Toothache & severe phobia

[Peter49]

Hi I'm new to the forum, came across it while desperately looking for help over dental phobia.

I experienced a very bad incident with a school dentist when he went to inject my gum (I hate needles), he lost his temper & throw me out of the surgery, this happened in 1963, since then I have had a severe phobia about dentist's - I freak out just looking at a dental chair.

in 1965 I had to have four teeth removed, because of my phobia my parents had to give me 'happy pills' before going to the surgery & then I had to be put 'out' in the waiting room & carried into the surgery.

I've not seen a dentist since (now 63, ashamed & embarrassed) I have four or five bad teeth & over the past four weeks have been in complete agony with one tooth, painkillers no longer work.

Cant see my GP until next week and already freaking out (wobbly legs etc etc) just looking through the phone book for a dentist who specialises in phobia patients (not found one yet).

 

[lillyh]

Hello Peter49,
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with dentists...We all know how you feel..That is why I am a member here! I can't even look at a dentist office without sweating and feeling sick...But like you I avoided the dentist at all cost unless I was in terrible pain and welcomed the novacaine...I just started going back to the dentist this past January..My bottom wisdom tooth decayed and broke off..So I decided to go see my husband's dentist..Well I found out dentistry has changed a lot over the years..First , dentist aren't as MEAN as they used to be.. Most are patient, kind, and understanding..And the techniques they use have definitely changed a lot..Novacaine shots don't hurt anymore--at least mine didn't..They have a good numbing gel they use before the shots..I've had several teeth extracted and never felt the shots or the tooth being pulled..It seems the drills are smaller and less noisy...You can watch tv or listen to music..You can choose oral sedation(it is a pill that relaxes you) or I.V. sedation which is great if you need a lot of work done and you are terrified...Like me..I had I.V sedation 3 times...(I had to have my infected teeth out and my jaw scraped)..Otherwise I have been awake with just novacaine to have two teeth extracted...You really should just find a dentist who sounds good, email them and explain your situation..The first visit would be just a meet and greet and if you wanted to, you could get xrays and have them just look at your mouth..You don't have to allow them to do anything if you don.t want them too..You are an adult now and YOU are in charge this time....Maybe take a family member or a friend with you for moral support...

 

[Peter49]

Thanks lillyh for your kind words in support.

I suppose you could say I've taken the first step in getting treatment, as I have had to phone my GP to get a prescription for antibiotics - one side of my face has now swollen out like a hamsters cheek

Been told that I must now seek a dentist and make an appointment for when the infection has cleared (this will be a difficult task but one I can't avoid).

Wish I could just go to sleep, wake up & everything be done.

 

[lillyh]

Peter49,
You sound just like me! I had two fillings refilled 3 weeks ago and one is still sensitive to sweets, cold, warm, and hot..So I have a 1 pm dentist appointment tomorrow..I have no idea what he will do which is the scary part...BUT, I know whatever the dentist does it wont hurt...so I'm okay with going..You will feel way better after you go to the dentist and get it over with..No more anxiety or sleepless nights..If you can find one with I.v. sedation or even oral sedation you can just go to sleep and wake up with your teeth all doneHonestly it will be fine...keep posting!!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Peter49 ,

it must have taken you a lot of courage to post here (and google for this sort of information in the first place) . You were saying that you tried looking through the phone book for a dentist who specialises in phobia patients but hadn't had any luck. In my experience, it's quite rare that dentists will put that sort of information into the phone book - you're much more likely to find out on the internet what they offer and who they are (complete with photos ) and if they have a special interest in helping nervous patients. You could do a google search for your town/area dentist and words such as nervous or anxious, e.g.

Bath dentist nervous
Birmingham dentist anxious

etc.

We also have a section on this forum where people can recommend dentists that have helped them (if you scroll down a bit).

Once you have drawn up a shortlist of dentists which look promising, you may want to email them and describe your situation and ask if and how they may be able to help you. It is often much easier to make a decision on who might be suitable from their replies! It can also be useful to visit the dental practices that look promising to get a feel for the atmosphere there, and to meet the dentist just for a chat before comitting to anything.

I hope you'll be able to find a kind and caring dentist soon who can get you out of pain

P.S. there are some more tips for finding a dentist on this page:

How to find a dentist for nervous patients

Discover how to find a dentist who is good with nervous, scared or phobic patients - and who to avoid!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

 

[Peter49]

I cannot put into words just how lucky I was finding this forum & the help and support that quickly came my way.

This morning I spent ages trawling the Internet for dentist in our area, I even plucked enough courage to actually phone a surgery which sounded promising (felt really sick afterwards though).

So the next BIG step for me was to visit the surgery & register - for once pain overtook fear and I have visited the surgery, registered and have an appointment in a couple of weeks to see the dentist, who they tell me, specialises in nervous patients.

Time will tell as to whether I can go the distance - but little steps have been taken, thanks to this forum, my wife & daughter who came with me to the surgery.

 

[irmemac]

Fantastic, a huge step!

I understand how you feel. I've got my appointment for a week next Tuesday and am beginning to wonder how on earth I will possibly be able to go. Don't know yet if I will. Hearing about your first step so far is very encouraging. I think you'll be able to do it, and the pain you've had won't recur once you are under a dentist's care.

Congratulations on your progress so far!

 

[Peter49]

Well, today's the day

The infection & swelling has gone (along with most of the pain) so this afternoon will be the first time I've sat in a dentist's chair since 1965, been told that its only to access 'damage' & draw up a treatment plan.

Saw my GP last week to explain my acute phobia, wasn't too impressed being referred to as a child going to a dentist for the first time, even more so when I queried about being referred to the local hospital to have the lot out under a general - told me that the dentist would have to refer me back to the surgery who would then make a hospital appointment BUT my doctor told me to consider the high costs involved in running an operating theatre & the 'poor' NHS

 

[letsconnect]

All the best for your appointment today Peter49 , let us know how you get on?

(P.S.: and that GP sounds like a total prick )

 

[vicki]

Lots of luck for today, I hope it all goes well for you .

Try and forget (I know it's hard) about what the GP said about your phobia; they can be a total waste of space when it comes to psychological matters. Your GP is meant to be the person you go to for physical and mental health problems, but in reality, not many of them are either 'clued up' about psychological problems such as phobias or, they're not interested and don't really see it as something they should deal with. I had enough problems earlier this year when I decided that I needed to take some form of oral sedation such as diazepam or temazepam because I had a load of root canal treatment planned (nothing too heavy - just enough to stop me doing a runner in the middle of treatment). I initially went to see the GP in the practice who is supposed to be my GP, thinking that because he's somewhat lazy and can't be bothered, he'd just write the prescription and I'd be out of there in no time. Unfortunately, he reacted in much the same way as your GP did, so I decided to try again with one of the younger GPs who I hoped would be more sympathetic - fortunately he prescribed some diazepam to get me through a few appointments.

If your dentist says that you need to be referred to hospital for treatment, then if you're an NHS patient, your dentist can refer you directly to the hospital - you don't need to be referred back your GP's surgery, so I'm afraid your GP was talking a load of old twaddle (which many of them do!).

Fingers crossed that everything goes well today; let us know how you get on .

 

[lissysue]

You know Peter, I think sometimes doctors just don't understand. I mean it's business as usual for them but not for us. I have found pointing this out sometimes works and anyway, I think you have a lot of courage to begin confronting this problem. One day at a time, right?

 

[Aldridge]

What was it with 1960s school dentists? You weren't by any chance living in Birmingham then, were you? Or maybe yours was the twin of mine. I just wanted to say I hope everything went well for you. I never went to a dentist for well over 20 years after my school dental clinic experience, so I know how hard it must have been to go to one again, and a numbskull GP wouldn't help either! All the best to you.

 

[norfolk broad]

Hi I'm new to the forum, came across it while desperately looking for help over dental phobia.

I experienced a very bad incident with a school dentist when he went to inject my gum (I hate needles), he lost his temper & throw me out of the surgery, this happened in 1963, since then I have had a severe phobia about dentist's - I freak out just looking at a dental chair.

in 1965 I had to have four teeth removed, because of my phobia my parents had to give me 'happy pills' before going to the surgery & then I had to be put 'out' in the waiting room & carried into the surgery.

I've not seen a dentist since (now 63, ashamed & embarrassed) I have four or five bad teeth & over the past four weeks have been in complete agony with one tooth, painkillers no longer work.

Cant see my GP until next week and already freaking out (wobbly legs etc etc) just looking through the phone book for a dentist who specialises in phobia patients (not found one yet).

Well, someone else whose life has been blighted by a bad school dentist. I won't tell you what mine used to do, regularly, but I am now severely dentaphobic, same age as you, and similarly need to see a dentist. However, there are none anywhere near me who offer sedation, or who even purport to deal with nervous, anxious patients. So I am waiting to make an appointment with m y GP to get her to refer me to the dentistry department in the local hospital. I just want to smile again.