Terrified of dentist, somebody help! I'm 14!

[maddy222]

Well i'm 14, and my teeth are horrific. I'm not going to lie, I neglected them without my parents knowing. On my top left teeth I have a good size hole that is sensitive to cold food. On my top right teeth I have a HUGE black hole that is sensitive to cold food. Also, they both get this horrible, horrible pain. Sometimes it lasts for like 2 days in a row, but it always goes away eventually. ( For now.. ) I also have 4 small cavities on my bottom teeth, and tartar along the sides of my teeth. Anyway, I was diagnosed with anxiety about 4 years ago. Its just gotten more and more worse. Going to the dentist for me, is honestly just a nightmare. I've had a bad experience at the dentist when I was younger. She did not care that I was scared, and went pretty fast. I was horrified, and still am. I even remember my mom arguing with her that I was in pain. I can't remember lots of it, I just knew it hurt. I am scared of the needle, the drill, not being numbed properly, not being able to eat or drink. When i'm having a panic attack, I NEED to have water or food. Thats my cure. And I know I can't at the dentist. And what if I need to go to the bathroom while they are doing work? Ugh. I'm really scared, what do you think will need to be done with my teeth? Please help

 

[Kim]

Hello maddy222

Firstly and well done on finding this site, as it has enabled you to take your first positive step to getting your dental problems on the road to recovery - so good on you.

I am not a dentist, and so can't say what would need to be done treatment wise to help you, but what I would say, is by the sounds of it, you may need a little dental work done, but until you are able to get to the dentist, your mind will be playing games with you and making things seem and feel far worse than they probably are.

I am so sorry that you suffer from anxiety troubles also, as this will not help much. Do you see someone regarding this? Are you able to talk to your mum or dad about your dental concerns?

I see that you are 14 years old, which is a bonus I feel. You are still young enough to get your teeth fit and healthy again, you just need a little help with getting to see a dentist.

Do you have the same dentist as you did before? Chances are, she may have moved on. If you are able to confide in your parents, then try and explain how going to the dentist feels for you, and that you may need their help and support. Sometimes, if we don't ask, we don't get.

When you do go for your first appointment, this will just be to have a little look around your mouth to see what needs to be done. You don't have to have any treatment on this first appointment, and it will give you the opportunity of explaining how anxious you are, and what really worries you. When you do get your treatment, most dentists will say that if you want them to stop, then just signal, and they will, and if your dentist is aware of your anxiety issues also, they will be more than prepared to do all they can to help you.

Your mum seems like a good ally, try 'bending her ear', you may be pleasantly surprised at how willing she will be to help you.

I hope you manage to get your appointment, to get you away from this painful and scary time in your young years.

Take care.

Kim

 

[Sparkles]

Hi

I think Kim has given some pretty good advice and I just wanted to add that a good dentist will take the time to go at your pace, no matter how slow or fast that is. You are in complete control over what the dentist is allowed to do and can say stop at any time and as many times as you need to.

I also have anxiety and get panic attacks so I know how scary it can be. I have told my dentist that this happens and what he can do to help me if I feel like that. Like, it helps if he talks really calmly to me about anything and tells me where I am and that i'm safe with him.

There is no reason why you can't have a drink whilst your at the dentist if that helps you calm down. I often have water throughout the appointment, sometimes even a cup of tea! Also, you can absolutely use the bathroom if you need to.

The best thing you can do is explain your fears, just like you have on here, that way your mum and your dentist will know what your feeling and be able to find ways to help you.

 

[Patti]

Maddy,

I was so afraid of going to a dentist (afraid of exactly what I really don't know) that I simply didn't go. My parents never took me. One day 6 yrs ago I broke a tooth and HAD to go. I was 43 yrs old! Got a filling, no biggie. I even got another one. Then I let 6 yrs go by and went back for another tooth issue. Had to have it extracted (opted for it instead of a root canal and crown). I was scared stiff about that and it wasn't bad at all. Then i went for the whole exam. I have had 12 fillings between June and now, had my first cleaning today and nothing has been bad at all. You can read my thread here. Thurs I get my top 2 wisdom teeth out (what is left of them) and i am barely concerned. You need to find a dentist you really trust and you can do this! I was so scared I was half out of my mind but not at all anymore. Take care. I hope you can find a good dentist you can trust.

 

[Amy2013]

Hi Maddy222

Im 17 and I can relate with you so much on having horrorible teeth and not always taking the best care of them withoout my parents knowing. I know i have ALOT wrong with my teeth, they are sensitive in general but i think some of them are more sensitive than others.. As with the pain for days i think i dealt with that for llike a week where it was sometimes stopping me from eating because it hurt too much, luckily my mom didnt notice or pick up on it or she would have made me go right then and there, but my boyfriend picked up on it and said that if it had gotten any worse he was going to say something to my mom. As for going to the dentist for me is just horrorible I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE going and would rather die, but apparantly im really good at hiding that because nobody has ever picked up on it or just didnt care... I think most people have had bad experiences with dentists when they were younger which is why we are so afraid and scared now... I have fears of like anything dental related... Ive always thought about the whole bathroom situation although its never happened to me!

Well i'm 14, and my teeth are horrific. I'm not going to lie, I neglected them without my parents knowing. On my top left teeth I have a good size hole that is sensitive to cold food. On my top right teeth I have a HUGE black hole that is sensitive to cold food. Also, they both get this horrible, horrible pain. Sometimes it lasts for like 2 days in a row, but it always goes away eventually. ( For now.. ) I also have 4 small cavities on my bottom teeth, and tartar along the sides of my teeth. Anyway, I was diagnosed with anxiety about 4 years ago. Its just gotten more and more worse. Going to the dentist for me, is honestly just a nightmare. I've had a bad experience at the dentist when I was younger. She did not care that I was scared, and went pretty fast. I was horrified, and still am. I even remember my mom arguing with her that I was in pain. I can't remember lots of it, I just knew it hurt. I am scared of the needle, the drill, not being numbed properly, not being able to eat or drink. When i'm having a panic attack, I NEED to have water or food. Thats my cure. And I know I can't at the dentist. And what if I need to go to the bathroom while they are doing work? Ugh. I'm really scared, what do you think will need to be done with my teeth? Please help

 

[TomDunbar]

Hi Maddy,

I am also 14 years old, and I am (kind of) going through what you are going through right now, on a minor level though. I need one filling done, but cannot stand the thought of the injection, and I only need ONE - I know, I'm a coward. Anyway, I am having this appointment on Tuesday, and I will tell you how it goes (if I do it) to show you that if I can do it, anyone can do it, considering I am the biggest coward in the world.

Keep us up to date on when you're having your appointment, we will support you, including me. You can do this, I know you can

Please reply,
Tom.

 

[Kim]

Amy2013

I am very good at disguising how I am really feeling, and it is not a good thing, because people then don't see how you really are, and if they don't know, they can't help, I don't think it is a case of people not caring hunni, as I have found so many caring people, both professional and non-professional as I have been going through my journey.

You will find this yourself I am sure as you go through yours, and I wish you well with that.

And TomDunbar

You are not a coward, you have a fear and no experience of an injection in your mouth, so you are worrying about the unknown. If you manage to get through Tuesday, and I truly hope you can, you will become stronger. It may not make you totally oblivious to the thought of having injections in the future, but you will be more aware of the process, and the feeling, and will know that it is doable.

Take care all of you.

Kim

 

[comfortdentist]

at 14 with a history of a bad experience with a dentist it is understanding why you feel this way. My experience with teens that present this way is that after a reasonable amount of nice treatment they really change their attitude and are a pleasure to see. You just need to find the right dentist and you and your mom need to properly check out the dentist prior to appt.

 

[Amy2013]

Kim

I guess the theory in my brain was always to just tough it out and not say anything because then it would be done faster and i never wanted to bother the dentist so i always just left it and never said anything. Although as im reading all of these i know that its not always the best thing to do, but I guess ive always been a person to keep to myself. Im glad that you have found a caring dentist as I hope to find one when i start my journey.

Amy2013

I am very good at disguising how I am really feeling, and it is not a good thing, because people then don't see how you really are, and if they don't know, they can't help, I don't think it is a case of people not caring hunni, as I have found so many caring people, both professional and non-professional as I have been going through my journey.

You will find this yourself I am sure as you go through yours, and I wish you well with that.

And TomDunbar

You are not a coward, you have a fear and no experience of an injection in your mouth, so you are worrying about the unknown. If you manage to get through Tuesday, and I truly hope you can, you will become stronger. It may not make you totally oblivious to the thought of having injections in the future, but you will be more aware of the process, and the feeling, and will know that it is doable.

Take care all of you.

Kim

 

[maddy222]

OKAY SO, ABOUT A DAY AGO MY VERY BACK MOLAR CHIPPED, AND NOW THE BACK HALF IS MISSING. I THINK ITS TIME FOR ME TO GO TO THE DENTIST. I'm freaking out. I'm going to ask my mom to find a good dentist, and I need to get over my fear.

 

[Kim]

Hello again hun and sorry to hear about your tooth

What I would suggest to you is, that you also help your mum find a good dentist for you. You will be acquainted with Google, so type in some suggestions, and see what you come up with. Hopefully between you, you will get the right person to help you through all of this.

Not all of us can get over our fears, I know I can't and I don't really have the same fears as those of you with teeth anymore. It is just part and parcel of my makeup, and although I can't get over it, I am learning to 'go' with it. I don't like the way 'it' makes me feel, but that is just me, doesn't make me any less or worse a person, just me

I hope you can get this sorted out, and are not in too much pain. Take care.

Kim