• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Nervous About Going to New Dentist

P

phsgirl

Junior member
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
14
Hello! A few years, I had my one upper wisdom tooth out but left my two bottom wisdom teeth as they have not bothered me at all. My dentist of many years retired and I am going to a new dentist this week and I am so worried he will yell at me and say I'm silly for not having the lower wisdom teeth out. I've been to other dentists and oral surgeons before having my 1 wisdom tooth extracted and they were so horribly rude about the fact that I'm afraid to have my lower wisdom teeth out. Since having those out can possibly cause nerve damage and I'm older (early 30s) in terms of still having wisdom teeth, I've felt that it's best to leave well enough alone. Those wisdom teeth do not bother me and as I have a phobia of having them extracted, I've felt OK leaving them in. But when these dentists are yelling at me, it's so upsetting. My dentist who retired was so nice and understanding about it. I'm just so worried about going to this new dentist and what he'll tell me.
 
I’m in the uk and we don’t have wisdom teeth out unless there’s a prob! I have mine (3 erupted) and 1 still under gum (impacted) at 44years old! No one should shout at you about it! Your body your choice! X
 
phsgirl,

Hello,

I so understand the anxiety of going to a new dentist and not knowing what to expect, will they belittle you,? judge you? treat you unkindly? be rushed? etc.. etc.. especially when you need something done and you just have to take a chance.

I want to encourage you... a year ago exactly I had a crown come off and could not / didn't feel safe going to my current dentist.. so I tried a new one.. I was quite scared... I can tell you he is the best, most kind , funniest dentist and just an inspiring person as a whole... He listened.. wanted to understand me.. took time,, was very present,.. he actually made me laugh so much in the chair.. very funny guy.. but .. the first visit was so relieving.. I actually wanted to go back... then I met the hygenist who was just equally as great ,, very nonjudgemental , patient and kind..

So we can think what if the worst..but what if the best? and you find the kindest , most patient , non judgmental dentist and you can begin a whole new journey... and well if not.. you can go to the next and keep looking until you do!

I wish you the best!!
 
I’m in the uk and we don’t have wisdom teeth out unless there’s a prob! I have mine (3 erupted) and 1 still under gum (impacted) at 44years old! No one should shout at you about it! Your body your choice! X

I wish they had that approach in the U.S. too. Here it’s more of “It looks bad, so even though it’s not bothering you, you’re being foolish and should get them out immediately.” I live by the adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and “don’t go borrowing trouble.” I just get so upset when they start shouting at me and acting like I’m an idiot!
 
phsgirl,

I fully understand your worry, especially if you experienced yelling dentists in the past. There are two perspectives to that:

Firstly, your dentist won't automatically assume that letting the wisdoms in was your choice. If he might be curious about why they are in, he might ask you about it and will probably assume that your previous dentist didn't recommend to take them out for some reason. And even if you tell him, that it was your decision to let them in, it won't be the first time he hears something like this. Honestly, tell me, who goes through surgery voluntarily if there are no problems? Especially when it comes to wisdoms? Everyone fears wisdom teeth removal! Of course you let them in if they do not bother you..

Secondly, and this is the most important part: it's not ok for a dentist to yell at you and there are no circumstances that would justify that. If any dentist does, than they really have a problem and you should leave as quickly as you can. It's not about what decisions you had made about your own health in the past, it's about professional behavior towards patients / customers.

There are enough kind dentists out there, no need to tolerate inappropriate behavior (applies to any profession and any area of life, by the way)

All the best wishes and let us know how your visit went
 
Hi,

A dentist is obliged to convince by reasoning. Using threats and bulling is simply abuse of power.
 
I know how everyone's feeling i have anxiety and panic attacks just thinking about my teeth as well every time i went to the dentist when i was little i screamed before the doctor even touched me im even afraid cause how bad my teeth are my neck will swell up to where i cant breath i check my pulse every 15 mins to make sure im still breathing normal so this is why my teeth are as bad as they are now when i was little my mom had to chase me around the house when i was little to get me to brush my teeth an eventually she gave up so now that i have never brushed my teeth since i was like 13 years old now cause of that all my teeth are rotted badly and im afraid to go get my teeth all pulled out and get dentures cause im only 27 years old and i dont wanna be in all that pain of getting them done but i know I'm having infections in my mouth that need to get gone before it spreads to the rest of my body so im about to be brave and when my medicade gets on im gonna finally make an appointment
 
I just don't understand why there are so many dentists out there that yell, abuse or degrade their patients. Why is it such common practice? I've finally found a dentist that I enjoy seeing, but it took me years to find him. Listening and reading to a lot of stories here it doesn't make sense why these dentists continue to practice the way they do. I wish there was a way to weed out more of the bad ones and prop up the good ones.

I hope you figure out your wisdom teeth situation, it sounds like a tough call whether to do it or not with the differing opinions! :hmm:
 
Even though I go to the dentist regularly (been to the same pratice it took me nearly 27 years to find one who has not yelled at my teeth, she is very good at spotting problems early, asking me to see her every 3 months has helped, with having a small mouth and a overcrowding problem, (after dentist removed a few teeth when I was younger to make room for my adult teeth)

If a dentist made a bad comment and yelled at me I would get up and go.
 
Back
Top