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Working on not being crazy ...

RJayne

RJayne

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2018
Messages
103
Location
UK
This isn't so much a journal as a list of anxieties I'm currently dealing with and want to air out here in the open in the hopes I'll feel less crazy than with them just in my head. I may not update anything after this, later I may just get too embarrassed and ask for this to be deleted ?

Here goes: 1) I'm afraid I have more serious issues than I'm being told and for some reason I'm not being told the truth. I've not got anything to support this but I can't shake the idea. I literally need to see x rays to feel at ease.
2) I'm afraid my front teeth are fragile and biting with them will damage them somehow, I avoid biting crunchy foods or using my teeth to pull food from cutlery.
3) (And this is super conter intuitive to the second thing) I'm obsessed with my front teeth, I'm hyper focused, I worry that they're mobile. This is my biggest fear. My dentist checked them for me and has told me they're not but I worry that they are, and here's the counter intuitive bit - I try testing them myself, I push them with my finger, my toothbrush head, my tongue, I bite things I really shouldn't just to make sure I can, and then feel bad about it because I'm trying to stop (I've gotten better, I've not bitten my moisturiser tube in a while lol ?) I feel like I'm going crazy ?

By writing this stuff down I'm kind of admitting it to myself, it's something to work on as I get back into regular check ups. I've seen bitewing xrays already and I'm going to ask for front ones this week - though that's more of a sticking plaster than a solution but it should help for now.

If this sounds familiar to anyone, or if anyone feels like talking about similar issues feel free to do so here, I don't feel like adding talking to myself to the list lol ?
 
Hey, can someone please tell me, if they know for sure, that a BPE will find periodontitus if it's present and that bone can't be 'gone' with low numbers. I've read all about them, asked my dentist how it works and I'd still like someone else to just say so. I don't even know why I still think everything is worse than I'm told. Maybe because my jaw aches and no one can tell me why.

I wish I could use my osteology knowledge for myself but my face is in the way ?
 
RJayne, I love you are doing this journal. I have a fear of my front teeth issues too. That is a hard one. I'm not sure what BPE is .. what is it? anyways. I can also understand how seeing xrays and having things explained more can put one at ease more . Sure hope your jaw ache gets better or someone can tell you why.
 
Hi! Thank you, I'm just trying to keep myself sane and sort of figure things out. I really do empathise with your front teeth fears too, what really gets me is not being able to see anything for any reassurance (hence the x-rays and the compulsion to test things for myself) but also having to rely on the dentist, it's not independent enough if you get what I mean...

I think you'd call a BPE a perio-charting? It uses the WHO probe and they read out the numbers, the BPE stands for basic periodontal examination ?

Anyway thanks for dropping by, if you want to vent about anything that's more about anxiety than actual dental issues feel free to use this space ?
 
Hi, I too empathise with your front teeth fears. Mine are actually mobile due to bruxism - I have no gum disease or bone loss, but have literally rocked them in their sockets! I was in for a checkup and scale and polish this morning, and my BPE scores were "perfect". My dentist checked the mobility today and said it was very slightly above average, but nowhere near being classified as Grade One, so I am trying to focus on that. Previously at least one tooth was bordering on Grade One, but I have since switched from an upper to a lower night-guard which has helped things. (You have probably read about this, but Grade One mobility is slight movement, and Grade Three is the most serious, teeth are in danger of falling out stage, with Grade Two in between.)
 
I also have a fear/obsession with my front teeth. Now that I am healing from an apicoectomy on my front tooth, I am even more crazy about it, overanalyzing every twinge. I haven't used my front teeth in 6 months. Even if everything heals perfectly, I will be afraid to use my front teeth, and will always worry that the infection will come back.
 
Obsession/anxiety is a horrible thing. I went from carefree to obsessing over everything the past 5 years. It does take over your life and health. I worry about loosing any of my teeth and now I lost my molar( I feel the difference in my mouth with it gone and it’s a constant reminder for my fears coming true ???) I worry about losing more ? it’s so hard. I do believe though constantly being on forums like this may just be feeding my fears. Somehow I have to get a grip on things or I’m going to lose my mind
 
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Hi, I too empathise with your front teeth fears. Mine are actually mobile due to bruxism - I have no gum disease or bone loss, but have literally rocked them in their sockets! I was in for a checkup and scale and polish this morning, and my BPE scores were "perfect". My dentist checked the mobility today and said it was very slightly above average, but nowhere near being classified as Grade One, so I am trying to focus on that. Previously at least one tooth was bordering on Grade One, but I have since switched from an upper to a lower night-guard which has helped things. (You have probably read about this, but Grade One mobility is slight movement, and Grade Three is the most serious, teeth are in danger of falling out stage, with Grade Two in between.)
I am worried about doing that, but as far as I know all I do at night is clench my teeth together, I think every single one I can get a close enough look at has craze lines but I don't think I'm actually grinding... ?
Do you mind me asking what numbers you got? And have you ever felt the mobility for yourself, what sensation is it if so? I might be better off not knowing that haha. I'm glad things are improving for you though ?
 
I also have a fear/obsession with my front teeth. Now that I am healing from an apicoectomy on my front tooth, I am even more crazy about it, overanalyzing every twinge. I haven't used my front teeth in 6 months. Even if everything heals perfectly, I will be afraid to use my front teeth, and will always worry that the infection will come back.
I've read some of your posts on the issue and have to say it seems really unfair ? I do have my fingers crossed for you. I admit your questions about how can an infection go undetected (very scary) make me feel even more like I want to see an x-ray for myself.
 
Obsession/anxiety is a horrible thing. I went from carefree to obsessing over everything the past 5 years. It does take over your life and health. I worry about loosing any of my teeth and now I lost my molar( I feel the difference in my mouth with it gone and it’s a constant reminder for my fears coming true ???) I worry about losing more ? it’s so hard. I do believe though constantly being on forums like this may just be feeding my fears. Somehow I have to get a grip on things or I’m going to lose my mind
I do just want to go back to being carefree about it all, my favourite pastime is cooking but then I can't get away from thinking about eating and therfore my teeth so even that isn't a distraction anymore. I'm so sorry you lost a tooth, negative reinforcement of this fear must be the worst thing, I can see how it would impact the anxiety I think I'd need counselling... You could try it if it's becoming more of problem than you're able to manage alone
 
I am worried about doing that, but as far as I know all I do at night is clench my teeth together, I think every single one I can get a close enough look at has craze lines but I don't think I'm actually grinding... ?
Do you mind me asking what numbers you got? And have you ever felt the mobility for yourself, what sensation is it if so? I might be better off not knowing that haha. I'm glad things are improving for you though ?

The scores on the doors were (I think) 0.1 and 1.2 - I had a bit of inflammation between my upper right molars, but otherwise all grand.

I am actually not a grinder, I'm a clencher. I had an upper mouthguard, and was clenching my upper front teeth into it. (I now have a lower guard instead.) In terms of the mobility, I started having pain in my upper front left tooth, which has never had any decay or fillings, completely clear on x-rays, and was eventually referred to maxillo-facial at the local hospital for investigation. It was the consultant there who said it was slightly mobile. I wouldn't have noticed it otherwise. It was initially sitting almost at the Grade One level, but has improved since I switched to the lower guard. I have since been diagnosed with atypical facial pain, and burning mouth syndrome. I occasionally felt the tooth click very slightly, but I have never tried to wobble it with my fingers or anything like that. Yikes! Even at its worst it was moving less than a millimetre, and neither the Max-Fac consultant nor my own dentist seemed overly concerned.

I think mobility is usually caused by gum disease and bone loss, neither of which I have ever had, and unless the gum issues are carefully managed, it's likely to progress and teeth may become progressively more mobile. That said, remember that everyone's teeth do move very slightly, they are not rigidly placed in bone.
 
Thank you for telling me all that ? I didn't know that clenching could be as bad, I'll have to mention it again...I've never had anything that would cause/been diagnosed with any mobility, I'm not sure where I've got the idea from to be honest
 
I have a follow up appointment tomorrow (after newly registering two weeks ago and getting a clean with their hygienist last week) and I'm already feeling embarrassed about the questions I want to ask. I'm thinking that I want to know is silly and they'll tell me if anything is an issue without me bringing it up. I mean that's part of the job right... ?

I wish I knew what normal was without having to check, I know teeth aren't fixed solidly (I wish they were) but does that natural movement include laterally or just back and forth, I have a gap in between a couple of lower incisors that's less than 0.4mm so I'm guessing the movement I can see on it (yes I'm testing it) is about 0.2mm sideways and that's tiny, I know it is, I can't feel a thing, but it's freaking me out. I can feel I'm over reacting but I'm not able to rationalise it.

I don't want to leave without an x-ray tomorrow but I'm sort of scared of seeing one, it might be bad (unlikely but nothing is impossible) or it might be good and for no reason at all I've acquired some sort of disorder.

I'm just rambling here, no needs to try answering this nonsense lol
 
I have a follow up appointment tomorrow (after newly registering two weeks ago and getting a clean with their hygienist last week) and I'm already feeling embarrassed about the questions I want to ask. I'm thinking that I want to know is silly and they'll tell me if anything is an issue without me bringing it up. I mean that's part of the job right... ?

I wish I knew what normal was without having to check, I know teeth aren't fixed solidly (I wish they were) but does that natural movement include laterally or just back and forth, I have a gap in between a couple of lower incisors that's less than 0.4mm so I'm guessing the movement I can see on it (yes I'm testing it) is about 0.2mm sideways and that's tiny, I know it is, I can't feel a thing, but it's freaking me out. I can feel I'm over reacting but I'm not able to rationalise it.

I don't want to leave without an x-ray tomorrow but I'm sort of scared of seeing one, it might be bad (unlikely but nothing is impossible) or it might be good and for no reason at all I've acquired some sort of disorder.

I'm just rambling here, no needs to try answering this nonsense lol

I would say that the dentist would think your questions are valid. I doubt that the majority of people know what "normal" teeth should look/feel like. They just kow when something changes in their own mouth. My teeth have always been abnormal, ever since I was a child. Baby teeth didn't come out and had to be pulled...4 extra wisdom teeth, canines impacted in the roof of my mouth, etc. A dentist who doesn't know my dental history usually is a little surprised by some of my questions. I have gotten a few, "well that is unlikely", to which I respond, "so is having 4 extra wisdom teeth" (technically 5 since I had another one pop up in the last year and removed this summer).

I would ask away, because they have probably heard it all. At least that is what I tell myself. Lol.

Good luck tomorrow! I hope you only get good news!
 
Thank you, really, and yes that really is strange, a good bit of dinner conversation with the right company haha. I thought I had normal lateral incisors, but they're peg shaped, I have gone years thinking that normal rectangular ones were vaneers and crowns. I apparently don't know what normal is and to an extent I've studied this stuff so you're likely right about the dentist.
 
I have a follow up appointment tomorrow (after newly registering two weeks ago and getting a clean with their hygienist last week) and I'm already feeling embarrassed about the questions I want to ask. I'm thinking that I want to know is silly and they'll tell me if anything is an issue without me bringing it up. I mean that's part of the job right... ?

I wish I knew what normal was without having to check, I know teeth aren't fixed solidly (I wish they were) but does that natural movement include laterally or just back and forth, I have a gap in between a couple of lower incisors that's less than 0.4mm so I'm guessing the movement I can see on it (yes I'm testing it) is about 0.2mm sideways and that's tiny, I know it is, I can't feel a thing, but it's freaking me out. I can feel I'm over reacting but I'm not able to rationalise it.

I don't want to leave without an x-ray tomorrow but I'm sort of scared of seeing one, it might be bad (unlikely but nothing is impossible) or it might be good and for no reason at all I've acquired some sort of disorder.

I'm just rambling here, no needs to try answering this nonsense lol

In terms of tooth mobility, my x-rays show absolutely nothing amiss. The Max-Fac consultant gave my tooth a good yank, and said it was very slightly mobile - I have been completely fixated on it ever since, and any time I go to see my own dentist I have her check it.

To try and give some perspective for both of us, last time I was at MF I told the consultant how freaked out I had been by the thought the tooth was moving, and started to cry. (Yup.) He was so lovely, and when I told him I was completely avoiding biting with my front teeth in case it fell out, he instructed me to go straight to M&S and buy a crusty baguette to eat, and that there was absolutely no danger the tooth would fall out. Since that appointment and switching night-guards the mobility has improved.
 
OK, so I did end up leaving the appointment today without an xray but only because by then I felt OK to do so and didn't think I should be relying on seeing things for myself rather than trusting the dentist. I've not seen an actual skull more recent than the medieval so I've decided my expertise really isn't going to help me here...
I asked about mobility and was told that I didn't have any (beyond the natural amount, which I was reminded of, again). I also explained how the interdental brushes made it feel like a couple of the lower incisors moved and he assured me it was a normal feeling and wouldn't last, he also tried flossing them, it's not exactly a good fit for anything apparently ?
Then we had a discussion about gum disease (I have no signs of any, yay) but here's what I found interesting and something that has never come up via Google: only 20% of the population get periodontitus if they are at risk from the various factors. I thought it was so much higher, like 8/10. I don't have any of the main risk factors, both of my parents still have all their teeth, and he's promised me that if the screening ever does find signs of disease I'll be told and they'll come up with a plan.
So here's where I am at the moment; a clean bill of dental health, with one peg shaped wisdom tooth being watched for a cavity (the idea of that, or its removal actually doesn't phase me at all), pain in my jaw that remains unexplained and I'm left with some serious questions about what this means for me in terms of anxiety etc.
What next, I'm unsure, I'm back at the dentist in three months, do I try a GP for my jaw? Do I look into CBT for my needless worrying? Maybe it's all stress related including the clenching.
 
"So here's where I am at the moment; a clean bill of dental health, with one peg shaped wisdom tooth being watched for a cavity (the idea of that, or its removal actually doesn't phase me at all), pain in my jaw that remains unexplained and I'm left with some serious questions about what this means for me in terms of anxiety etc.
What next, I'm unsure, I'm back at the dentist in three months, do I try a GP for my jaw? Do I look into CBT for my needless worrying? Maybe it's all stress related including the clenching "

This is some really great news! Sounds like they really addressed all your concerns and put you to ease a little at least in some areas! I do hope you can find the cause to your jaw aching. Not sure what to suggest but I would try a GP too? and CBT is SO awesome and very helpful for anxiety. My psychologist does it and it has really helped my anxiety a TON.. :) You are doing amazing with all this!!
 
This is some really great news! Sounds like they really addressed all your concerns and put you to ease a little at least in some areas! I do hope you can find the cause to your jaw aching. Not sure what to suggest but I would try a GP too? and CBT is SO awesome and very helpful for anxiety. My psychologist does it and it has really helped my anxiety a TON.. :) You are doing amazing with all this!!

Thank you, it is great news I agree ? I can manage the jaw pain knowing its not something awful happening to my teeth so I'll give the GP a try. I feel a lot better than I did yesterday but I'm always relieved for a while and then the same thoughts start to get at me as before, even though I know serious issues are slow to happen and are caught with regular appointments so I'll definitely have to do something. I'm very happy CBT worked out so well for you, I've never spoken to someone who's actually used it. Do you mind me asking what is like, are you asked alot of questions? Thanks for telling me this though, it's really encouraging to hear it can help ?
 
Nothing to do with anything but I think tonight I did more stabbing than flossing with the interdental brushes tonight. Ow. ?
 
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