by Jo
Hi. From the age of 8, I have been terrified of even saying the word ‘dentist’. I’d shiver at the thought.
I was 8 years old when my parents took me to have 2 bottom teeth out at a private clinic. As I walked into the room, there were 4, dentists/dental nurses, surrounding a big green chair, with their white masks and stainless steel instruments. As any 8-year-old would do, I legged it. Got down 2 flights of stairs when my Dad caught up with me and dragged me back to the room. After a huge struggle and fight, with me kicking and screaming, they forced the mask over my face and knocked me out. I woke up with so much blood pouring out of my mouth. I was in so much shock, and the thought of a dentist since has absolutely terrified me.
Last month I started getting a horrendous toothache. It would come and go. I looked into the mirror and saw my top back wisdom teeth on both sides were completely rotten. I knew I needed to see the dentist. I was in agony a couple of days later, and after 2 hours of looking at the phone and holding my jaw in my hands (toothache), I phoned the dentist and made an appointment for a checkup.
The morning of the check-up and I was constantly on the toilet. I was terrified. As I walked to the dentist, I kept telling myself I wasn’t that 8-year-old little girl any more. I wasn’t going to be held down, and the dentist would not do anything I didn’t want him to do. Those thoughts didn’t help me much as my legs were so wobbly I probably looked like I’d been drinking. I got to the bottom of the stairs of the dentist. The next thing I remember, I was back outside Homebase down the road, and my legs had started walking me home. I knew I had to get these teeth sorted so I walked myself back to the set of stairs, and as I climbed them, my legs just went underneath me. I dragged myself in, and the receptionist could just tell what state I was in.
I went straight in for my appointment. I sat in the chair and tears were rolling down my cheeks. I was in such a mess. The dentist asked me what was the reason for me being there, and I told him about the pain I was in and how terrified I was. He reassured me he would simply look in my mouth no instruments. As I lay back, tears were still rolling down my cheeks from the fear of the chair. He sat me up and gave me the worst news ever. They had to come out and soon! Oh god! I thought my life was over. I’ve had 4 children, and the thought of the dentist was so much worse than childbirth. I asked him to show me everything he would use. If I was clued up, it should be easier. Now I’m not only scared witless of the dentist, but when I see a needle, I fly. So I came out of the dentist clued up on what he had to do. From that day and for the next 8 days, I had sickness and diarrhoea constantly. My husband found me in tears, and I was a complete mess.
D-day came.
I was so ill. My legs wobbled me there, and after turning around numerous times, I was in pain and knew these teeth had to come out. I had read so many stories about how the needles hurt and how the noise of the extraction was so horrendous that I had put myself in a trance of a complete mess and state.
I got there, up the stairs and they made me wait 20 minutes. I paced up and down in the waiting room, my bum couldn’t stand to sit down. I went to the loo and felt so sick. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought “you silly moo, they are 2 piddly teeth and yet I’ve had 4 natural childbirths!” Yet after being so ill again I was called in.
As the dentist saw I was in such a state, he got straight to work. He got me sitting in the chair and told me he was going to put some numbing gel on my gums so I wouldn’t feel any needle pricks. I didn’t really believe him. Others I have read said that stuff didn’t work. I was so scared! He placed the pad on my gums and held in there for a good minute or so. Then on the other side too. The dental nurse could see I was terrified, so held my hand. I closed my eyes so hard my eyelids shook and I saw coloured lights! Then he said ‘right last one, all done!’ I thought ‘what the hell?’. He sat me up and said, “We shall wait for you to go all numb”. I asked when he was going to inject me, and he laughed saying he had already given me 4 injections. I nearly died!
So that bit was over but I was terrified of what was next. He prodded me to make sure I was completely numb then he said, “just close your eyes”. The dental nurse was still holding my hand at this point. 30 seconds later he said right onto the next one. I thought, ‘he obviously is loosening both of them equally then he will take them out after’. But by the time that thought had passed, he sat me up and showed me my 2 rotten teeth. I was crying so hard at the relief. It was over. I felt absolutely nothing. I heard absolutely nothing, and I can tell everyone on this forum that I felt no pain.
I wanted to post this really really long story because I know there will be someone out there as terrified as I was desperately looking for a story like mine, that might just push them into going to the dentist and facing their fears. I am no longer scared of the dentist one tiny bit. I’m proud. I did it and so so glad. All the sickness and diarrhoea for a whole week prior to my appointment, I mean what a plonker I was! If you’re reading this and scared witless then please please don’t be.
From one person to another, YOU CAN DO IT!!!
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