it was only expected to be a few weeks in place, so the front of it by the gumline isn't perfect for longer term use. Now that I am going to be using invisalign braces before replacing that crown it needs the shape slightly revising so that it is more suitable for the next few months.

Following the advice given here, I am expecting that I will have an injection or two today (actually I'm hoping not as both teeth being worked on have been 'root canalled' - can I make that into a verb ?) but I am mentally preparing myself that I will have them anyway.

I am looking forward to getting rid of this temporary filling in the pre-molar, it is causing some problems with following the regime set by the hygienist. Last night, not for the first time, my lovely crest flossing thingy - on a white plastic stick with squeezy handle - got well and truly stuck and I had to rush around the house to find scissors with it hanging from my mouth.

 

[Pianimo]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Well, today seems to be the day for dental appointments, judging by people on here....I'm starting to feel a bit left out not having one!

Seriously, I'm about to dash off, but before I do I just wanted to wish you the best for your appointment - hope it goes really well, injections or none (I'll be wishing for none on your behalf!).

 

[carole]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

I had to laugh at you getting the floss thing stuck I've done that it gives you a bit of a start and causes quite a panic, until you realise you can just cut it.

You are having so much more done than me, it makes me feel like a right wimp, all the best for today.
I look forward to hearing how you go on.

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

You are having so much more done than me, it makes me feel like a right wimp, all the best for today.

Errr, Carole, I'm not having more done than you because I am brave my friend, it is because I have no choice !!!

So, here I am back home. Actually had some fun there today, something I never thought I would say. I was chatting to the receptionist when I arrived about unrelated things to dentists. After a few minutes my dentist called down and said 'send up Mrs.X, I know she is here as I can hear her 'distinctive' laugh from upstairs' LOLOL.

Anyhow I've had all the things done that I went for. No injections required ! It was a long appointment, 1 1/2 hours, and it was more boring than anxiety inducing. The tooth has been prepared for the proper overlay (and has a temporary overlay in place, made after impressions), the tooth next to it has been sealed at a potential point where it could have developed decay, then the one temporary front crown was removed and reshaped and replaced. Unfortunately as the crown was removed another bit of the tooth snapped off, it is very weak under there and it is what took me to this dentist in the first place. He has made a fabby job of the temporary crown, it looks better than the original 'proper' one that was taken off when I first went to him !

I need to go back in a few weeks and discuss my ongoing treatment plan in more detail. Obviously I have one temporary crown and one temporary overlay at the moment, but he says there is no point replacing them until any orthodontic work is decided on. The hygenist is concerned about starting invisalign too early with my current gum problems. I am addressing the gum issue to the best of my ability, with committed use of everything she advised twice a day but until they are certain the minor peridontal issues are under control they are (rightly) loathe to start introducing the idea of moving teeth around.

Ummm, what else....I asked to hold a mirror as I was interested to see what was going on and have a look at the prepared pre-molar and the tooth underneath the front crown. Also, there was a fault with the water coming through the drill thingy, it just kept stopping for no reason and so every few minutes we would all stop what was going on have a poke around at it and look dismayed and then it would start again. When I got downstairs to pay the receptionist she made comment about the 'much hilarity that she had heard going on' LOLOL. Well, that's good

 

[carole]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

I am speechless. RESPECT

I can't believe you, when you read your first entry it's not the same person.y

My dentist is leaving I want yours he is lovely, I thought so when you first went, glad he is what we thought.

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Ahh thanks Carole, you are very kind. BUT....remember this....there were no injections today and I have no fear about all the rest of the dental work

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

OK, next appointment today (oooooe, just notice the fancy new toolbar above me, from the forum update!) I feel somewhat despondent actually. Today was meant to be a 1/2 hour appointment for the dentist to check and measure/chart the periodontal pockets. I have been following my oral hygiene new regime for 3 weeks now (set by the hygenist after her cleaning) and I think i must have been expecting miracles.....something like the pockets to have disappeared lol Of course they haven't, what I didn't realise is that it will take many months of dental cleaning and my own hard effort to halt the gum disease. There has been some bone loss in places, and I am really really sad about that....I had no idea that was happening.

The odd thing is that my gums don't look like they have gum disease, they don't really bleed, they aren't bright red or feel sore, but there are those pockets caused by plaque. BOY did those pockets cause some pain today as he was measuring their depth, he charted all of the upper jaw and it really hurt (apologies to anyone reading this who fears pain at the dentist). At a few points my eyes were watering with the jabbing pain and I did say 'this is bloody hurting, but I know it is my own fault'. He suggested after 3/4 hour after finishing the upper jaw that the lower jaw should be charted in a couple of weeks, as there was deep significant gum inflammation which must be painful.

He went through my oral hygiene regime and noted it all down on some sheets for future use when starting invisalign, along with taking full panoramic xrays and discussing my lifestyle and levels of motivation in terms of dental health. I told him how sad I was that all my efforts were not paying off. He said that the situation with my gums 'wasn't good' but also 'wasn't awful' and whilst we couldn't regrow some bone, we could halt the gum problems and that he would not expect there to be instant changes.

The bottom line is though, the invisalign can't be started until these gum problems are stabilised. So, there we go, I left feeling sad. Sad because I had originally gone to him with some tooth problems which he has sorted beautifully well, only to find out that really those were the least of my worries. My fear of injections seems so far in the past now, I'd have 20 of them if it meant that my gum problems instantly disappeared and I could start my cosmetic work. I go back in 2 weeks then for the lower jaw to be charted and then 4 weeks after that back to the hygenist.

 

[carole]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

OH Carys sorry you are feeling fed up after you visit today, but at least you know what you are dealing with, and you have the tools to do it. When he charted your pockets what do they do that takes so long. I hope you feel better after your next appointment. Keep going you'll get there, it just does take time.

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

OH Carys sorry you are feeling fed up after you visit today, but at least you know what you are dealing with, and you have the tools to do it. When he charted your pockets what do they do that takes so long. I hope you feel better after your next appointment. Keep going you'll get there, it just does take time.

What takes the time is, it seems, is that at the left of every tooth, then the middle of the every tooth and then the right of every tooth, both front and back - so that is stacks of times - he pushes in a pointed measuring tool thingy as deep in to/under/between the gum and tooth as it will go. Then he calls that figure to the nurse who puts it on a computer chart. However, many times the nurse made an error today and mis-heard or he didn't give the total information of the location of tooth he was checking, so the measurements were re-done many times. At one point, about the 10th time of there being a communication error between them i felt like shouting - for gawds sake will you work on this together as I am having a good deal of pain every time you get it wrong as it has to be re-measured. I desisted from doing that though, but it was close. Bless them, I do love my dentist and his nurse, but I was starting to get a bit tetchy today.

 

[letsconnect]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

I'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad time today . It sounds as if your dentist was very heavy-handed - normally, periodontal probing should not be an unpleasant experience. The problem arises when too much pressure is applied and it sounds as if that was the case here. Also, plastic-tipped probes are more comfortable than the metal variety. If the tissue is very inflamed and sore, then a small amount of topical anesthetic should be offered but it doesn't sound like that from your description - so heavy-handedness is the most likely explanation.

I haven't been following your story (shame on me - but I've been too busy with the technical aspects of the forum and website recently), so I don't know if your dentist is generally gentle and just not very good with the periodontal probe. If this experience has put you off him, don't be afraid to look around for someone who is more gentle.

 

[carole]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

I know your dentist is a very nice and gentle man, but he stinks at this simple task, he should have numbed you. It would have set me right back, my last dentist thought it was okay to hurt with the probe, but it puts you off going back. Have a word with him Carys, you're no shrinking violet, set him straight. I feel really annoyed for you. I hope you stop hurting soon. dentist today.

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Thanks letsconnect and Carole, I still feel a bit tearful about it actually and it was hours ago. It was non plastic tipped the measuring thingy. He is a lovely man and I do trust him, but this really hurt to the point of (as I said to Carole via PM being rigid in the chair with my head pushed back and having my eyes water) wanting to get right out of there. I think you are right letsconnect, it felt like it was being done too hard and you are also right Carole....I have to go back next time and have the bottom set charted, and will tell him it hurt was too much last time and what can he do about that, can he be more gentle and use topical gel ? I was fairly forthright by using the phrase 'this bloody hurts' , maybe because I was being fairly stoic about it though in general he presumed it wasn't that bad. I didn't scream LOL that was the problem LOL !!!! I know he would have stopped if I had asked, why did I just carry on...I don't get it. He is usually fine letsconnect, I only moved to his practice a short time ago and he has helped me achieve getting some work done and move forward in many ways, but this made me feel trapped and upset. I didn't think it should hurt, so at least I am now armed with that fact. I appreciate it guys, I really go. thanks.

I hope you stop hurting soon.

Yeah, its fine now carole, only hurt whilst he was doing it and for a short while afterwards. The thing is the hygenist did a full clean of the periodontal pockets that I have 3 weeks ago, and that didn't hurt, so I think letsconnect you are right it was heavy-handed.

 

[Jaylah]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

At one point, about the 10th time of there being a communication error between them i felt like shouting - for gawds sake will you work on this together as I am having a good deal of pain every time you get it wrong as it has to be re-measured.

I would love to be able to say that I would have gone ahead and said something like that. But I know that, truthfully, I'm not that brave.

But I do know getting that done is NOT pleasant and I would have been immensely annoyed if they had to keep redoing it simply because of miscommunication. You most certainly would have been within your rights to have said something, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

It was VERY close Jaylah ! VERY close LOL ! The thing is, it takes you (well it took me) a while to realise quite what was occuring (never had it done before). I don't know the toothy lingo and was not entirely sure what the nurse was doing on the computer etc. As Carole says I'm not one to hold back my words, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt for a while. He does the probing of one tooth, which is freaking agony, and then she queries something back and I tense up as he goes back to that tooth. That was about 10 times and I wasn't sure if it was the computer playing up, or him not talking properly or her not hearing properly or what really; though I was done with counting after a certain point, and the hypnotic effect of the spider on the ceiling to help me meditate through it was wearing out. It literally was down to 'if that happens one more time' and he decided to stop and leave the bottom jaw LOL Luckily for him and me !!!

 

[Jaylah]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

Do you know Carole, I feel quite ashamed and not proud. I keep analysing my 'panic attack' moment. I wasn't hysterical, but I certainly blurted out very loudly 'I'm having a panic attack' and he said 'are you ok ?' and I said 'No !' and wanted to sit up. I feel really bad for giving him the extra work and breaking his pattern and I feel embarrased how I was infront of the dental nurse. It wasn't my favourite dental nurse today (funny how that makes all the difference isn't it !), although she was very nice and told me that someone this morning was gripping her arm so hard it hurt LOL I did get myself back together quite quickly, apologising all the way LOL...but I feel at the moment like an idiot. I know I shouldn't, I'm sure others have done similar, but.....well....there we go. It is a bit ridiculous as I had the same two jabs last week and was fine, I thought I would be fine today.

I'm a bit late on this one, but....

Ashamed? I'm actually quite proud of you!

In the midst of your panic attack, you still managed to maintain the presence of mind to explain what was happening to you, and to voice your needs. How much easier for the dentist to respond appropriately for a patient that does that, rather than one that just goes all hysterical on him! My guess is that he was more than a bit proud of you, too!

 

[Carys]

Re: My teeth - 'medicine' phobia COMMENTS WELCOME

I haven't been following your story (shame on me - but I've been too busy with the technical aspects of the forum and website recently),

Don't be silly ! You have absolutely no need to feel that you should have read it, you've had your hands really full after returning to the 'hands on' aspects of the site. It is great that you are here