• Dental Phobia Support

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Scared to death....almost would rather die believe it or not.

K

KatB

Junior member
Joined
Aug 28, 2021
Messages
9
Location
NY
I am 55. haven't been to the dentist in over 25 years. My experiences as a child and young adult were forced and awful. My last appointment was for a filling. I saw the needle and politely told the Dr. I needed to leave. Since then, that tooth broke and the gum grew over. Others have decayed so badly (at least 5) in the back, that they are just black holes.
My front teeth, Although yellow, are intact....for now.
I brush 3x a day.
I have been having issues with kidney stones that have led to recurring uti's.....one that led to sepsis. They can't find the cause. I can't help thinking it's my teeth. I have tmj (I hear the clicking when I chew) and regular headaches...neck aches, that is attribute to my teeth.
I know it's time to address this. I have a sedation dentist nearby that I intend to call. But truthfully, I'd almost rather die than go. Am I insane?? I'm a well respected attorney in my town. I am ashamed of myself
 
Hi KatB,
please, please do not be ashamed of yourself. I too was in a similar situation and after being on this forum, I’ve realized I’m not alone and I’m sure as you’ve read other people’s stories, the Dentists truly care about fixing your teeth, not how you got there. finding the right one is absolute key to the process. When I called I explained my situation and knew instantly from even the receptionist it was the right place. Please go, the amount of relief you feel is indescribable. im Not minimizing your fear, because trust me, I’ve been there but want to assure you dentistry has changed so much and there’s honestly nothing they haven’t seen before. Best of luck, keep us posted. You’ll get through this.
 
Hi KatB, as the previous post said there’s nothing to be embarrassed, your dentist would have seen it all before, look how many people wear dentures have implants etc, it’s very common to them, as we age our teeth become naturally yellow anyway. Just make that call, don’t over think it, which is probably what you are doing at the moment, understandably. Concentrate on what you want the out come to be. Good luck:)
 
Hi KatB and welcome ?

Sorry to hear that you've had such awful experiences with dentists in the past. I can't really add much to what has already been said. Dental care has come a long way over the last 25 years, not only in terms of new techniques and materials but also in terms of customer service. Of course, as in any profession, there are good and not-so-good practitioners and it's really important that you find the right person for you!

If you haven't already seen this, please have a look at this guide (don't be put off too much by the title and the "easy" and the "overcoming" bits ? - it's really just a collection of the collective wisdom that's been gathered on this forum over the years!):

 
Thank you all. I think I may have downplayed the condition of a few of my back teeth.....serious, black holes. I think my fear is not losing my teeth...that's fine...knock me out and take them....but cancer, infection that causes my death, or that the damage is so severe (to gums and bone) that they can't help me. I know it sounds crazy.....
 
Hi KatB, as the previous post said there’s nothing to be embarrassed, your dentist would have seen it all before, look how many people wear dentures have implants etc, it’s very common to them, as we age our teeth become naturally yellow anyway. Just make that call, don’t over think it, which is probably what you are doing at the moment, understandably. Concentrate on what you want the out come to be. Good luck:)
I'm calling tomorrow.
 
Please don't be ashamed of yourself!!! Traumatic experiences go into our muscle memory and we don't have control over that. The one thing that will help is having a good, kind dentist and some pleasant experiences at the dentist. You might not be over it after a first good visit, but hopefully you will be eventually.
 
I felt the same way a few months ago: hadn’t been to the dentist in years, now with two teeth giving me trouble. I wanted to die rather than go. I was so embarrassed and fearful. But I went! And you know what? Nobody made me feel bad. Nobody told me I was a horrible person for neglecting my teeth. They just wanted to help me. Seriously, dentists are fixers. Yours will take care of you, don’t worry! I still get anxious going to the dentist, but I do it anyway, because staying ahead of problems is so much better that the fear, pain, and embarrassment. You can do this and you will be so much happier once you do!
 
Kat,
I have had a similar experience. Many back teeth had broken off, fell out etc. Then I had a front one get loose so I finally had to break down and go to the dentist. I ended up having decay in my jaw bones that was being caused by the teeth. Eventually this would have started causing many major health issues had I not taken action. At the end of September I had all my top teeth removed and all but 5 on the bottom. Thankfully the infection has stopped and my health is improving. I wish you all the best and I'm hoping your health will improve like mine did.
 
KatB-- I've found that most of the health anxiety people I know are also some of the smartest people I know. Don't feel bad about worrying about this stuff. We thinkers can..well...over think.
Hope things are getting better for you!
 
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