Severe Dental and Needle Anxiety

[Wpahg7l]

Hi everyone, I’ve been reading this forum for the last few months so decided to sign up and get some advice.

I’d put off going to the dentist for years (stupidly thought if there’s no pain then everything is ok) but in May this year I started to get pain so had to bite the bullet and go. Amazingly nearly all my teeth were fine, I didn’t even need any hygiene appointments but due to tooth trauma in my youth, my front lower left incisor needs a root canal due to an infected pulp. I’ve made numerous appointments to get it done and even resorted to mental health help in the form of CBT but I’m that terrified of the procedure and the injection I keep putting off going. I’ve been taking Diclofenac and Omeprazole for the last 6 months on and off (coming off when I get relief usually from antibiotics). Amoxicillin didn’t really do anything, the only real relief I’ve had was from Metronidazole.

There’s no pain when eating and the pain comes and goes and only lasts a few seconds - some days I have nothing at all. Yesterday a tooth on the opposite side of my mouth pulsed for a few seconds but then just stopped. The tooth is dead so I don’t feel pain from hot or cold. Has anyone else been in the same boat as me with both dental fear and needle fear and if so, how on earth did you get over it? Have I left it too long? This is all being done privately as I had been waiting 10 years for an NHS dentist and the root canal is just short of £500, which is also another consideration. If I need a crown then it’s almost £1,300! I did read that these type of infections don’t spread easily (despite my dentist telling me it would spread to neighbouring teeth if left) so hopefully I’m ok from that point of view.

Any help or thoughts would be hugely appreciated!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi @Wpahg7l, do you have a fear of needles/injections in general or a fear specifically of dental injections? What did the CBT consist of, and did it help at all?

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect hi there, it’s a fear of needles in general. I had a really bad experience with fainting when I was a lot younger and then another when I had teeth removed for braces where I can recall the entire day from over 20 years ago.

CBT hasn’t really helped no, it really helps when I’m talking about my issues but then I still can’t go through with it. It was just things like focusing on the here and now, grounding techniques, focusing on breathing and happy memories - things like that. Even reading articles about root canal’s and the injection sets my anxiety off.

I have made progress, I couldn’t even face the dentist at all but least now I can go for checkups no problem

 

[letsconnect]

Hi again, that's excellent progress going from not being able to see a dentist at all to being able to go for check-ups, well done

So you didn't get offered any systematic desensitisation as part of the CBT?

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect I did yes, as it’s around needles we did imagery with different pictures of needles, for example ones not being used working up to images of ones being used on patients. Obviously I’ve not physically held/seen a needle yet as I can’t get that far. My anxiety is pretty bad (from what I got told) as I scored 17/21 on the initial tests. I’ve struggled with anxiety on and off my whole life, but this has really brought it on and has ruined the last 6 months of my life.

Doesn’t help really I focus on my tooth so much it makes matters worse!

 

[letsconnect]

It's difficult isn't it? Do you think trying again with a different psychologist might help?

Do you find the thought of dental injections worse or less scary or the same as in, say, an arm?

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect they all have the same effect to be honest, I did manage to get to the dentist chair once to get it done, but had a panic attack as he was putting the gel on so the needle didn’t hurt. I’ve booked appointments since then, but just can’t get myself there.

I could try, I do have 3 more sessions left so will see what they say - I just hope this isn’t going to affect me long term health wise until I can get it sorted. There are many great posts on here that seem to suggest it shouldn’t spread given him healthy etc

 

[letsconnect]

If you have 3 sessions left, maybe you'll get to the point where you can get it sorted! Keeping my fingers crossed for you . Can the psychologist come with you to the dental appointments and help you through things as they actually happen? That might be really helpful.

You could also check out if there are any dentists in your area who offer the Wand (some people with needle phobia find it really helpful).

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect unfortunately she’s based in Scotland and I’m in England so she couldn’t.

I’ll have a look regarding the wand, though even the thought of the numbness feeling sets my stomach off!

 

[letsconnect]

unfortunately she’s based in Scotland and I’m in England so she couldn’t.

Oh that does make things a bit more complicated ! Any chance of finding someone close by?

I'm not sure if you've had a nosey around the website already, but over the years, we've added some tips from people with a fear of feeling numb - you might be interested in this page:

Fear of Feeling Numb

Are you scared of the numb feeling you get from local anaesthetic injections at the dentist's? This page provides lots of practical tips and advice!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect I hadn’t seen that article, I’ll have a look. Thank you. My therapy was all done through BUPA so I was assigned someone rather than asking for someone specifically

 

[letsconnect]

I'm not sure how BUPA decide to allocate therapy, but it might be worth contacting them to see if they can get you a therapist in your own area for a second course of therapy which includes them accompanying you to the actual visits to the dentist? It would probably be more effective to have some "hands on" exposure therapy rather than just talking via zoom or the phone.

 

[Wpahg7l]

@letsconnect it’s an idea, can’t say it’s one I’ve thought of. Thank you

 

[letsconnect]

I hope you can work something out with them