• 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.

TerrifiedWoman's Journal/Journey

TerrifiedWoman

TerrifiedWoman

Well-known member
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
841
Location
Iowa, USA
Well, I just found this message board last night, and it has already helped me to know I'm far from alone with my awful teeth and terror of the dentist.

My problems began when I was maybe 6 years old. I had a really, really horrible experience at a dentists office and right then made up my mind I wasn't going back..ever! My parents had dentures and never went to the dentist..so for some reason they never made me go again either. During my school years I was always ashamed of my crooked teeth. Never dated until a wonderful guy came along my senior year. (We'll be married 37 yrs this July!)
My hubby goes to the dentist. But not me, I still refused, even though my teeth are HORRIBLY crooked and mostly decayed and broken. Most all of my back upper teeth are broken at the gum line. The lower teeth are there, but full of decay and some are loose.
Yesterday (May 12, 2010) I ran into a closed glass patio door (stupid..but true!) and knocked one of my upper front teeth out. Thought I was going to bleed to death..but it didn't even hurt. Today the gum is all swollen and my nose is sore from hitting the glass.
Made up my mind my fear was no longer going to rule me, and this morning I called my husband's dentist and got an appointment for 10am Friday, May 14th..tomorrow. Wasn't expecting them to say TOMORROW..but guess that saves me worrying about it for a week or more. I am absolutely TERRIFIED to go. I'm embarrassed by my awful, rotten teeth and the LAST thing I want to do is open my mouth for anyone..especially a dentist.
I try to stay optimistic by telling myself that this is the first step toward a smile I can actually show people. Most of my life I have laughed behind my hand and only smiled with my mouth shut. It's been decades since I allowed anyone to take my picture actually smiling like a normal person!
I've had a few cries today and haven't told anyone but my husband and my best friend about the appointment. They are both supportive.
Took a couple of close up pictures of my teeth today, but am still too ashamed to share them. Maybe further along my journey I will be able to.

I wish I could go tomorrow and have them say they can pull all my teeth and have me wearing some beautiful dentures next week....but I suppose you can't UN-do in a few days what it took me 50 years to wreck. :shame:

Anyway..I'll be going to my first appointment tomorrow morning..so wish me luck. Most of all send brave thoughts. I'll need them! :hidesbehindsofa:
 
Last edited:
stay strong and hold on thats wat makes yu stronger and braver
 
I am going to be watching your journal and your journey. It will be ok..just remember we'll all different as are our stories.
I posted more pics of my perms on my journal..go take a gander :) I am proud of them..they be sooo pretty :)
Hope to hear more...post when you can..I'll be checking tomorrow to see how things went and what the dentist plans on..
Bigggggggg hugs and remember it only gets better..
Marcelle:XXLhug::hug2:
 
Will be thinking of you this morning :XXLhug:
 
Good luck today. You are right that this is the first step to getting the smile you have always wanted and its probably the hardest to decide to take, but you've decided to take it so well done.

I'll be thinking of you.:XXLhug:
 
I'll be thinking of you too :XXLhug::XXLhug::XXLhug: and will be looking out for your update and following your journal with interest.This forum is such a brilliant source of support, I'm really pleased you have found it (but obviously not of the fact you are so scared, more :XXLhug:)
 
ill be thinkin of yu as well be brave and let me know wat the dentist says :XXLhug::XXLhug::XXLhug::XXLhug: yu can do this itll be ok i promise
 
First appointment day..7:39am my time. I've been awake since around 3am. Dozed off a few times..but mostly just stared at the clock. I alternate between hope..and sheer terror. Feel like crying. Feel like canceling the appointment......but I won't. In about two hours I'll be heading out the door to get in my car and head toward the dentist office. I think this is the hardest thing I've ever done. :shame:
 
You will do fine!
By taking this FIRST step, you'll find that the second step is easier, and third step is even a little easier. You'll get there little by little, and you will be amazed (and proud) at how much you've accomplished!!
Sending brave thoughts to you,
Jen
BTW,:welcome:
 
I DID IT! I can honestly say the fear of the unknown was FAR worse than the actual appointment! The dentist and his staff were SO nice to me and put me right at ease. I gave him my letter and he read it..then patted me on the shoulder and said "You poor kid..we'll fix you up." The hardest part was just opening my mouth under that bright light. But he didn't act shocked at all..he just had a look around and made some notes. Also took x-rays. (I have NO wisdom teeth! Who knew!) We talked it over and agreed my best option is extracting all my teeth and getting immediate dentures. Some people might be bummed over that..but I am thrilled. The thought of being rid of these awful teeth and having a pretty, white smile I can be proud of is like a dream come true! ;D
I go to the dental surgeon for a consultation next Tuesday afternoon (May 18th) at 3pm. I'm doing the IV sedation..so I'll go to 'sleep' with nasty teeth..and wake up with my new ones. The new ones will be the permanent ones..they'll just need some adjusting as my gums heal. I ask them how people go about picking their new teeth when the ones they are losing are as bad as mine. He assured me it would be easy..and we can pick the color and everything. I told him I'd trust him not to send me home looking like Nancy Kerrigan. Okay..her giant teeth are fine on her..but on me? :o :ROFLMAO:

So..that's it for now. Thank-you ALL for being so supportive..even though I am brand new here. It helped more than you'll ever know!! :XXLhug:
 
:jump::jump::jump::jump::jump:

Wow, well done! I am so proud of you and you must be very proud of yourself!

The Iv sedation is great, quite a few of us have had it here and I am again soon. Once the needle is in your hand the worst is over, the fear beforehand is far worse than anything else you will go through.
 
I am so pleased for you, you did it! :jump::jump::jump:

I think you really knew the outcome beforehand, it was just the reaction of the dentist and the staff that you were really worried about. Its that inital look that is so hard to do, but you faced that fear and YOU BEAT IT.

Well done.:respect:
 
You know what....I AM proud of myself. :jump: And feel a little silly for being so scared to begin with. :redface:
 
You know what....I AM proud of myself. :jump: And feel a little silly for being so scared to begin with. :redface:

Don't be. We all feel that having come through a phobia and out the other side.

Well done. Fantastc job!!

:yay:
 
I have tears in my eyes .... happy tears for you. I'm so glad it went so well, give yourself a big pat on the back from me, I know how hard that first appointment is.

Yay for you !! :yay:

I felt the same way yesterday when I was finished with the hygienist, wondered why I allowed myself to get into such a panicked frenzy !
 
Still wondering what the consultation will be like..and getting the impressions done. But I really feel like getting through today was the biggest obstacle for me. It's really embarrassing to open your mouth like that when you know what's inside. :o
The dentist said I was lucky I don't have wisdom teeth..and my hubby agreed. Dr. seemed to think the extractions would be fairly easy.
 
I think you will do great with the consultation, look at how brave you were today .... it'll be a breeze !!

I'm going to be wanting all the details of the IV sedation, I plan on having that when I get the post fitted for my implant. For some reason I'm not looking forward to it, I don't like not being in control, I watched a hilarious video on Youtube & while it was funny, I don't want to be the source of the amusement !
 
I guess it's just like when they put you under for any surgery. If that's the case..it's a piece of cake. I had surgery in 2008 and was out like a rock..woke up hearing someone say my name. Kinda funny though..my mom and husband said I was waving at everyone and say "HI!". I don't remember that part. :redface:
 
great job well done :jump::jump::jump::jump::jump: im so proud of yu yu inspirer me to do the same :cry: but right now im just really sad cause yesterday my dog died im so sad right now i cant bring my self to words to explain how i feel but anyways yea good for yu i knew yu could do it:)
 
Thanks Mike! And as a fellow dog lover, I'm really sorry about your dog. They are members of the family.
 
Back
Top