• 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.

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New member.. finally went to the dentist after 8 years

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Scaredycat31

Junior member
Joined
May 14, 2017
Messages
7
Hello all. I'm new here but the past month I've been reading posts to try to gain courage to get back to the dentist and get fixed. I'm going to be 32 this summer, and finally went back to the dentist for the first time in 8 yrs. And... I need massive overhaul done. I hate my smile, I'm sick of pain, and I just want to feel better. I'm ashamed. I've never done drugs in my life, I've never smoked, and I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I've ever had alcohol. But you'd never know that by looking at me. I just had my 3rd baby last summer. Genetic wise, my teeth are weak to begin with, but 3 pregnancies and nursing were not kind on my teeth. I am currently untreated for depression/anxiety due to nursing my baby.

I have been a wreck knowing this appt was coming. An awful mood, crying, ect. Dreaming about the appt. I managed to get there and didn't run oUT screaming. Small victories. I was upfront with them and told them I have a very bad phobia of the dentist, I know my teeth are bad, and I just want help and no judgement. The hygienist I had was more than helpful, gentle, and kind. The dentist went thru and explained what she wanted to do. She originally said like 6 bottom extractons (I had my back lower molars removed as a teen) but I stopped her and asked if I could just have all bottom teeth pulled. Eventually I need it done, I just need to bite the bullet and do it. She has to remove 2 back top molars (my mouth is small and they didn't fair well, and she said she's surprised I went this long), and a front tooth where a crown fell off.

The plan is top partial and bottom denture. My husband keeps saying the bottoms are the hardest to get used to, but I guess I will just trudge thru it. I don't have another choice. I don't want pain anymore. I want to smile in photos with my kids. I just want to be happy.

At first they said due to being over 21 I will be denied sedation, so I had to go to my Dr and have her fax a letter saying I'm untreated for depression and anxiety but I need something to relax me for this. I got a call last night saying it should be approved due to the amount having to be done.

Now, I go for full xrays next week. I'm trying to hold off on surgery til September when my son should be majority on regular food (the formula he would need is $60 a can due to food intolerance and I cannot afford that every 3 days, so I have to breastfeed the full first year), and my older kids will be back in school. I've never been sedated before so I'm scared, but I felt peace last nighr finally. I'm still very much scared. Very much so. But I felt peace.

Thanks for being an ear and posting all your stories. They really helped me so far!
 
Good luck. I hate going to the dentist myself. even though I been lots of times for checkups and had any treatment needed.
 
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