• Dental Phobia Support

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so scared

B

baileys

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
37
Location
S/W London
I've booked a dentist appointment for tomorrow, I need to go, im in so much pain. I'm scared that I'm not going to be able to cope with it, I don't want to look a fool. nobody understood my fears in my childhood, I don't know if i can go
 
I've booked a dentist appointment for tomorrow, I need to go, im in so much pain. I'm scared that I'm not going to be able to cope with it, I don't want to look a fool. nobody understood my fears in my childhood, I don't know if i can go

I can totally relate. Going to the dentist can be very scary. I freak out every time I go. My appt is Feb 6 and I'm already freaking out. Talking to a dentist about your fears can feel very risky, but it's a risk worth taking. The dental team can't help you if they don't know your fears and concerns. This is a battle you can't win without the help of dental professionals. If they dismiss your concerns you have the right to dismiss them. But give them the opportunity to be your hero. Wishing you the best.
 
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Baileys

:grouphug: Thanks for writing and venting here.. it really is hard to take that step and especially when you are in pain and stressed already and feel pushed to your limits. I second everythign JaB so beautifully said.. its really hard to talk about your anxiety but so worth it... and don't be afraid to know your worth as a patient and not accept treatment that doesn't consider you physically and emotionally.. I hope they are good and kind to you.. You are the last say as to if they treat you. I know its harder when you are in pain to feel like you have the control.. Is there a reason you chose the place you did? Hope they take good care of you.. We are here for you to vent and to support you..!!
 
@JAB .... everything so perfectly said here in your post.. Thanks
 
Good luck baileys, you can do this! Let us know how your visit went! :clover:
 
Thanks for all the replies... I had just finished a bottle of wine last night when wrote for help! I was dreading today but It all went ok. For me its more about the anticipation of going than the actual event.
He repaired a white filling that had broken away on a front tooth and I'm going back to have my 4 remaining molars filled. I've got all my front teeth, top and bottom its all the back ones I've lost.
So thanks all, I'm got going to leave going to the dentist 8 years again, it's not worse the pain and stress.
He was a really nice dentist and explained everything to me.
I think I deserve another bottle of wine again tonight for being so brave:)
 
I think I deserve another bottle of wine again tonight for being so brave:)

May I suggest it to be just a glas instead of a bottle or maybe a nice trip or buying something you always wanted? :innocent:

Glad it went well today and that you decided to stay on track. Have you scheduled the next appointment already?
 
May I suggest it to be just a glas instead of a bottle or maybe a nice trip or buying something you always wanted? :innocent:

Glad it went well today and that you decided to stay on track. Have you scheduled the next appointment already?
maybe a glass then:)
I've booked my next appointment for 2 weeks time. I need a really big filling so the dentist drilled the hole out and has made a mold and the filling will be made and put in next time I go, never had a filling done like that before, I've got a tempory one in for now. He didn't numb it at all but I didn't feel a thing
 
Can I ask something, maybe one of the dentists can help put my mind at rest. I had two fillings done today both without a numbing injection. The one on my front tooth was just a bit of drilling and filling to repair it. I also had a deep filling done on a molar, most of my natural tooth is gone. I didn't feel any pain at all, just the cold water was a bit uncomfortable.
I've got some even worse teeth to have filled soon, I asked the dentist if he is going to numb me for those, he said probably not as I coped with the others fine. I'm scared that he will suddenly hit the nerve so I know I will not relax.
He seems a really nice caring dentist and I will ask him these questions when I see him in a few weeks but I'm wondering why they give a numbing injection if you don't need them
 
I think it is very rare to not need numbing injections. I have only had success without numbing on very superficial cavities. I have had to stop procedures many times because the numbing failed to work and needed additional injections. I think there is some degree of variation from one person the next with just how we are wired, our personal level of pain tolerance, and then just the depth/size of the cavities. I think best practice is to numb the patient to avoid the risk for potential pain and ensure a comfortable experience throughout. If you are nervous about feeling pain, they should not deny you an injection if you request one or you could arrange a stop signal in advance in case you do feel pain and need them to stop. Speaking from times my numbing has failed, the pain onset is rarely sudden or abrupt ...it’s usually more of a gradual worsening so you likely won’t just get a big zing out of nowhere. Depending on the type of tools used numbing is also not always needed. Waterlase lasers can be used to fill cavities painlessly and I think the same goes for another method (I can’t remember what it’s called but they sort of sand blast the tooth with particles of some kind to get rid of the decay).
 
Baileys

I'm with Kitkat and think for myself I'd rather have local and know I'm good than having to be anxious and brace for that unexpected pain not knowing.. If you are numb you don't have to worry about possibly feeling it and I believe too most dentists should honor that requst and if they don't I'd consider why not.. I did have one dentist refuse more than one when that wsn't enough and I never went back. I want to be safe.. I hope you can find a place of being comfortable during these fillings whatever you decide is best for you. I know even at some minor appts my dentist does offer the local because he knows I'm sensitive and will want it.. Hoping the best in this for you!!! I do know my son had the waterlaser and he didn't need the local , didn't feel a thing.. so I can vouch for that :)
 
Thanks for all the replies... I had just finished a bottle of wine last night when wrote for help! I was dreading today but It all went ok. For me its more about the anticipation of going than the actual event.
He repaired a white filling that had broken away on a front tooth and I'm going back to have my 4 remaining molars filled. I've got all my front teeth, top and bottom its all the back ones I've lost.
So thanks all, I'm got going to leave going to the dentist 8 years again, it's not worse the pain and stress.
He was a really nice dentist and explained everything to me.
I think I deserve another bottle of wine again tonight for being so brave:)
Most of the time I find the anticipation to be much worse than the actual appointment, although I've had a few appointments that were really tough too. Glad it went ok. My drug of choice to help me unwind is sugar. Sounds counter productive doesn't it? But I try to be good once I get my nerves under control.
 
It sounds like your dentist suspected you wouldn't be in pain anyway and chose not to numb you and that worked, so all went well so far. Maybe he suspected you would get more anxious if numbing was involved (for many people, even those who are not nervous otherwise, getting numbed up is really difficult) and didn't want to scare you. I get your worry about the other fillings and it is absolutely fine to discuss this with your dentist and let them know you would prefer to be numbed up for that one. It's your procedure and you decide what you prefer. Your dentist sounds like a nice one, so don't worry, just go ahead and have a chat about this and you will find a solution you are happy with.
 
Thanks for all the replies, thinking about it now I did hear him say something about using waterlase laser, maybe that is why I didn't need numbing. I will ask him when I see him next.
I am so glad that I went, I have two really deep holes in two teeth that have been hurting every now and then. I've been stocking up on painkillers ready for when the pain was relentless. I don't have to worry about that now, it feels good.
 
Thanks for all the replies, thinking about it now I did hear him say something about using waterlase laser, maybe that is why I didn't need numbing. I will ask him when I see him next.
I am so glad that I went, I have two really deep holes in two teeth that have been hurting every now and then. I've been stocking up on painkillers ready for when the pain was relentless. I don't have to worry about that now, it feels good.

Oh yes, sure. If your dentist works with laser, there is no numbing needed. I was wondering how a deep filling was possible without numbing on your last visit, now things make sense :)
 
Oh yes, sure. If your dentist works with laser, there is no numbing needed. I was wondering how a deep filling was possible without numbing on your last visit, now things make sense :)
It was still noisy though, it sounded the same as a drill but quieter. I go back in 2weeks so I will find out then. I wasn't really listening to anything he was saying :)
 
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