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The thought of the dentist makes me so anxious that i end up crying,

Z

Zivabee

Junior member
Joined
Mar 13, 2023
Messages
2
Location
Australia
I have not been to the dentist in ages, at least 10 years, maybe 20, (for reference i am only 24)

i know i have a genetic gum disease in my family, I brush as often as i can with my mental health, floss and use mouthwash.

Anytime i notice something different with my teeth, eg the black lines between them or my gum bleeding differently, i get scared.

I want to go to the dentist but even the testimonials here have so far been too much. I don’t think i realised that adults were scared of the dentist

Dentists are pricey which maybe is part of the problem im worried about debt, but im not sure what the other part of the fear is, because im not embarrassed of my teeth or worried what they will think, just terrified in general.

The last time I called a dentist i made it to the recorded message that plays before the phone is answered and i had a panic attack, started crying and hyperventilating.

How can i get past this, and what happens if i have an anxiety attack at the dentist, will they notice and help or not be so nice about it?
 
Gordon

Gordon

Administrator
Staff member
Verified dentist
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
8,212
Y
How can i get past this, and what happens if i have an anxiety attack at the dentist, will they notice and help or not be so nice about it?
They should be able to notice and help and they better be nice about it or they're in the wrong job!

Have you thought of getting some professional help with this? A very high level of phobia is not easy to deal with on your own.
 
Z

Zivabee

Junior member
Joined
Mar 13, 2023
Messages
2
Location
Australia
I didnt even realise a dental phobia was a thing adults had until I googled “why does the idea of going to the dentist make me cry” and this site popped up, ive done trauma therapy before which helped for that particular trauma issue, but i was able to identify the thought or the feeling that was the “hotspot” i dont even know where to begin with this though, or who to reach out to @Gordon
 
Dr. Daniel

Dr. Daniel

Well-known member
Verified dentist
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
1,989
Location
The Hague , Holland
@Zivabee,

Please allow me to introduce to you my website treatyourdentalfear.com which contains many YouTube videos which cover many aspects of dental anxiety, some might not be relevant for you but some might. I recommend to start with the introduction video which is a general overview on how I see dental anxiety and how to treat it.
Introduction to "Treat your dental fear"

If you find a video which you find relevant please feel free to share this with me and that can help start a fruitful conversation.
Hope it helps,
Daniel.
 
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