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Terrible anxiety, upcoming appointment

A

Annabelle1234

Junior member
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
1
Location
DENVER, CO
Hi everyone,
This is a long story but I would really appreciate any support or advice or anything!
So I went to the dentist regularly when I was a kid but stopped going around the age of 14 or 15. At 26 I had one badly decayed tooth and one tooth that I thought might be headed the same way or at least had a failing filling from when I was young, so I finally made an appointment (I was so nervous I cried in the car on the way and in the chair). They pulled the tooth, because I didn't have insurance and couldn't afford any other treatment options and filled 2 other cavities they found when I went in but said nothing about the other tooth that I was actually worried about. About three months later one of the fillings fell out. I was able to get an emergency appointment to have a temp filling out in and I was supposed to come back a few months later when I finally had insurance but I couldn't bring myself to go.
Now that one tooth that was never addressed is decayed and rotting at the gum line. It's still sensitive on the top where I thought the problem might be coming from but the bigger issue is on the side. It has been hurting from time to time but I don't see any signs of abscess. Of course I googled it and found posts about issues that freaked me out, and other physical symptoms that I felt I was having. However I think most of those are just my anxiety. Like upset stomach, increased heart rate.

Anyways, I set an appointment for next Thursday. Is that too far in advance? .....I'm not swollen, I don't have a fever, and I don't see any abscess on my gum. Any advice, kind words, opinions are welcome and appreciated!
 
Hi Annabelle,
I think you’ll be fine going in next Thursday. Try not to think about it too much, and try not to search the internet too much either. Before I made it back to the dentist, I lived with abscesses for years. Not that I would recommend it, and I’m so glad to not have those anymore, but I did not have any major health issues because of the abscesses. So many of us here completely understand what you’re going through - the avoidance, the anxiety, the overwhelming worry of “what if?” and what they’ll find. You can do this. Try to think positive (I know it’s corny) and think of being pain and worry free afterwards. Even if you find out that you need other work done, don’t let it overwhelm you. Good luck.
 
Annabelle1234, I can't add anything and totally second BoxerMom's advice. (Especially about enough googling now!!)
Well done making the appointment.
 
Anyways, I set an appointment for next Thursday. Is that too far in advance?
Hi,

a few days, even a few weeks will not change the tooth’s situation or treatment.
 
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