The beginning of my journey and my fears

[adendum4567]

I'm waiting till Monday on pins and needles. I've got a front tooth that is just aching me terribly.

The good? news is that my teeth are crowded as such that this particular tooth is pushed so far back, I don't think I'll look like I'm missing a tooth at all if it's pulled.

I'm scared of having an extraction. I've never had one. I don't know if that's what the dentist will do but I have a feeling it is.

I might seriously panic and I need their help to get me through this every step of the way.

This is gust the beginning of fixing so many dental problems.

I'm not a practicing Christian but I've even been praying. Someone lend me some strength

 

[adendum4567]

Well, I emailed the dentist asking for him to see me right away. I felt so demanding, especially since I haven't been to a dentist in so many years. Now I need one right now?!

I may not even end up seeing my first choice. I got another recommendation for someone close to home, which would be nice.

I just want this first visit over with. I want to get back to normal. I want my teeth to be healthy for the first time in forever.

I want a lot I guess.

 

[adendum4567]

I also kind of wish that I was in the UK with the dentists who are resident here and lending so much online support for us.

 

[adendum4567]

I can't turn off my thoughts. My thoughts are probably my worst enemy. I'm hoping to take the momentous first step today. It's at least two hours before any offices open.

 

[adendum4567]

Oh boy, so much has happened since my last entry.

I visited the dentist for a consultation yesterday. They took x-rays, listened to all my fears, and treated me well with no shame.

I have a plan of action that is starting to come together. I've been given appointments for two deep cleanings and, worse yet, an appointment with an oral surgeon for extracting two wisdom teeth. also one normal cleaning.

I just had my first deep cleaning, and it was with the female dentist in the practice. She was extremely nice and sensitive to all my fears, but this was a scary experience.

Maybe I just didn't know what a deep cleaning was (I didn't). I thought it was just a happy laser zapping away (that's not the whole story).

You get a nice rotary tool that whizzes away and cleans whatever build up is there.

It is a scarier experience than it sounds, at least to me. A cleaning sounds like no big deal but it involves numbing, injections, and lots of scary scraping and lasering.

This was my first time for any of that. And I have to go back to do the other half of my mouth in two weeks! Yikes!

I need to stay strong.

The dentist and the assistant were both lovely in their manners. I think the procedure is just kind of daunting in its nature.

 

[adendum4567]

I forgot to mention, after I got the injections I had completely uncontrollable shivers. They told me that they use a numbing agent that contains epinephrine, which I suppose is to accelerate the numbing effect. I don't react well at all to it apparently.

The dentist is putting a note to not use the epinephrineon me in the future.

I had to ask for something to bite down on, I was shivering and shaking so bad. I was afraid my teeth would start chattering.

I stopped shaking after about 15 minutes or so. The whole ordeal really was only maybe an hour. It felt like an eternity.

But I made it

 

[adendum4567]

My front teeth kind of hurt today. The rest aren't feeling that different at all.

I have what is maybe an irrational fear that aching front teeth is the new normal for me because the cleaning was pretty aggressive. I was so worried that there was going to be some ill effects.

But I acknowledge that it had to be done. There was an immense amount of buildup on those teeth due to the crowding. I had thought they were dying or decaying because it looked so bad. Turned out to be buildup.

 

[adendum4567]

I'm finding it hard to read some people's stories here. I want to respond and help. But it's difficult. Maybe after some time I can lend my support. I think that if I can go through this then other people may be able to draw inspiration. Right now I think I need to focus on me, which feels selfish but I can only handle so much.

 

[Anne2021]

It's not selfish. I've been reading stories, like yours, and am almost frozen in fear because I have a new pain that I have to address and it's a bad time in my life stress-wise to have to do this. I'm so frozen that I don't know what to say to others either. Take care. By the way, I had pain in my bottom front teeth for days to a week in 2017 after a vigorous regular cleaning. It had been six years since my previous cleaning and the hygienist really went at it and didn't rinse much. My teeth felt like they were burning. It did go away, though, and my front teeth, including those, are actually my healthiest teeth, so no lasting damage. Hang in there.

 

[adendum4567]

I'm ready for my second deep cleaning in two days. I dread it, but I survived the first and I hope I'll be calmer for the second.

It's a shame that I'll be restricted to soft foods for Christmas dinner, but decades of not going to see a dentist has to be dealt with and I can't delay things any longer.

My teeth are in better shape than I had hoped for, but it still doesn't give me a valid excuse to delay.

 

[adendum4567]

I just had the second half of my deep cleaning.

I won't sugarcoat it, it was a scary and unpleasant experience.

The people at my dentist's office are very supportive and very good about making sure I'm as comfortable as they can make me, so it helps.

I never want to neglect going to the dentist again, so I can hopefully avoid the deep cleanings.

30 years of buildup. They had to work on me pretty hard. I was quite numb, I still am because I just got home. I took acetaminophen already in anticipation of soreness and pain.

 

[Dg6300]

Sorry I didn’t reply to your earlier posts.

You’ve done very well, and should be proud.

This is a wonderful holiday gift you’ve given yourself. Enjoy.

 

[adendum4567]

It's been a while since my last entry.

I haven't had any work done since the last half of my deep cleaning. It took a while to recover from that, that half had more build up and the dentist had to be more aggressive to remove it.

It took me about two weeks to feel better again, but now my crowded front teeth are bothering me again.

Also, my wisdom teeth that caused the bottom front crowding are scheduled to be removed next week.

I've never had an extraction and I'm really scared. I want the teeth out because it will probably give me some relief but I am filled with dread for the procedure.

 

[adendum4567]

My extraction is today. The only way I'll be able to handle it is if I'm under anesthesia. I believe I will be, and if I'm not I doubt I'll be brave enough to go through with this.

Of course I know that I'm getting wisdom teeth removed, but I'm going into the unknown. It's just that I don't have first hand experience with a tooth extraction.

My wife has had extractions at the oral surgeon I'm scheduled with has no complaints about them. She's been telling me about how it should go, but it's different experiencing something for yourself.

Ugh, I don't want to do this but I do want to do this. I know that this is part of my journey.

 

[adendum4567]

Well, the extraction seems to have gone well. I had the two lower wisdom teeth done on recommendation of my dentist.

I felt not a single thing during the procedure. I had all the aids I could've had. I was under anesthesia, but to start off they also gave me some nitrous. Once I was under I was numbed.

Boy did they numb me. I'm still numb hours later but I feel it wearing off little by little.

I even managed to eat soup and mashed potatoes tonight.

I have pain meds that they gave me. I think I'll also take tomorrow off work or at least work remotely.

I guess for now, post-op, I can say I'm doing alright. I'll update later because I know the worst pain is going to hit days later.

 

[adendum4567]

The shame that I felt which kept me from going to the dentist for so long has all but gone now. Between the oral surgeons and my dentist's office not one person has ever been less than courteous. They've all been friendly and understanding. It's too bad I put this off for so long!

This forum is a real gift. It has really helped talking things over with like minded people. I hope someone can be helped by reading my stories.

Like I said, I'll report back. More to come this week and next.

 

[NervousUSA]

@adendum4567 Sounds like you did great today, and have overall come a long way, really good job!

 

[Beckjayne]

@adendum4567 Ive been the same way for years. Putting off getting dental work done. Feeling very ashamed of myself. But my dentist hasnt shamed me for staying away so long. He just wants us to keep moving forward, to save my teeth

Im so glad you had a good experience! When that happens, you'll be less afraid of going back. And that is so important. That you give yourself lots of credit, for going through with this. And know that you can keep doing what is necessary to have good dental health

 

[adendum4567]

Thanks everyone for your support so far.

Today, not much pain. But some discomfort due to swelling. I'm told that a few days after surgery is peak swelling time. I can't wait to be back to 'normal.'

I've been keeping up with the meds and the post-surgery regimen exactly as instructed, so I'm doing everything I can to make sure I have a good next couple of weeks.

And if it all goes downhill, I do have a small prescription for some narcotic pain meds. I don't want to take them, but if it gets unbearable I will.

So far though, ibuprofen is working ok.

 

[Anne2021]

Way to go getting this done! I just had a lower first molar out December 15th, and the swelling did peak about day 3. I had a little mild bruising, too, that showed up around day 4, but I bruise easy and he did have to do a little something extra to get the last root out (badly decayed tooth under a crown).

You may already know this, so please forgive me if I'm being redundant, but I saw that you said you had soup. Soup is a good choice, but did anyone warn you not to slurp or use any suction when you eat it? My ex (then-husband) had his wisdom teeth out shortly after we married and he ate pudding. His mistake was that he kind of slurped it instead of just spooning it in and swallowing. He gave himself dry socket doing that. I had both soup and pudding after my recent extraction without a problem - you just have to be careful how you eat it.

I hope you heal up quickly.