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Tetanophobia and teeth getting knocked out-phobia

  • 04-06-2008 4:03am
    #1
    AssaultedPeanut
    Registered Users Posts: 806 ✭✭✭


    i've had this phobia of anything hitting me in the face, esp the mouth area, because i've been convinced for years that my teeth are going to fall out!

    i get really paranoid that i can feel them getting loose, and if i'm messing with someone and get hit in the gob, even gentley, i freak out that my teeth are gone!
    its got so bad that when i brush them i make sure i go light on the front area (its only the front ones i imagine are gonna fall out) and when im drinkin things aswell its always in the back of my mind to be extra careful because a few times i've smacked a mug or glass off my teeth when drinking tea or water and then totally freaked out (i haven't the best hand-eye coordination it seems)
    does anyone else have this fear or a similar fear! i can only find stuff about dreaming of loosing your teeth!

    ive also a fear of my jaw getting locked (Tetanophobia) and that i won't be able to open or close my mouth, i think its coz my jaw is a milimetre or 2 out of alignment and i have to "crack/click" my jaw every now and then.

    again anyone else as much of a freakin weirdo as myself here? or am i on my own:confused:


Comments

  • #2
    nudge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭nudge


    Hi
    Can't relate to the teeth getting knocked out but i know exactly what you mean with the jaw. I had the same thing for a while and it was for the same reason as you, my jaw was out of alignment, I used to dream about it locking. I had an operation because my top teeth closed in behind my bottom teeth and now they're normal like everybody elses. But because it was once the opposite way, I sometimes get that kind of ghost sensation of my top teeth feeling like they are behind my bottom teeth again although this is impossible. It's a weird feeling so I hear what you are saying alright.


  • #3
    popecatapetal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 283 ✭✭popecatapetal


    I have the jaw thing as well. Mine clicks whenever I chew, and sometimes when I wake up, it takes a few minutes of constant straining to get it to open - it's locked in position. It's one of the worst feelings in the world...


  • #4
    AssaultedPeanut
    Registered Users Posts: 806 ✭✭✭AssaultedPeanut


    ..i thought it'd be the teeth thing ppl related to the most rather than the jaw thing! both are horrendous but the jaw thing is really horrible, sometimes it kind of half locks and im sittin there like a lunatic wiggley my jaw and opening my mouth really wide to un-lock it. i wake up thinkin its locked too, or when im eatin i just feel like its gettin more and more stiff....uuuugh i hate it

    k now i sound really mad, but im glad to know im not alone:o


  • #5
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    dementedsoul wrote: »
    ..i thought it'd be the teeth thing ppl related to the most rather than the jaw thing! both are horrendous but the jaw thing is really horrible, sometimes it kind of half locks and im sittin there like a lunatic wiggley my jaw and opening my mouth really wide to un-lock it. i wake up thinkin its locked too, or when im eatin i just feel like its gettin more and more stiff....uuuugh i hate it

    k now i sound really mad, but im glad to know im not alone:o

    The jaw thing definitely sounds pretty scary to me. I saw a picture of someone with lockjaw once and it has never left me!

    The thing I've learned from the forum over the past few months is that no matter how unusual your fear someone else will have it and understand!


  • #6
    Monotype
    Registered Users Posts: 6,710 ✭✭✭Monotype


    I've come across a lot of people with the teeth thing. The dreams are always the worst...
    Nothing you can really do except brush your teeth often (to keep them in good condition - and don't go too lightly on them) and stay out of fights.

    The jaw thing on the other hand...

    It sounds like you need to do some exercises to strengthen the jaw muscles.
    1. Relax. This is very important. Pick a time such as just before you go to bed or come back from work.

    2. Close your mouth on your back teeth, rest your tongue as normal.

    3. Run the tip of your tongue backwards onto the soft palate as far as it will go, keeping your teeth together.

    4. Maintain contact with your tongue and the soft palate (i.e., don't move it any further back or forward) while you slowly open your mouth until you feel your tounge being pulled away. Do not open your mouth any further. Keep it in this position for approximately 5 seconds.

    5. Close your mouth and relax for 5 seconds.

    6. Repeat for about at most 5 minutes in a firm but relaxed fashion.

    You should check it in a mirror the first few times to make sure your teeth are aligned when you are opening your mouth and do not deviate even slightly to the side. You shouldn't have any clicks while doing the exercise.

    Do it twice a day. It might get slightly worse or sore in the first week when the muscles aren't used to the exercise but you should see results in about two weeks if you keep doing them regularly.

    Also, don't bit your fingernails, lips, grind your teeth and keep your upper and lower teeth apart when at rest.

    These exercises should work but don't blame me if they don't -and don't do them if you've an operation on your jaw or anything of the sort.


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  • #7
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    anything to do with scraping teeth really freaks me out, like hearing about shane macgowan falling off a bike face first on to a kerb being the story behind his dentals nearly made me sick.

    Not sure its a phobia though, dont worry about it, just would be quite squeamish if I saw torture involving teeth in a film


  • #8
    neuro-praxis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭neuro-praxis


    To the lads struggling with your jaw - I am not a dentist but I worked as an assistant to one of the top dentists in the country for a few years and it sounds to me like you may have problems with your temporomandibular joints. Get to a specialist dentist and they should be able to work out some treatment that will ease your symptoms - bite guards for night time, jaw exercises etc.


  • #9
    xenya
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭xenya


    i have nightmares that my teeth break/fall out/decay and it's so real that when i wake up and run my tongue over them it really feels like they are weird pointy little stumps - horrible.


  • #10
    Sarchasm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 64 ✭✭Sarchasm


    I have recurring dreams that my teeth are falling out. Im going on as usual and bite down and then crunch, some of my teeth are in bits. There isn't any blood or anything. I looked up this dream and apparently it means I fear loss, hmm thats helpful!


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