the beginning of the end?

[Quixote]

Just to give some background, I'm nearly twenty-three and hadn't been to the dentist since I was eighteen. I've mostly taken reasonably good care of my teeth, I had some issues with depression when I was twenty or so, but now I brush very regularly and my teeth have always seemed quite strong and everyone says they are a good colour. Not bright white, but definitely not bad-looking.

I hate being touched by strangers and have OCD which makes it difficult for me to throw off a fear when I get it into my head. I've never had a bad experience with drills or braces, but have always been phobic of going, to the point where even thinking about it makes me feel suicidal. I had an abusive upbringing so being touched makes me feel trapped and I get panicky. I can't get myself to the optician either, even though I have terrible headaches

But I had a really bad pain in a tooth I broke two years ago during a seizure, so my partner (who is also phobic) persuaded me to go. The dentist was my worst nightmare - she held me down by my chest and scolded me for crying, leaving me almost hysterical when I got home. Luckily I was referred to a different practice to get a root canal in the broken tooth, where I'll be sedated. I'm terrified, but almost looking forward to getting the surgery because then it will be over and I won't have to worry about it any more.

A few weeks later I rang back to chase things up and she told me that I need TWELVE fillings. I've only ever had one before and I can't believe I need so many. I do smoke but I try so hard to look after my teeth and I feel like this is the beginning of the end and I'll have no teeth by the time I'm thirty. They still look and feel quite strong, but I'm panicking about them rotting away and my appointment isn't until August. What if they all break by then?

will having twelve fillings mean I'll never have normal teeth? I never expected to need that many, NEVER! I feel like the dentist will be disgusted with me and think I never brush my teeth and that I don't look after myself. It makes me feel like killing myself. I want to talk to my care co-ordinator because I'm supposed to let her know my triggers for psychosis but how can I explain that my teeth are a trigger?!

I just feel so sick with fear and I am scared my whole adulthood will be blighted by fillings. Is it possible to lead a normal life with that many fillings? Is it possible to keep my teeth until I'm old? I can't bear the idea of losing all my teeth while I'm still young.

So scared. I hardly sleep and when I do I dream about teeth. It's poisoning my life! Nobody seems to understand - my partner's teeth are worse than mine but he doesn't worry anywhere near as much and even though I know logically they're worse, when I look in the mirror I'm starting to see big gaping holes that don't actually exist! I feel like my teeth are driving me into the grave.

 

[carole]

Hi WELCOME to the forum

Print out what you have written here and give it to your care co-ordinater. Dental phobia is a common fear and very real. You are not alone in feeling this way we understand how you are feeling about your teeth. I am 56 and from a young age and I mean from about the age of 6 the dentists back then used to fill teeth for fun. They used to do work we didn't need as children usually filings.

There are a lot of people on here that feel the way you do, including myself at one time. I have had bridges and root canal treatments and replacement filings and I still have my own teeth. I even chipped both my top front teeth when I was about 7 or 8 years old and I still have them too.

Your teeth will be okay the filing will last a long time and will not do you any harm. Try not to think about far into the future concentrate on getting the treatment you need now and deal with that. It sounds like your dentist has sent you to see someone that will be able to help you get the treatment done. Once it has been done you will be free of the pain and worry that is crippling you at the moment.

They won't judge you or think that you have the worst teeth they have seen, they have seen much worse. You can live you life quite normally. I found that with the help of a couple of very good and understanding dentists I got work I needed doing and by facing my fear and getting orally healthy it gave me some confidence in other parts of my life too.

You will be fine until August, nothing bad will happen to your teeth. You could keep ringing the hospital to see if they have a cancellation, that way if they do you may get things done sooner.

In the meantime we are here and have loads of support to give. You will not be judged by anyone on here so stay with us and if you just want a rant or to ask anything please feel free. We all understand how you are feeling, we even have some dentists that come on here and contribute as well in a very non threatening and friendly way.

All the best to you try not to stress too much you will be fine

 

[Quixote]

Thank you, carole, that's made me feel a little better. I still worry a lot about it, but hopefully the dentist can give me some tips on how to avoid needing further treatments.

To be honest I'm sort of looking forward to my appointment because even if it's horrible, it'll be over! And I get IV sedation.

 

[carole]

All the best to you, I hope it comes soon for you

 

[soybean]

Just to give some background, I'm nearly twenty-three and hadn't been to the dentist since I was eighteen. ...

A few weeks later I rang back to chase things up and she told me that I need TWELVE fillings. I've only ever had one before and I can't believe I need so many.

When you were 18, were you told you needed some fillings that you did not go ahead and get done then? If you only needed one filling up through age 18, I, like you, would be skeptical about being told I need 12 fillings. Twelve fillings is a lot to arise between age 18 and 22 or 23, especially when you've taken "reasonably good care" of your teeth. You could ask the dentist exactly which teeth need fillings. He/she should be able to tell you the number for each tooth, in accordance with the numbering system used by dentists. You could buy a small dental mirror and carefully look at the teeth the dentist said need filling. If you can see nothing unusual about some of those teeth, then I think you are quite justified in asking the dentist for some explanation of where he sees decay on particular teeth. And, if getting a second opinion is possible for you, doing so might alleviate all your doubt about whether you need 12 fillings or it could give you a basis for contesting/challenging the first dentist's assertion that you need 12 fillings.

However, having said all that, if you actually need 12 fillings, I fully agree with Carole that "They won't judge you or think that you have the worst teeth they have seen, they have seen much worse." Some of the teeth probably just need small fillings and catching them at a time when decay is quite minimal is a good thing. I'm 67 and I can tell you teeth with fillings can last a long time. Sometimes, an original filling needs to be re-done because some new decay around the original filling has occurred in that tooth. So, the original/old filling is removed along with the new decay and the tooth is filled again. This might scenario might even be repeated a second or third time with some teeth. And, since some additional tooth structure is lost during each subsequent filling of a particular tooth, a point may be reached where this procedure cannot be repeated. If so, a crown is often an option, and crowns can last decades.

 

[Quixote]

Thanks so much for this post. I'm guessing most of them are small fillings, as I can't see anything wrong with most of my teeth, but to be honest, the dentist I first saw was horrible, rude, and only looked in my mouth for about thirty seconds. I looked up the practice on the NHS website when I got home and they have mostly one-star reviews - not going there again!

The receptionist at the practice I'm seeing for my root canal was really nice when we spoke on the phone, and said a lot of the fillings are probably tiny and nothing to worry about. I'll also ask them for advice on how to avoid further problems. I'm quitting smoking and I no longer have bulimia like I did in my teens. So even if I do have to have twelve fillings, I am hopeful that I won't have to have any more!