Need to go to dentist asap but incredibly anxious to go as I fear the worst.

[etsy]

Need to go to dentist asap but incredibly anxious to go as I fear the worst.

Hey everyone,
This is my first post on the website so please forgive any mistakes I make in this post.

So, I'm 20 years old and I haven't been to the dentist for a few years, I have still brushed my teeth but there have been intermittent times where I'd slip a bit on dental hygiene, I've been going through loss of a family and depression recently, which is another story for another day and I sometimes went through slip ups in my dental hygiene, sometimes not brushing for a couple/few days at a time. I won't sugar coat it, but my teeth and gums could be a lot better. My teeth are firmly and solidly in, are a relatively normal colour at the front and my gums are pink-ish with a tiny bit of inflammation. My gums used to bleed when I brush quite a bit recently, I've really got my act together with brushing and have been brushing twice a day as I should and since then, it's gone down so there's sometimes no blood at all and sometimes just a tiny speck of blood. A major problem is that the back of my teeth, esp. the bottom row, have quite a bit of hardened plaque and really need a scaling. TLR I have minor amount of blood and some hardened plaque on the back of my teeth. My technique whilst brushing has been very off and my toothbrush's quality is on the low side, sometimes evidently missing the backs of my teeth and I often wait too long to buy a new toothbrush. I don't have any toothache, my teeth are firmly in place and not loose and I don't have any pain in my gums or pain whilst eating/drinking etc so I'm hoping it's nothing major but I do still fear for the worst and am anxious about making an appointment

As to my habits, I've smoked occasionally but not much and not regularly and I drink A LOT of coffee as I work in an office with a big coffee drinking culture. My diet doesn't have too much sugar in it, I don't have a lot of sweet foods other than a little treat every now and then.

I need some dental attention and I understand that the sooner I do it, the easier it'll be to get better but I'm extremely anxious about taking that step, I'm nervous that I'll be judged and I fear the worse, in that I'll need some huge surgery or teeth pulled.

Thoughts?
Thanks

 

[FearfulInMA]

Need to go to dentist asap but incredibly anxious to go as I fear the worst.

First, welcome!

I'm not a dentist, but from what you've described, it sounds like your teeth/gums need some attention, but that there's nothing obviously wrong or causing you pain. Calculus buildup is very, very common on the back of the bottom front teeth - even with excellent hygiene and regular dental care. It is important to get it cleaned though so you don't develop further problems. Flossing should also help your gums in the meantime.

In terms of being judged, I had not been to a dentist for many, many years before I went back. There was no judgement - just a plan to get everything fixed and back in good shape. If a dentist judges you, you should find a different dentist. They see fearful people and people who have not been to the dentist in years all the time. Their job is to help us get our teeth and gums in good health - not to judge us.

The first step is finding a dentist and making an appointment. Please let us know how we can support you.

 

[etsy]

Re: Need to go to dentist asap but incredibly anxious to go as I fear the worst.

First, welcome!

I'm not a dentist, but from what you've described, it sounds like your teeth/gums need some attention, but that there's nothing obviously wrong or causing you pain. Calculus buildup is very, very common on the back of the bottom front teeth - even with excellent hygiene and regular dental care. It is important to get it cleaned though so you don't develop further problems. Flossing should also help your gums in the meantime.

In terms of being judged, I had not been to a dentist for many, many years before I went back. There was no judgement - just a plan to get everything fixed and back in good shape. If a dentist judges you, you should find a different dentist. They see fearful people and people who have not been to the dentist in years all the time. Their job is to help us get our teeth and gums in good health - not to judge us.

The first step is finding a dentist and making an appointment. Please let us know how we can support you.

I've managed to get an appointment for tomorrow morning. I'm literally sweating and shaking because I don't want to lose my teeth and I can't have any expensive surgery

 

[FearfulInMA]

Need to go to dentist asap but incredibly anxious to go as I fear the worst.

Good luck to you! At least you don't have to wait long... I find the wait is often the most difficult part. Most people on here will tell you that, when they finally went to the dentist, their teeth weren't nearly as bad as they thought. Please let us know how it goes.