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Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about this.

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MezzaEmz

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Sep 11, 2014
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Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about this.

It's a long story, but simply put, I have always had teeth problems (I have had lots of work done so far, mainly fillings - I'm 22 years old). I have been trying my best to look after my teeth but continue to have issues such as (recently over the last 3 days or so) swollen gums, mild bleeding, ulcers and soreness of the skin where the cheeks come into contact with the molar teeth.

Since having these issues 3 days ago I have been trying to get an emergency appointment as I have been in a lot of pain. However this has not been possible and instead I have bought some mouthwash and got some antibacterial treatment from the doctors. However today when I first used the mouthwash part of my tooth actually fell off (to clarify, this is where the swelling and bleeding was occurring however seems unrelated to the other pains and aches I have had recently. In addition this is a tooth which has needed to be extracted for a rather long but I have been far too terrified to go to the dentist).

I have called more dentists and managed to get an emergency appointment for tomorrow.

However I have quite a few fears...

1) I am terrified that this tooth lose means that I have severe gum disease and I'm at risk of loosing more teeth.
2) I have been trying my best to look after my teeth but am still having issues, I am worried this will never improve and I'm doomed to always be in pain or ashamed to show a toothy smile.
3) I am beyond horrified by the dentist, I have felt in the past that they have done work simply to make money and have issues trusting them. In addition the whole idea of going to the dentist makes me shaky and teary, I really am terrified of injections and the idea of having a tooth removed.
4) This particular tooth is quite far gone, it therefore might require the gum being cut into/stitched to get to the root of the tooth. I'm very worried about the pain both during and after the extraction.
5) Finally I am very worried about the cost, I am not sure if I can afford the treatment that I will need to get these issues sorted.

Any advice or just a reply would be amazing, I have an appointment tomorrow and have already been in tears with anxiety about going to the dentist and about loosing my teeth. I am only 22 and this is really upsetting for me especially since I believe these issues stem from how I did not used to look after my teeth however I have been trying to make up for this over the last few years but it doesn't seem to be working.

Sorry for the essay. Thanks in advice for anyone who takes the time to read this and/or reply.
 
Re: Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about th

I'm sorry that you're so frightened. At 22 you're very young. It's unlikely you'd have severe gum disease or lose your teeth unless you've neglected them really badly.

Ive had had a few teeth extracted (3 wisdom teeth. One 6 year old molar). It has never hurt and one of them was broken off at the gum line. Things are never as bad as you think. Good luck with your appointment ☺️
 
Re: Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about th

Hi,
I did not quite understand what the emergency appointment is for. The back tooth that irritates the cheeks is very easy to solve by shaving just a bit (half a millimeter) from the enamel. It is painless (no need for injection), takes a few seconds, and the improvement is immediate. If you have an acute gum inflammation, superficial cleaning and Chlorhexidine mouthwash should be enough.
Regarding the pointers you mentioned:
1- as KatyJ mentioned, given your age I doubt if this is the case.
2- there is no avoidance but to see a dentist, fir two reasons: one to fix problems. Brushing and flossing are means of prevention, but since we are humans (dentists included) we don't clean perfectly all the time and once in a while some dental work is needed. Secondly, it really helps when someone from the outside guides and directs you about brushing, diet, habits ... Small simple improvements can make a huge difference.
3- that is unfortunately true. Some dentists are motivated mainly by money but others not. The most important thing us to find the right dentist (one of the good guys;)). There are many nice tips in this website about it.
4- the tooth's location is no indication whether to open the gums (a flap) or not. In any case, you don't know yet wheat get the tooth needs to go out, and if so you can ask beforehand the dentist about your concern.
5- only after a check-up you will know the costs. You should also make a priority list: start with your complains, if there are smaller problems you can treat them later.
 
Re: Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about th

MezzaEmz,

I just got back from my first dental appointment in 20 years about an hour ago. I was terrified of the dentist due to an episode I had when I was a child. Like a fool, I started smoking at 14 to act "cool", I'm now 42.

I had alot of shifting going on with my teeth over the years, and cracked a molar about a year ago. My gums were in bad shape due to the 20 year gap from going to the dentist, and the smoking.

I'm thinking, for SURE I'm looking at extractions, oral surgery, dental implants, and felt paralyzed with fear. My gums were swollen, bleeding and painful for the longest time, then they stopped bleeding (not good from what I read). The gums in the front were starting to recede, with the front two shifting inward. This was what I was coping with as the appointment came upon me at 3:00 today.

I got out of my truck when I got there, and was this close to turning around and leaving. Reluctantly, I went in, terrified. They knew my story, I wrote him a letter to let him know what I'm dealing with. Before I got there, I figured, best case scenario is extractions, and partial implants, worse case, due to the severity of the gum issue, was full extractions. I WAS TERRIFIED!!

They took a bunch of x-rays, and the hygienist started to get the plaque buildup off. She told me, it's the early stages of periodontal disease, very treatable, minimal bone loss, my pockets were mostly 5's & 6's, won't need any extractions, so let's get started. Not a single cavity except the cracked tooth, in over 20 years. I couldn't believe it. I felt for sure I'm looking at surgery & extractions, and found out there's hope for me.

I teared up in my truck when I left the office, because for the first time in 20 years, I have hope.

You can do this hon, believe me, if I can, you can. I was just as terrified, and you were 2 years old the last time I went. You're expecting the worst, just like I was, and you're letting it eat you up, but something tells me it's not nearly as bad as you think, that's the phobia kicking in. You're gonna get through this and be OK, you'll see. I'm gonna keep an eye out for your progress.

Best of luck hon,

Mike
 
Re: Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about th

issues such as (recently over the last 3 days or so) swollen gums, mild bleeding, ulcers and soreness of the skin where the cheeks come into contact with the molar teeth.

Btw, I also had all those symptoms at 19. First noticed the pain in a swollen pocket that hurt to the touch. Very sensitive and painful. Had the bleeding gums around the same time as well. That was 23 years ago, and they can STILL save my teeth.

Something tells me, if you go, you're not nearly as in a bad a shape as you think you are. I waited 23 years, and they can STILL help me. I suffered alot over that time, and I didn't have to.

You can do this.
 
Re: Terrified or losing my teeth or having teeth removed at the dentist. Have been in tears about th

I have a neurodegenerative disease that keeps the teeth from being able to repair themselves properly (the circulation inside the tooth is messed up by lack of nerve feedback) and even with that degree of disruption it took me till my 50's to lose all my teeth. My husband had horrid gum disease from celiac and only had one tooth die, and that one was opalescent (weird celiac teeth!). In your 20s there is lots of hope for an excellent outcome. When there is bleeding it generally looks a good deal worse than it is.
 
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