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Nervous about going to the dentist

C

candy-eater

Junior member
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
17
Hi all,

Here is my first thread although I am registered for a long time ago.

I am a mid thirties man and I am scared about going to the dentist as long as I remember :o I find the dental chair frightening and I don’t like lying in the dental chair. In addition, I don’t like when a dentist exams my teeth because it is like being judge by the dentist and I am ashamed if a dentist tell me I have a cavity or tartar: it is like a failure for me :shame: I have also a fear of gagging at the dentist (it is all the more worrying because I have nausea when I am nervous). Of course, I don’t like feeling the drill :noway: Hopefully, I am not prone to have often cavities :cool:

I booked an appointment with a new dentist because my previous dentist was expansive. My appointment will be on Friday, December 6th :sick:
 
Candy-eater.. Good job on making this appt.. even though its hard and feelings of embarassement.. I hope the new dentist is kind and good with anxious patients.. is there any particular reason you chose this one? good reviews?
 
I chose this dentist because she is a woman and I find female dentist less scary than male and also because she looks like welcoming.
 
Please let her know about your concerns. Don’t be afraid to speak up and tell them you don’t like lying in the chair, or that you feel like she might judge you. You may find that she has ways of dealing with anxious patients. I too dislike lying back in the chair, so I avoid it as long as I can by sitting up until they need me to lie back. Then I pop right back up as soon as they’re done messing around in my mouth. They are very tolerant of this and give me fair warning when I can’t get up yet. As for the judgement part, yeah I know. I’ve got no advice for that other than I just accepted my fate and rode it out. You’ll see posted here a lot that dentist’s have seen it all, and they really have. Try to remember that.
 
"I chose this dentist because she is a woman and I find female dentist less scary than male and also because she looks like welcoming "

That is great you get a welcoming vibe from her and also have the self care to pick someone you feel comfortable with!!
 
Hi candy-eater,

well done on making an appointment. You seem to be very clear about your fears, that's a good thing. I second BoxerMom - if you tell your dentist what worries you, she can take a better care for you. She might for example warn you before the chair goes back and if oyu like, you can stay up until it reaches the position it needs to have. Then you can lie down at your own pace. That gives you a sense of control. It could be also an idea to ask the dentist not to tell you what they have seen in your mouth before you sit uprigt again (or maybe even before you sit in a normal chair instead of the dental one if they have one in the treatment room). Sitting upright while talking may make you feel more equal and again more in control.

All the best wishes and keep us posted
 
I never told dentists what worries me or just I am worried about going to the dentist. I am shy and I don’t dare to let dentists know about my concerns. Thus I try to grin and bear it.
 
Do you think you would be able to write all your concerns in a letter instead? I think it’s important that they know how you feel. I can’t stress that enough. Your feelings are valid and I’m sure they would be glad to know how to make you more at ease.
 
No, I don't. I don't think that I could admit ans explain my dental fear to the dentist. However, I think I could tell I don't want to have my wisdom teeth removed because I am afraid.
 
Telling about being afraid of having your wisdom teeth removed sounds like a good start. I know admitting to dental fear can be a very hard thing, but your dental teal can really care of you better once they know what worries you (provided they are nice and if they aren’t then finding someone who is nice is the best thing)
 
Please let us know how your appointment goes! It can be really hard to tell someone how you feel and what scares you. My dentist had a form that I filled out with my information and medical history, and on that form they asked if I had concerns or had fears. If you have to answer questions like those, you could be honest and tell them how you're feeling. I hope this new dentist is very caring and gentle, and makes you feel welcome.
 
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