U
UKFearful
Junior member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2022
- Messages
- 6
- Location
- London, England, United Kingdom
I'm a man in his fifties and never had any fear of the dentist until the past few years.
I have had quite a lot of dental treatment over the years - orthodontistry, fillings, crowns, root canals and implants.
I had no problem with any of it until the last 5 - 10 years when I have become increasingly fearful in the chair.
I have no fear of dentists, pain, injections or any of the common things.
I am relaxed going into the chair.
The only issue I have always had is that my tongue goes all around my mouth, making things hard for the dentist.
But these days as soon as someone tries to put something into my mouth I begin to panic. I feel completely out of control and it almost feels as if someone is trying to force something into my mouth to choke me. It literally feels like a life or death thing, triggering a full on fight or flight reaction. Yesterday I managed to tolerate the X-ray plate on one side but when the dentist started pushing it in to the other side I freaked out and pushed his hand away very forcefully.
I now have to go for 2/3 extractions over the next 2 - 4 weeks.
Can you give me any advice to handle this situation?
How can I get over my phobia?
I have tried hypnosis in the past without success (and I am a trained hypnotist!).
Additional information - I have a small mouth that does not open very wide and I have big problems with my molars - over the years they have basically crumbled one by one. The extractions I need are both on molars, which is where I have the biggest problems.
I am also very loyal to my dentist (whom I have been seeing for 25 years) but he is a little bit "old school" and not always good about slowing down, explaining what he is doing or asking before acting - but he does try and he is patient and sympathetic about my difficulties. None of this has ever been a problem in the past. Although some of the treatment in the past has been unpleasant, I would not say that any one treatment has been traumatic. I certainly can't identify a trigger for this behaviour.
I also have a very strong gag reflex and can gag when brushing my teeth, particularly first thing in the morning.
Any suggestions?
Many thanks in advance for any help you can give someone who is completely desperate.
PS I have read elsewhere on your site about a shield, but just thinking about having something like that in my mouth is triggering. Even small things in my mouth feel huge (which I am sure is not uncommon) and anything bigger than a drill or a probe feels like it fills my whole mouth. Particularly if I feel like I cannot immediately spit it out or get it out of my mouth. Even a mirror yesterday felt like it filled my whole mouth.
I have had quite a lot of dental treatment over the years - orthodontistry, fillings, crowns, root canals and implants.
I had no problem with any of it until the last 5 - 10 years when I have become increasingly fearful in the chair.
I have no fear of dentists, pain, injections or any of the common things.
I am relaxed going into the chair.
The only issue I have always had is that my tongue goes all around my mouth, making things hard for the dentist.
But these days as soon as someone tries to put something into my mouth I begin to panic. I feel completely out of control and it almost feels as if someone is trying to force something into my mouth to choke me. It literally feels like a life or death thing, triggering a full on fight or flight reaction. Yesterday I managed to tolerate the X-ray plate on one side but when the dentist started pushing it in to the other side I freaked out and pushed his hand away very forcefully.
I now have to go for 2/3 extractions over the next 2 - 4 weeks.
Can you give me any advice to handle this situation?
How can I get over my phobia?
I have tried hypnosis in the past without success (and I am a trained hypnotist!).
Additional information - I have a small mouth that does not open very wide and I have big problems with my molars - over the years they have basically crumbled one by one. The extractions I need are both on molars, which is where I have the biggest problems.
I am also very loyal to my dentist (whom I have been seeing for 25 years) but he is a little bit "old school" and not always good about slowing down, explaining what he is doing or asking before acting - but he does try and he is patient and sympathetic about my difficulties. None of this has ever been a problem in the past. Although some of the treatment in the past has been unpleasant, I would not say that any one treatment has been traumatic. I certainly can't identify a trigger for this behaviour.
I also have a very strong gag reflex and can gag when brushing my teeth, particularly first thing in the morning.
Any suggestions?
Many thanks in advance for any help you can give someone who is completely desperate.
PS I have read elsewhere on your site about a shield, but just thinking about having something like that in my mouth is triggering. Even small things in my mouth feel huge (which I am sure is not uncommon) and anything bigger than a drill or a probe feels like it fills my whole mouth. Particularly if I feel like I cannot immediately spit it out or get it out of my mouth. Even a mirror yesterday felt like it filled my whole mouth.
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