Re: Posting in the General Dental Forum

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Re: Posting in the General Dental Forum

I'm suffering from extreme dental phobia. I have to have a root canal on my back molar because I have cracked the tooth in my sleep due to grinding. I have read alot of things and most have freaked me out. I'm scared. Help!

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

Re: Posting in the General Dental Forum

Hi there!

I used to be completely terrified of the dentist-- it felt like I was walking into a death chamber. I put up with pain an anxiety for over a decade, because the phobia was just so much worse. And-- I'd already been through a round of root canals and treatment a decade before. The phobia can completely consume you. I get it.

But, I will tell you that the root canals I've had have been almost always completely painless, and I've always felt so much better either immediately after, or at the worst, after a few ibuprofen and a good nap. In most cases I've had root canals during my lunch break, and gone to work and felt and spoke just fine right after.

I don't want to paint an overl rosie picture-- during a couple root canals, it was painful. But only for a few seconds and in all cases, I raised my hand and the dentist stopped IMMEDIATELY and got me numb again.

Your fears and worries-- although absolutely real and legitimate-- are so much worse than the actual procedure. Again, most of my root canals were *completely* painless, not even a little. The ones that were, the pain was quickly dealt with. Your dentist really wants you to be comfortable, and will take his/her time and make sure you're okay. And in every case, I felt so much better after.

Please feel free to DM if you want any more info or just a sympathetic ear and some encouragement. I've been there, as have so many other phobics here. You will get through this, and so much more easily than your worried mind imagines.

Good luck-- you are strong and your dentist is compassionate, and you'll soon be on the other side of this.

 

[Tryingtoovercome]

Re: Posting in the General Dental Forum

I'm suffering from extreme dental phobia. I have to have a root canal on my back molar because I have cracked the tooth in my sleep due to grinding. I have read alot of things and most have freaked me out. I'm scared. Help!

You sound exactly like I did. Everything I read on the internet freaked me out and so I put it off for years. I already couldn’t eat on my right side because of a molar that needed a root canal and when the left side went out and got an abscess I was forced to go to the emergency dentist. I’m honestly glad it happened because my fears of the root canal and everything I read on the internet that freaked me out never happened. The root canal was pain free and I honestly almost fell asleep for some of it. I was so RELAXED. me, relaxed, in a dentist chair!!!!!!!!! After that root canal I WANTED to get my right side fixed that I couldn’t chew on for years. If the root canal experience was bad me and many many others on this forum would not go back for more. Please search in this forum because here are many successful and encouraging root canal stories. I completely understand your fear I was there but now I don’t fear them.