• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Suicidal over my teeth

P

Poojaa

Junior member
Joined
Jul 20, 2020
Messages
4
Location
Iran
Hello I'm a 32 years old female
I have been dealing with depression for so many years .I'm a victim of child abuse and as a result I never took care of myself and so my teeth.
At the age of 24 I had 9 root canals and fillings in all other teeth.
I have been looking after my teeth since then but I'm so ashamed of the situation of my teeth in this young age and I'm afraid I'll loose them sooner or later.
the fear over my teeth has turned to panic attacks and sever depression.
I get panick attacks when I eat or brush and also I feel suicidal over my teeth all the time.
I know implants will be a solution if I will loose my teeth but still I feel so insecured and afraid as I know dental implants also don't last forever.
I'm having a therapist also but it doesn't help me as my main concern is my teeth
What should I do?!
 
Hi Poojaa.
I don’t have the answer to your question I’m sorry. But I just wanted to give you a virtual hug ? Im 37 and I have only just got myself back on the road of dental work, I’ve neglected mine for years and I’ve felt so down and embarrassed about them. I don’t really know much about dentistry at the moment because it’s been over 10 years since I last went up until last week (currently recovering from a complicated extraction) but I’m sure no dentist will ever leave you without teeth, and there will always be options. I’ve lost most of my back ones, my aim now is to get my front ones sorted, and look after any back ones I have left.
It’s a big step to even comment on here, so well done and I hope everything works out for you :)
 
Hi Poojaa:welcome:,

sorry to read how you feel, particularly that your teeth. You feeling suicidal only shows the amount of hopelessness you are going through. I am relieved you are working with a therapist too. Does she know how much worry your teeth are causing you?

Depression and past abuse are both things that make it very difficult to take care of your teeth and to cope with dentistry, but it sounds like you are doing the best you can despite the rough past you had.
I know a dental nurse in your age who had implants done and she certainly counts on it to last for her lifetime... but before thinking of implants, I was wondering whether you have seen a dentist to actually find out what needs to be done? It is sooo easy to start catastrophising and believe you will lose all your teeth and many people who haven't seen a dentist for a while think this... just to find out that much less treatment than thought is needed.

All the best wishes
 
Pooja

:grouphug: We are so glad you are here and writing ! There are people who have shared your hopelessness at different points in their journey and want to support you. I'm sorry for all you have been through! I wonder too , had you been to been to a dentist yet?

I know I had very hopeless feelings and was in a very awful situation right at 30 with much dental work and was feeling horribly about my teeth, and had been and was been in very abusive situation. My self esteem was at the lowerst and was very depressed I had no hope

I walked into the first kind compassionate dentist in my life and she was very kind to me every time and had the best manner and really cared. She made such a huge difference. I think she not only got my teeth but also where I was with life. She helped me slowly one step at a time with my dental. I really hope you get someone like this!!

Also I have been and continue in therapy and it helps alot.. but I see where you feel it may not help with teeth really. Have you talked to your therapist about the deep feelings on your dental and how its affecting you? I know some therapists really get how this is all connected to mental health and can be very helpful in processing your feelings as you walk through this.

Either way.. You have us here at DFC and we are really glad you wrote to get support! You are not alone and in the company of those who have felt the pain.. We are here for you Pooja! :grouphug:
 
Hi Poojaa.
I don’t have the answer to your question I’m sorry. But I just wanted to give you a virtual hug ? Im 37 and I have only just got myself back on the road of dental work, I’ve neglected mine for years and I’ve felt so down and embarrassed about them. I don’t really know much about dentistry at the moment because it’s been over 10 years since I last went up until last week (currently recovering from a complicated extraction) but I’m sure no dentist will ever leave you without teeth, and there will always be options. I’ve lost most of my back ones, my aim now is to get my front ones sorted, and look after any back ones I have left.
It’s a big step to even comment on here, so well done and I hope everything works out for you :)
Thank you for your reply.
I wish I just go to the past and change everything.
Hope everything will go great for you
 
Hi Poojaa:welcome:,

sorry to read how you feel, particularly that your teeth. You feeling suicidal only shows the amount of hopelessness you are going through. I am relieved you are working with a therapist too. Does she know how much worry your teeth are causing you?

Depression and past abuse are both things that make it very difficult to take care of your teeth and to cope with dentistry, but it sounds like you are doing the best you can despite the rough past you had.
I know a dental nurse in your age who had implants done and she certainly counts on it to last for her lifetime... but before thinking of implants, I was wondering whether you have seen a dentist to actually find out what needs to be done? It is sooo easy to start catastrophising and believe you will lose all your teeth and many people who haven't seen a dentist for a while think this... just to find out that much less treatment than thought is needed.

All the best wishes
Yeah I visited a dentist .I recently did a root canal filled a cavity.all my front teeth have fillings and two has root canals but they again have small cavities on them and also one of my molars which the dentist told me brush and come back 6 months later to see if it has progressed and needs fillings.but in this age with this mess up in my mouth im so sure I will need them to be removed sooner or later.
And I can't get over the fear and my suicidal thoughts because of my teeth.
And yeah my therapist knows but she is just trying to solve the issues of my childhood and teenage time.
 
Pooja

:grouphug: We are so glad you are here and writing ! There are people who have shared your hopelessness at different points in their journey and want to support you. I'm sorry for all you have been through! I wonder too , had you been to been to a dentist yet?

I know I had very hopeless feelings and was in a very awful situation right at 30 with much dental work and was feeling horribly about my teeth, and had been and was been in very abusive situation. My self esteem was at the lowerst and was very depressed I had no hope

I walked into the first kind compassionate dentist in my life and she was very kind to me every time and had the best manner and really cared. She made such a huge difference. I think she not only got my teeth but also where I was with life. She helped me slowly one step at a time with my dental. I really hope you get someone like this!!

Also I have been and continue in therapy and it helps alot.. but I see where you feel it may not help with teeth really. Have you talked to your therapist about the deep feelings on your dental and how its affecting you? I know some therapists really get how this is all connected to mental health and can be very helpful in processing your feelings as you walk through this.

Either way.. You have us here at DFC and we are really glad you wrote to get support! You are not alone and in the company of those who have felt the pain.. We are here for you Pooja! :grouphug:
Yeah recently I visited two dentists and their reaction also makes me feel worse.
I can see in their eyes I'm a weirdo.they react when they see my x-r and they are like omggg why your teeth are like this! So even going to dentists I get panick attacks .I hate myself and I have lost 7 kg because of the panic attacks and depression over my teeth .
My therapist knows about my teeth and my worries but what she can do?she can't make my teeth healthy.my anxiety is that much that even when my tongue touches my teeth I feel nauseated.
I don't know what should I do.
Thank you for your support
 
Thank you for your reply.
I wish I just go to the past and change everything.
Hope everything will go great for you
Poojaa, I have had those feelings, I still do. I get pretty disgusted with myself sometimes, that I didn’t look after my teeth properly, it’s such a simple thing to do.
I used to look after them when I was little, but in my teenage/young adult years, I just didn’t bother that much. It was when i was in my mid 20’s that I realised stuff was starting to go wrong in my mouth, at that age I was now old enough to know what a mistake I had made by neglecting them and I felt mortified, so being mortified I obviously did the best thing for me and that was to just ignore the whole problem??‍♀️
I honestly feel what you going through, it’s such a hard situation because unless your going through it yourself, nobody understands. That’s why this forum is great! You can keep asking things on here and being reassured until you feel confident to take some more steps.
You can change and work with what you have now, things don’t have to get worse.
And just to add on, if everyone walked around with perfect teeth, dentists would be out of business. They don’t think your disgusting or anything like that, they want to help you, that’s why they chose to be a dentist (my mum told me this, it makes sense) and I really have to start taking more of my own advice....
 
Last edited:
Back
Top