F
fearfulinvirginia
Junior member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2020
- Messages
- 7
- Location
- virginia
good morning.
long time lurker of this site and finally made the decision to sign up last night. i understand that many people post here and say they're the worst case of anxiety when it comes to seeing a dentist, but my husband always tells me that i'd top them all. with that being said, i am a 37 year old female who hasn't set foot in a dentist's office in over 13 years. i also haven't been to a doctor in that same amount of time due to my anxiety.
i have a tendency to ramble, so trying my hardest to tell you all everything in as few sentences as possible.
i have health anxiety. was diagnosed a little over a decade ago. have panic disorder and was diagnosed about a decade ago, but haven't had an attack in about 16 months. i was just recently diagnosed with PTSD from my panic disorder; because even though i've not had an attack in so long, i always fear that "the big one" is coming and will take me out. i am in therapy for all of these things but...yeah, it's not doing much.
with all of this in mind, i smile and people compliment me on my teeth all of the time. what they don't see is my bottom row or the six missing teeth in the far back of my mouth. my bottom row of teeth is presenting with what i am sure is severe periodontitis. so severe that the gums became so inflamed and pushed one of my bottom front teeth out on friday night.
i attached some pictures, maybe they can speak for themselves. i fear i am dying or something. i fear having injections into my gums because i am allergic to everything. i don't take any medications - haven't in over a decade, not even over the counter tylenol, because of how i have had allergies pop up out of nowhere to things that i used to not have years before. i just want to know i am not alone. i want to know that this isn't the worst case people have seen.
picture 1: my smile - see? looks normal.
picture 2: my gums up close with flash
picture 3: tooth in back on bottom row that i know needs to come out and is what i believe (would love some input) causing my right side of the bottom row gum inflammation.
picture 4: picture of my gums with flash with the camera slightly farther away to show my gum color. when i put the camera closer, the gums appear much redder for some reason.
please just tell me that i am not alone, that this isn't the worst thing someone has seen. that there is hope. i don't want to get all of my teeth pulled. i don't want an implant being drilled into my jaw. i just want to feel like me again.
please.....go easy on me. i don't know if my anxiety can take it, and this took a LOT to post. is this severe periodontitis? what can be done?
ps: i also wanted to add that i brush twice a day with a $200 electric toothbrush (sonicare diamondclean 9300), floss after every meal and use interdental flossers on the go if need be, mouthwash twice a day. i ALSO do saltwater rinses 3x a day for the last two weeks. i follow the ADA website for how to brush my teeth, floss, etc. - and i have ALWAYS been this 'anal' about my teeth and oral health, but still come out like this.
the weirdest part about this? my gums don't bleed...not even a little.
long time lurker of this site and finally made the decision to sign up last night. i understand that many people post here and say they're the worst case of anxiety when it comes to seeing a dentist, but my husband always tells me that i'd top them all. with that being said, i am a 37 year old female who hasn't set foot in a dentist's office in over 13 years. i also haven't been to a doctor in that same amount of time due to my anxiety.
i have a tendency to ramble, so trying my hardest to tell you all everything in as few sentences as possible.
i have health anxiety. was diagnosed a little over a decade ago. have panic disorder and was diagnosed about a decade ago, but haven't had an attack in about 16 months. i was just recently diagnosed with PTSD from my panic disorder; because even though i've not had an attack in so long, i always fear that "the big one" is coming and will take me out. i am in therapy for all of these things but...yeah, it's not doing much.
with all of this in mind, i smile and people compliment me on my teeth all of the time. what they don't see is my bottom row or the six missing teeth in the far back of my mouth. my bottom row of teeth is presenting with what i am sure is severe periodontitis. so severe that the gums became so inflamed and pushed one of my bottom front teeth out on friday night.
i attached some pictures, maybe they can speak for themselves. i fear i am dying or something. i fear having injections into my gums because i am allergic to everything. i don't take any medications - haven't in over a decade, not even over the counter tylenol, because of how i have had allergies pop up out of nowhere to things that i used to not have years before. i just want to know i am not alone. i want to know that this isn't the worst case people have seen.
picture 1: my smile - see? looks normal.
picture 2: my gums up close with flash
picture 3: tooth in back on bottom row that i know needs to come out and is what i believe (would love some input) causing my right side of the bottom row gum inflammation.
picture 4: picture of my gums with flash with the camera slightly farther away to show my gum color. when i put the camera closer, the gums appear much redder for some reason.
please just tell me that i am not alone, that this isn't the worst thing someone has seen. that there is hope. i don't want to get all of my teeth pulled. i don't want an implant being drilled into my jaw. i just want to feel like me again.
please.....go easy on me. i don't know if my anxiety can take it, and this took a LOT to post. is this severe periodontitis? what can be done?
ps: i also wanted to add that i brush twice a day with a $200 electric toothbrush (sonicare diamondclean 9300), floss after every meal and use interdental flossers on the go if need be, mouthwash twice a day. i ALSO do saltwater rinses 3x a day for the last two weeks. i follow the ADA website for how to brush my teeth, floss, etc. - and i have ALWAYS been this 'anal' about my teeth and oral health, but still come out like this.
the weirdest part about this? my gums don't bleed...not even a little.
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