Tooth sensitive to hot

[maliasheart]

Hey guys, it’s been a while!

Since I mustered up all my bravery and went to the dentist after 8 long years, a bad thing has happened. My dentist used to be this lovely, understanding and supportive woman but she left and I got a new dentist. She’s nice but she doesn’t fit me very well. She likes to drill without the numbing injection and when I asked her to please give me one, it didn’t work and she didn’t believe me that I’m feeling pain. I cried after that appointment and am now very afraid to go back to her next week. I’m even more afraid because one tooth (if anyone remembers, the “problem child” that I was the most afraid to change the filling) is sensitive to hot. Now, to be fair, I burned the gum around that tooth while trying to see if it’s really sensitive or not and now the gum is really sore and bright red - obviously injured.
I ate some soup today and it hurt when it touched my tooth but the sensitivity didn’t linger and it only happened once. Does that mean I need a root canal? The tooth itself needed quite some time to calm down after I replaced the filling and it didn’t bother me until today but the sharp pain really threw me off my guard

I’ve felt so safe and calm in my last dentists care and now I feel the same I felt in january - lost and terrified. On top of that, I’m scared I’m going to need a root canal with this dentist because I just know she’s not going to stop if it hurts

 

[Enarete]

Hi maliasheart,

sorry to read about your situation. Sounds like the experience with your new dentist threw you back with your dental fear and I can see why!

It seems to me that the tooth wouldn‘t be that much of a problem if you had a kind caring dentist who you trust.. that‘s why I can only encourage you to take a look around and see whether you could find another dentist that may take your concerns more seriously.

I know this is hard in dental setting, but remember that first, you are the client and you give your consent to the treatment and this consent can be taken away at any time during a treatment. If you ask a dentist to stop, they have to. Secondly, numbing is the first priority and your dentist has to numb you up before a procedure.

By the way, insurance in Germany pays for the numbing, it is a part of the package „filling“ so your dentist will charge the insurance for it. I know some dentists (and even patients) prefer to start without numbing and see how it goes or some dentists are not too happy to give more anesthetic (because the standard insurance only pays for one dose), but there are enough dentists who care and will give you as much anesthetic as you need. Please, don‘t stay with a dentist you don‘t feel comfortable with, there are surely other practices..

All the best wishes

 

[maliasheart]

Hi maliasheart,

sorry to read about your situation. Sounds like the experience with your new dentist threw you back with your dental fear and I can see why!

It seems to me that the tooth wouldn‘t be that much of a problem if you had a kind caring dentist who you trust.. that‘s why I can only encourage you to take a look around and see whether you could find another dentist that may take your concerns more seriously.

I know this is hard in dental setting, but remember that first, you are the client and you give your consent to the treatment and this consent can be taken away at any time during a treatment. If you ask a dentist to stop, they have to. Secondly, numbing is the first priority and your dentist has to numb you up before a procedure.

By the way, insurance in Germany pays for the numbing, it is a part of the package „filling“ so your dentist will charge the insurance for it. I know some dentists (and even patients) prefer to start without numbing and see how it goes or some dentists are not too happy to give more anesthetic (because the standard insurance only pays for one dose), but there are enough dentists who care and will give you as much anesthetic as you need. Please, don‘t stay with a dentist you don‘t feel comfortable with, there are surely other practices..

All the best wishes

hello! Thank you for taking the time to reply, I’m really in the need of some reassurance and support, thank you so much!

As for the dentist, I have been talking of replacing her ever since my first appointment with her. I came home in tears because I felt so disrespected and belittled. I don’t even know who to turn to if I want to replace my dentist. Do I just call the nurse and cancel my appointment next week? Do I call another dentist in that building? How does it even work? My last dentist still works in the same building, do you think I can go back to her?

As for my tooth situation, I have a very visible burned gum around that tooth and I suspect that injury caused my tooth to become sensitive. I drank some coffee and some hot tea today. I know I shouldn’t have as my gum burn needs the time and space to heal but I suffer from pretty severe health anxiety and OCD so my stupid thoughts left me no choice but to “check” - I didn’t feel any pain in the tooth but the gum obviously protested a little bit. That’s a good sign that my tooth nerve isn’t dying, right? The tooth wasn’t sensitive to cold or pressure or anything before that. The only time I noticed that tooth was when food got stuck in my gum by that tooth and it felt like the tooth is swollen and full but that went away the next day. Was that actually my tooth starting to die? I’m so terrified

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Maliasheart,

I too am so sorry this happened to you with the new dentist..

It sounds awful , being disprected, betlittled, not giving enough anesthetic, or caring about your pain.. aghhh. That would most definately set me back.. and honestly if it were me I would not go back. as Enarete mentioned finding another dentist who will take your concerns more seriously and be alot more compassionate. They are out there! Though , it is always a process to find one it is well worth it.

I really help you can find a kind compassionate dentist to help you with your dental work. If the dentist that you felt comfortable works in the same building but another practice, I might see if you can see her again. It is so worth it to be able to go to someone you are comfortable with. at the least I would call and speak with the nurse or practice manager and tell them you feel scared to go back because of the last experience and really needs someone who will make sure to take your concerns and pain seriously as you have dental anxiety and it is especially important and ask them, if not this dentist, is there another in the practice that might specialize more in anxious pts. ?

I really wish the best for you.

 

[maliasheart]

Hi, hey, hello, it’s me!

I had my dentist appointment today and I thought I would update you on the situation. It turns out that the burn on my gum probably aggravated the tooth nerve and that’s why I was getting sensitivity to hot. The dentist checked the vitality and poked it with something to see if it would hurt and it didn’t so she assured me my tooth nerve is still alive! She said she’s sure once the nerve calms down again, my tooth won’t be sensitive anymore. I’m just extremely happy that I won’t be needing a root canal just yet!

I’m well aware that I always come on here in a panicked state and I’m so thankful how you guys calm me down and make me feel better! You’re literal angels! Thank you.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that my dentist was much, much nicer and very gentle today. She also told me that my teeth look nice and she doesn’t feel the need to replace the remaining fillings as she would just be damaging healthy teeth so we agreed to leave it for now and talk about it further at my next check up, which is in 6 months we didn’t do any drilling today so I‘m not sure if she’ll listen to me when I tell her it hurts but I feel like I should give her another chance, mainly because my old dentist is no longer taking insurance so there’s no way I could afford her. I don’t want the “I can’t find a dentist I’m comfortable with” to turn into another “i haven’t been to the dentist in 8 years” situation :/