Took me 2 years just to make an appointment

[Jennacat27]

Hello my name is Jenna I'm 35 and I'm terrified of dentists. A bit about my history-

When I was younger I had quite a few teeth taken out. I didn't enjoy it but I also was never scared. I've been awake when I've had them out, been put completely to sleep and also had the IV sedation. I also had braces when I was a teenager (again never bothered me used to look forward to it) but when I was 18 I had a really bad experience, the dentist basically scrapped my teeth to death and I've never been able to shake the feeling and the sound out of my head. For this reason as well it's the front bottom teeth that I mostly hate being touched. So I stopped seeing the dentist which resulted in tartar, plaque and staining.

When I was in my mid twenties I started developing toothache, got to the point where my gum basically covered the bad tooth. So I had bo choice to visit a dentist, I explained my fear but she didn't seem to care and though that appointment she tapped the bad tooth really hard, she prodded and poked and had me in tears in the end. I was sent to get a clean where luckily the dentist was super friendly I managed to get through the appointment (although inhated the instrument they use to measure gums) then clean went well as I was numbed (funnily enough needles don't bothered me. In the end it turned out it was nothing to do with my tooth and rather I suffered from a sinus infection which unfortunately I suffer from tooth ache once I get the infection.

So anyway after that I never went back but for years I've been paranoid about the plaque and tartar I have again. So I finally made an appointment for two weeks time. I came off the phone sweating and I had a panic attack but its done now. I really scared of the periodontal probing I'm hoping I can be numbed for that. I explained this to the receptionist and she was lovely and said usually they dint numb but I can discuss this with the dentist. I'm also going to be sedated for the clean ill have to pay 300 plus whatever the clean is but at this point I'd sell my house for a pain free clean.

To say I'm nervous is an understatement and I'm sure whoever is reading this completely gets me. I'm using this forum for support and to hopefully help others. I will write again once I've had appointment. Thank you for reading

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Jennacat27 and welcome!

Congratulations on making an appointment - we all know how much courage that takes.

Have you had a look around our website (the non-forum parts)? In the Downloads section, you can find a Dental Fears Patient Form which you can give to your dentist. This can make it easier to get your concerns across - and help them help you.

Wishing you all the best of luck for your appointment. Please come back and update!

 

[Jennacat27]

Hi Jennacat27 and welcome!

Congratulations on making an appointment - we all know how much courage that takes.

Have you had a look around our website (the non-forum parts)? In the Downloads section, you can find a Dental Fears Patient Form which you can give to your dentist. This can make it easier to get your concerns across - and help them help you.

Wishing you all the best of luck for your appointment. Please come back and update!

Thank you so much. No I did not realise there was such a form thats very helpful thank you and I will defo update this thread.

 

[Jennacat27]

Two hours until my appointment. I was fine up until last night. Couldn't sleep so on too of being nervous I'm tired. Just keep thinking about how great the release will feel when it's over and done with. I started to get really scared incase I need extractions too as in my head I only think I need a clean. Update later

 

[letsconnect]

Best of luck ? - let us know how you got on ?

 

[Jennacat27]

Sitting in the waiting room got here too early. ? trying my hardest bot to cry. Even the cab driver said can tell i don't want to go and I had to even spoke to him .that nearly got me

 

[Jennacat27]

Never thought my time to say it went well would come but it has. It went well!

So last night the nerves kicked in and I couldn't sleep was nervous as hell all morning even the taxi driver said I don't look as though inwant to go in.

Got in there and the receptionist was nice. I was early (11.45 appointment got there at 11.20) so thought 11.30 I'll be given a medical form but I wasn't i was called in instead. Sat in the chair and was asked why I was here so I explained I want a clean under sedation but in order to do that I was told I need a check up. He then proceeded to start so I had to explain i was extremely nervous so can he take it slow. I was a bit annoyed he hadn't been informed but once I explained he was really good and reassured.
He started of by using just the mirror to check and called out the teeth (still amazed they can tell where extractions have been made just by looking) To me that was fine , but then he said about measuring gums. Now in my head I had planned to ask to numb them but whilst sitting in the chair I just thought get it over with. He did it very slow and I kid you not I didn't feel anything . My gums were not tender or infected so maybe if yours are you could try as ask for numbing gel. But honestly the way he went so slow it was really OK plus its not as sharp as I had imagined. hen came the dreaded probe which I explained is the bit I'm dreading so he took it nice and slow and I could have cried at how little I felt. I squirmed but it's because of the thougt of it being on me that does me in but honestly that lasted 10 seconds.
I was also shocked to learn that I have all 2's! what with the gaps and bleeding I have when i brush I honestly thought it would be 4's. So again although everyone is different try not to imagine the worse. And if it is higher again it must be able to be fixed because when I last went to the dentist six years ago I was mostly 4's. So without any treatment just me flossing when I remember it's gone down so imagine what the dentist could do.

Then I had xrays which reminded me of sticking a piece of rectangle gum in your mouth and holding it in mouth sideways. Not bad at all .ight get a bit of jaw ache but not painful at all

Then came the results...

I need a filing (my first ever) and a clean. He didnt mention if it was a normal clean or deep but I'm guessing it's a normal one because he said considering it's been 6 years my teeth are not bad at all.

So I've made an appointment to have IV. Its costing £500 altogether thats today's check up, xrays sedation, clean and a white filling. Which is so expensive but I've basically been prepared for this for years so I've saved. It'll be alot less without it and the dentist did reassure me that I could easily do it without but for now I don't think I could do on my own.



After I decided to have IV sedation I had to have my blood presassure taken. Unfortunately it was high but we put that down to me still being nervous as by the time she didn it the third time round it had gone down.

Because it was high she has to show the dentist who will be doing the sedation my blood pressure results as it may be a case where I need to go 5o my GP to check I don't suffer with high blood pressure but she reassured me it most likely will be ok as it was most probably nerves that affected results.

If I do need to go to the GP then that just involves double checking its not high for a reason and if it is nerves that I can get something to calm me down on the day of treatment because if my pressure is high they are unable to do anything. So I am worried about that but hopefully itll be OK on the day. If the dentist gives the thumbs uk she's advised me on maybe trying calms tablets on the day.

After that i paid and was on my way.

So anyone reading this I know I'm lucky as my teeth aren't that bad so it went well but your honestly doing the right thing by making that first appointment. Remember they can't do anything you don't want so ou could always just go for a check, you never know you may surprise yourself and allow a full check

 

[letsconnect]

That's great news @Jennacat27!!

I also have white coat hypertension (with GPs and nurses as well), so your GP might want you to take your blood pressure at home if that's the case...

All the best for your sedation appointment, and congratulations!!

 

[Jennacat27]

Thank you so much . I will update again when I've had

 

[Jennacat27]

Tomorrow is the day! I'm not as nervous as I was for the check up as I'll be sedated. Only thing I'm a little nervous about is the iv injection because nurses always have trouble finding a vein and my blood pressure being high. So I'm doing as much as I can to stay calm. So far I'm OK but tomorrow could be totally different

 

[letsconnect]

Best of luck for tomorrow ?

Keeping my fingers crossed that everything will go smoothly and easily - it sounds like you’re in good hands ?

 

[letsconnect]

Hope everything went well today, @Jennacat27?

 

[Jennacat27]

Oh wow so, plot twist! I didn't get the sedation.

So I got into the chair the dentist was super nice he explained how iv sedation works. Dental assistant took my blood preassure (was high but i was nervous)

He looks at my arms and says they don't look good as can't find a vein. Now as well as dental fear I'm terrified of anything to do with veins. I can do needles but the fact it's in a vein makes me cringe. So hes rubbing my arm telling me to squeeze my arm he tried but it didn't go in (even joked I don't have a lot of blood) tried a bit of water as thought I may be hydrated as hadn't drunk since 12 (appointment was 3.30) but nothing. Asked him to try my left had as that's my dominant but nothing. Couldn't even do in my hand as veins were thin.

Well after 20 mins trying and the tapping of my arms and them keep showing me there veins my heartbeat was sky high so i said can I just go ahead with it without sedation. They were kinda shocked but I didnt want to leave with nothing done.

They said usually they do a clean in sections but cause my teeth wearnt too bad they did it all.

So I had the clean first. First they rubbed gel on gums then gave me the injection. For me I don't find the injections that bad and it was especially fine because I was numb anyway. So that bit was done. Then came the clean. The noise isn't pleasant as it's kinda like having a little building team in your head. Annoying but doable. The sensation again was just preassure but couldn't feel a thing as was numb. One tip though try not to tense up like i did as I feel this made it 100 times worse then what it was. I should have relaxed. Clean took about 20 mins if that.

Then the filling. I wasn't as nervous for this as when I read up about it it didn't seem bad. The filling was better then the clean. Couldn't feel anything at all. The only unpleasant bit was when they had the take something of my tooth. Dont know if it's a cap or the actual filling but it was similar to when you have a mould done. Again didjt hurt or was uncomfortable it's just me and my wierd fears I was panicking when they pull as think tooth is going to come out But obviously that's silly.

At first the filing felt so odd (my first filing) teeth didn't seem centred , kind of like when I bit down it was high. So they filed it down and was much better. Still feels odd but my partner said it will do as never had one but goes away after a while.

So basically it all went really well. I had a high when it was done because its finally over. For the first time in 18 years I'll be able to book an appointment and not be as scared. By not having the iv I saved myself £300 quid so I'm pleased with that.

My advice to anyone needing a clean and filling is to try without sedation as you’ll be surprised how not bad it is. If someone said this to me this morning I would have told them to do one but honestly it really was fine. If I can do it, someone with a massive fear honestly you can. And worse case scenario Get them to stop and then you'd have to get sedation.

Honestly the worst part about appointment was trying to find my veins. But don't worry they were close to finding one I had just had enough. So don't worry if you have rubbish veins like me. Just bring a squeeze ball in appointment if you do.

I put my headphones in which helped alot. I listed to the Animal crossing soundtrack which consists of chilled out music.

 

[Jennacat27]

Just want to say thank you to this forum it helps so much

 

[letsconnect]

Congratulations Jennacat27 ? ?!! How amazing that you managed to just go for it - I can imagine that they were taken aback ? . Thanks so much for the update and enjoy your success!!!

P.S. if the filling still feels a bit high, don't hesitate to go back and have it adjusted further - it's easier to figure out once the numbing has worn off completely

 

[Jennacat27]

Thank you!Was so funny as the Dr they had come in special to do the IV saodnhe doesn't usually do fillings. So I was quite honored lol.

It's not that it's high it feels odd in between the teeth, like theve filled the gap with polyfiller. There was quite a big gap between the teeth so could be that they filled it. I should have asked really but inwas in such shock that it was finally over I couldn't think straight

 

[pinkjude]

well done. I didnt go to a dentist for 3 years following some traumatic procedures. I am now facing a Root canal tomorrow and am dreading it.

 

[Jennacat27]

Best of luck for tomorrow. I know its easy to say if you’re not the one having treatment but it won't be as horrible as you think. Especially if you try and relax as much as possible. Having the numbing shots and headphones if available helped me tremendously too

 

[pinkjude]

Thankyou