Topical Gels and its Numbing Effect for Major Tartar Removal

[Sherm07]

Hello Everyone

I was wondering if some one can help me out. I havent been to a dentist in over 16 years and have my very first teeth cleaning coming up next monday. I am beyond scared and nervous.

My teeth are fairly good but i have really bad sensitive receding gums as well as a lot (A LOT) of Plaque and tartar on my bottom front teeth.

Here is a picture of what i mean and what they look like:

https://ibb.co/h0AyYk

Pls dont judge me Im really embarrassed about how they look like. Due to anxiety and depression and not affording dental insurance i really let my teeth go. I wish i took better care of them.

I met with my dentist and my hygenist and both are amazing. They offered topical gel during the cleaning.

My question is can the Topical gel be rubbed all over your gums from the front to the back and BEHIND the teeth as well? How Strong are Topical gels Usually? Can you also have Topical Gel all over your gums and lidocaine injection if the pain is too much?

Are their any side effects? how Long do you think it will take to clean all of that up? and has anyone else gone through with this as well? Very scared and very nervous still. REMEMBER THIS IS ALL JUST FOR A REGULAR CLEANING NOT A DEEP CLEANING. Thanks so much for reading

 

[carole]

Hi they can rub as much topical gel on your gums as you want, there are no side effects. If you still feel a bit of discomfort with the topical gel they can numb your mouth as well for you, again no side effects. It is just a bit annoying when you are thawing out as it tingles. Your teeth and gums may feel a bit sore after but follow the advice the dentist gives you and you will be fine.

All the best to you for your appointment

 

[Sherm07]

Hi they can rub as much topical gel on your gums as you want, there are no side effects. If you still feel a bit of discomfort with the topical gel they can numb your mouth as well for you, again no side effects. It is just a bit annoying when you are thawing out as it tingles. Your teeth and gums may feel a bit sore after but follow the advice the dentist gives you and you will be fine.

All the best to you for your appointment

Awesome Thanks for the Heads Up Carole!!

Was wondering though since i have nvr been to a dentist is so long, how does the numbing effect feel? Im really scared and nervous about the whole procedure. To have my whole mouth numb is scary. To feel like im choking an suffocating. I also get panic attacks so im very very very petrified.

i read the forum:

Fear of Feeling Numb

Are you scared of the numb feeling you get from local anaesthetic injections at the dentist's? This page provides lots of practical tips and advice!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

and i started to get anxious. What should i do or how should i feel when my whole mouth is numbed up. will i be able to breathe and talk? will i be able to swallow? remember im getting both gel and local anesthesia. so i will be very very numb for a very very long time. Thanks again for your response Carole!!

 

[carole]

Hi the only way I can think of to try and explain how numbing feels is, have you ever laid on your arm and it has gone dead for a while until you rub it and bring it back again. Numbing feels a bit like this. You can breath and talk normal. Before they start ask them to arrange a stop signal with you, this is usually by raising the left arm, or right if the dentist works from the left. That way if you feel things are getting a bit much or if you just need to rest your jaw for a few seconds they can stop and allow it. If you feel that you are going to have a panic attack if you suffer these you can raise your arm and they can stop to allow you to deal with this. When you are numbed you may feel palpitations for a few seconds this will stop.

I have been in the chair and felt like I was going to have a heart attack but it never happened, it was caused by myself through being totally terrified, I have entered a dentists shaking and barely able to walk but I made it and everything was fine. I was lucky that my dentist could tell when I was feeling extra anxious and they just tell me to breath, I have found trying to count 1 breath in through the mouth and 2 out through the nose to get a rhythm going.

I think you are going to be fine, your dentist and hygienist sound lovely and are aware of how nervous you are about all of this. I think they will guide you through the cleaning.

The numbing after you have done and got back home shouldn't last too long but I usually get something warm and hold it on my cheek this helps with the thawing out. I usually have that much numbing stuff that half my head feel numb but I don't mind this as long as I don't feel any pain when having treatment. This does mean that it takes a bit of time to thaw, hence why I use something warm and rub my cheek because I hate the numbing when things are done. You don't usually stay numb for that long though as you won't need as much as if you were having a filling or extraction so it should thaw within a couple of hours or less.

They don't advise eating while you are numb as you can bite the inside of your mouth and drinking can be a strange experience because you would probably dribble.

Try not to worry, trust your dentist and I really think you are going to be fine.

 

[Sherm07]

Hi the only way I can think of to try and explain how numbing feels is, have you ever laid on your arm and it has gone dead foe a while until you rub it and bring it back again. Numbing feels a bit like this. You can breath and talk normal. Before they start ask them to arrange a stop signal with you, this is usually by raising the left arm, or right if the dentist works from the left. That way if you feel things are getting a bit much or if you just need to rest your jaw for a few seconds they can stop and allow it. If you feel that you are going to have a panic attack if you suffer these you can raise your arm and they can stop to allow you to deal with this. When you are numbed you may feel palpitations for a few seconds this will stop.

I have been in the chair and felt like I was going to have a heart attack but it never happened, it was caused by myself through being totally terrified, I have entered a dentists shaking and barely able to walk but I made it and everything was fine. I was lucky that my dentist could tell when I was feeling extra anxious and they just tell me to breath, I have found trying to count 1 breath in through the mouth and 2 out through the nose to get a rhythm going.

I think you are going to be fine, your dentist and hygienist sound lovely and are aware of how nervous you are about all of this. I think they will guide you through the cleaning.

The numbing after you have done and got back home shouldn't last too long but I usually get something warm and hold it on my cheek this helps with the thawing out. I usually have that much numbing stuff that half my head feel numb but I don't mind this as long as I don't feel any pain when having treatment. This does mean that it takes a bit of time to thaw, hence why I use something warm and rub my cheek because I hate the numbing when things are done. You don't usually stay numb for that long though as you won't need as much as if you were having a filling or extraction so it should thaw within a couple of hours or less.

They don't advise eating while you are numb as you can bite the inside of your mouth and drinking can be a strange experience because you would probably dribble.

Try not to worry, trust your dentist and I really think you are going to be fine.

Thanks so much for the advice Carole!

I know Lidocaine has EPI (aka adrenaline) and can cause super fast hard palpitations and coming from a person that has panic attacks and anxiety, im really scared of that feeling. I know epi is used to constrict the blood and make the numbing last longer. there is lidocaine with out epi but there will be blood and i may have to get more shots since the numbing effect tends to disappear but i wont have the high heart palpitations. Idk what to do what would you recommend?

 

[comfortdentist]

Well there is actually a limit as to how much may be used at a given appointment. But practically it isn't an issue.

 

[carole]

The only thing I can add is to go with whatever you feel comfortable with. I am sure between you and the dentist you will get this done. The stress and worry you are feeling now really is the worst part of all this.

Good luck and all the best for your appointment