Dental Phobia Support

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Here is an interesting link to a dedicated dental phobia website, it also has a discussion forum.:)

http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/
http://www.prosthodonticsociety.ie/

Static M.e.

Thanks, thats a great link.

gogo

Sienna Vast Peasant wrote: »

Here is an interesting link to a dedicated dental phobia website, it also has a discussion forum.:)

http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/

I am not alone.

/gogo sobs quietly in the corner.


Thanks for the great link.

CJay

Cool! At least I know now I'm not alone!!

wishwashwoo

i went to the dentist i was so scared as i had a really bad experence in the dental hospital a few years back i was knocked the hell out from the pain the student pulled the tooth while i has an absess on the inner gum i was pumped up with novacaine or the likes and i still hit the roof anyways back to the here and now i have found a really really good dentist in dorset street her name is fionna its the dorset dental praticle the first time i went to her she pulled 2 teeth out as they were really beyound any sort of help and i knew it she put a small peice of cotton wool in my mouth on the gum so i would not even feel the needle going into the gum amazing no pain at all so i knew i was going to be in for a bad shock over my teeth as i have never really looked after them so wait for it 13 or 14 fillings needed and a 3 peice denture i have started my treatment and so far everything is great she is doing the worste teeth first so if anyone here feels nervous this is the dentist for you <snip>

4Sheets

Why isnt more use made of the nitrous oxide gas in the republic..the dentist was always something I feared and avoided much to my cost..but while having treatment in the North I was offered the gas..it made it so easier and totally relaxed me..and I Could still drive home 10 mins after..why make things more uncomfortable than they need be?

RolfHarris

I posted this elsewhere in this forum, but I think it's relevent here.

I avoided going to the dentist for ages, and plucked up the courage last year. My teeth were in OK condition, but I knew I couldn't put it off forever. I absolutely hated going to the dentist when I was a kid. It was scary, noisy and had a weird smell. It always involved being in pain, being told off and generally proded.

When I made my appointment as an adult, I was amazed how different things are to the dentists surgery when I was a kid, and how nice the dentist was. I asked him to explain what he was doing, why he was doing it and how long he'd take, and he did exactly that.

He was extremely good at putting me at my ease, and it turned out that the most painful part was getting my chequebook out at the end of the session.

He did a fair amount of work and got my teeth up to a very good standard. I went to see him today as I do every six months, and had totally forgotten about the appointment until I saw my diary - in the past I'd have had sleepless nights for weeks in advance of the appointment.

On the way out, I noticed his notes about me on his PC monitor. The first entry began "patient very nervous." I'm delighted he took note of this and did something about it.

If anyone is putting off going to do the dentist because of awful childhood memories, forget it. It's a totally different experience these days.

I'm not sure if it's because dentists find it easier to talk to adults, or if it's because adults can understand and rationalise pain better than kids, but it's not painful and it gets much easier.

pauline fayne

many thanks for putting that link up .It gives me a glimmer of hope .

wishwashwoo

14 fillings please lord help me everytime i get the needle in my gum i always get sick

fruitbat66

I like so many others have the same fear of Dentists,Mine stemmed from many years ago whilst waiting for my Dad outside a dentist on a saturday (one he got for emergency work) From the phone book...Four hours later Sitting in the back of an ambulance with him being taken to the Dental Hospital.....That Fear never abated...But it has started to .. Thanks to the links on this Thread...Keep up the Good work

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Glad to hear it fruitbat66, and welcome to Boards.ie

tbaymusicman

Thats a great link!!Don't think i am afraid,Its more just dont want to go:P

abceire

ok so i m very nervous of the dentist, i went today for the 1st time in about 4 years,i need a few filling and teeth cleaned and maybe one tooth removed, i m 32 and had to bring my mom with me , i ve fainted before at the dentist, when i m very nervous i can faint, not happened in maybe over two years,i hate having to sit there with my mouth open not able to escape, i even had some valium that my mom got for me today, which did help,but the dentist who was understanding and friendly,cshe checked out me teeth,noted what had to be done and then put this kinda flat plastic thing in the side of my mouth so she could do an x ray, i couldnt keep it in my mouth because i felt i would throw up,so i had to leave it at that, she said go see a doctor and ask for something to help me relax,not sure doctors will do this, will they?i dont have a regular doctor,just one i ve been to 2 or 3 times
i do remember goin as a kid needed fillings and 2 teeth removed, the dentist told me what relaxing pills to get, i got them and was hi as a kite,he did all the work in one go, i was grand with it as i was so hi on valium, but i woke up later at home with stuff flowing from my mouth and i fainted,
i so want to get my teeth sorted and then i hope go twice a year to get them checked and cleaned,i d like to get over my fear of dentists but not sure how, the valium might be the only answer
do any dentist around dublin use gas and knock you out?
i like the idea in one way but then in another i know that if your put to sleep that ll make me worry the week before too
so any advice??????
sorry for the big rant
nice to hear from others who feel the same

pauline fayne

did manage to go to the dentist once , about 15 years ago only because i was in such pain
from an abcess on a wisdom tooth i couldnt go on. He was very kind and i was given valium
and remembered very little afterwards . The problem was that for weeks afterwards i suffered nightmares about my early experiences and in one instance had what felt like a nightmare while i was awake . I was recently given the phone number of a dentist who is
supposed to be great with anxious patients and although i was only considering whether to ring him or not ,again the nightmares returned ...




I couldnt make the phone call ...

abceire

i went to see my doctor, he gave me something to relax me and a pain killer so i wouldnt really feel the injection, it made my trip to dentist much easier, i ve one filling a bit of a cleaning left only now, will be my 5th visit in last 2 months, kinda putting it off but i must go, i d recommend going to your doc 1st

pauline fayne

thanks abceire, I think my only option is to go to my doctor , i met someone recently who
was referred to a psychotherapist by the doctor and was able to get treated by the dentist after a few sessions .

georgieporgy

wouldn't it be more convenient to ask your dentist to prescribe a sedative for you? That way you will get the proper sedative for the procedure.

pauline fayne

hi georgieporgy , haven't checked these boards for a while , thanks for the reply .
Havent been able to consult a dentist , cant get past the door ... spent a long time over the past few days searching the internet for dentaphobia treatment . I am interested in one which appears to be in Germany with offices in other countries , all work done under general anaesthetic . Just trying to find out more about them now as they don't indicate any pricesand their nearest office seems to be in England . It is something to consider at least..

wheresthebeef

my dentist was able to prescribe me a valium to take before my extraction. should be no problem. I can recommend Gary Leonard, Oral Surgeon in Naas. Very good, quick, painless, and very understanding of the nervous patient. He's doing my other three wisdom teeth in the new year under general anaesthetic. He's expensive, but good.

georgieporgy

I am curious. What do you consider expensive? Just wondering what good oral surgeons charge for extracting wisdom teeth. I may need to adjust my own fees up or down. Presently I charge 350 for difficult cases.

I prefer to use triasolam instead of valium for nervous patients. It's short acting (3 hours) so it doesn't ruin your whole day.

McChubbin

Thank you for posting the link up: there's so little places we nervous pateints can go for support. I simultaniously hate and fear dentists, largely due to being traumasized by sadistic dental practicioners in my youth.

The majority of the ones I've met seem to care only about the money and rarely offer much in the way of follow up. On a few occasions, I was practically bounced out the door following treatments. <snip> (please read forum charter)

On the plus side, the HSE Dental Clinic in Finglas is like a haven for nervous patients.

When I'm in the chair, I have a tendency to be paralysed by the very sound of dental drills and I end up hyperventilating to the point of hysteria. The girls in Finglas were so lovely and understanding throughout the entire produre of removing a rotten upper back molor and they kindly talked me through the whole experience, distracting me from the sound of the drill by playing the radio loud and chatting idly.

It helped defuse the tension and calm my nerves, though I still had trouble walking out of the clinic due to 'the shakes'.

Lux23

What scares me about the dentist is being lectured or being told if I did this X amount of time ago they could have saved a tooth etc. It drives me nuts! What good is telling me now what I could have done a year ago. The treatment is never pleasant but I can handle that; its the lecture that upsets me the most.

LizT

Lux23 I know how you feel. Trying to work up the courage to go to the dentist as I need a few fillings done. Just want to go in and get them done without hearing a lecture!

diamondsue

Oh my god I am in a state even posting here. My fear is sooooo bad cant pin point it to anything though. I am in dire need of a dentist i fainted with the pain yesterday. I have been taking pain killers for the last 6 weeks or so my teeth are in awful condition most are very rotten. Is there any dentist that will put u asleep before they do any work?:(

Lux23

Oh the nerves are getting me now. Puke!!!

Bicycle

Could anyone recommend an hypnosis CD or a download please either here or via PM?

There is a site with a Barry St. Clair or some similar name that do dental phobia downloads and have good on-site reviews but if someone here has one they used successfully, that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

omcswiggan

diamondsue wrote: »

Oh my god I am in a state even posting here. My fear is sooooo bad cant pin point it to anything though. I am in dire need of a dentist i fainted with the pain yesterday. I have been taking pain killers for the last 6 weeks or so my teeth are in awful condition most are very rotten. Is there any dentist that will put u asleep before they do any work?:(

hey seen your post, i have a fear of dentists 2, but i plucked up the courage to go last week, went to ***mod edit no names**Kildare, saw a dentist called ***mod edit no names**, she gave me some sedatives (Diazepam-5mg--yout take 1 the night before and 1 about an hour befor your appointment) for some wisdom tooth extractions and a top back molar extraction, i felt no pain at all and the sedatives helped calm me down, she didn't give me any lectures bout the state my teeth were in and she really put my mnd at ease, i am going for a root canal in September and i don't feel as anxious about it. Beleive me you will feel so much better if you get your teeth fixed, you will be able to smile with confidence again

hayser

wheresthebeef wrote: »

my dentist was able to prescribe me a valium to take before my extraction. should be no problem. I can recommend Gary Leonard, Oral Surgeon in Naas. Very good, quick, painless, and very understanding of the nervous patient. He's doing my other three wisdom teeth in the new year under general anaesthetic. He's expensive, but good.

By general anaesthetic do you mean would he put you to sleep? I honestly think this is the only way I'll be able to face going to a dentist. Would anyone know if I made an appointment with a dental hospital would they put me to sleep for the procedures? I'm just so terrified of them

Esmeralda34

Hi - have any of you heard of Twilight Sleep?! It's something I only recently found out about and it will (I hope!) change my relationship with dentists.

I haven't been to a dentist in donkey's years. I'm extremely phobic, but my teeth are crooked and in an overall bad shape which is something at my age (mid 30s!) that I just have to address. My friend told me that you can get this conscious sedation, called Twilight Sleep for loads of procedures these days. Gynacologists and dentists use it frequently, if necessary.

Well for the first time since I was in my very early teens I went for a consultation in Northern Ireland (soooo much cheaper, it's criminal how much we are charged here in comparison). The consultation cost me £25, compared to 130euro for the dentists where I live in Dublin. They also put me completely at ease almost immediately. I say almost because even on walking into the clinic, the dental smell made me want to turn on my heel and run! Yep, very, very phobic.

Anyway, I thought I'd have to fight my corner for them to agree to give me this conscious sedation - not so. He said he would not be able to carry out the work on me without it.

Basically it's an IV sedation. You're not under a general anaesthetic but you are heavily sedated. My friend describes it as being kinda aware of what's going on, but you feel nothing and don't give two hoots! Afterwards you forget most if not all of the procedure.

I don't know about the rest of you, but that is a dream to me!

Hope this helps...

Molberts

Just wanted to say thanks

the link in the first post got me from eyeballing the phone (while munching painkillers for my sore tooth!) to actually picking it up and making an appointment for the morning. They *seem* nice so hopefully all will go well!

Molby x

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Esmeralda34 wrote: »

Basically it's an IV sedation. You're not under a general anaesthetic but you are heavily sedated. My friend describes it as being kinda aware of what's going on, but you feel nothing and don't give two hoots! Afterwards you forget most if not all of the procedure.

Very good for a lot of dental procedures, I work with a surgeon who uses it all the time, its excellent.

Intravenous Sedation
This is a safe and affordable technique allowing patients to tolerate procedures that they may otherwise find unpleasant. It is especially useful for very nervous patients or where a treatment is expected to be prolonged.
.
What is involved?

• A consultation and assessment of your medical history will confirm that you are a suitable candidate for IV sedation.

• On the day of the procedure, you may have a light breakfast or lunch prior to sedation.

• You must have a responsible adult to escort you home. You will not be sedated if you have no escort.

• Your vitals will be checked (blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen saturation). A small cannula will be placed into a vein in your arm. The sedative will then be given and the treatment completed.

• You will be allowed to recover in our surgery until you are ready to go home with your escort.

• A written copy of your post-operative instructions and prescriptions will give given and explained.

• Most patients remember little or nothing of the procedure and find it to be a very comfortable way to have treatment.

• The sedative may take a few hours to fully leave the body and for this reason, patients should not do anything of importance for the rest of that day.

IV sedation is provided predominately for surgical procedures but may be used for prosthodontic treatments in some cases.

These days, private hospitals may charge additional costs for general anaesthesia that may be prohibitive. IV sedation is an easily accessible alternative to general anaesthesia. It is cheaper to the patient and involves a quicker recovery period than general anaesthesia.

Kanoe

I've paid my dentist twice to get out of the chair at the last minute for two filings, just couldn't go through with the procedure. He had half drilled two molars previously but I couldn't let him finish so now I have two unnecessary holes that need finishing. I heard about a procedure that uses water jet (or laser) on fillings and is less painful/doesn't require anaesthetic but can't find anything local. anyone know what I'm referring to or where it's available?

sean oggie

Hi ZXY,
I'm a dentist and am sorry to inform you that there is no magic bullet to replace the "drill". Also, there is no such device in the world that allows teeth to be cut, or fillings replaced without the need for local anaesthetic.
I would strongly recommend that you ask your dentist to organise for you to have your fillings replaced under intravenous sedation.
Hope that helps.

Kanoe

Thanks Sean, could have sworn I saw something on the news about it last year, wouldnt mind so much the anaesthetic just can't do the drill. Have talked to dentist and there was only one person locally who used sedation and he didn't really recommend. Thanks anyway.

pauline fayne

zxy - I saw the same story on the news last year , i believe it was a new development by a Japanese dentist so it will probably be years before it is available here .
Going for 'twillight sleep' myself in 8 hours time . After years of pain and researching help for phobic patients I finally did it ! If you would like the dentists name (in Dublin) I will p.m you .

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Lasers, air abrasion and water drills have been around for ages. Every now and again a dentist buys one and goes on about how it is a revolutionary new technology but its not. (hell I saw a dentist on the 6 one news last year talking about drill less dentistry using lasers but this is only marketing hype) The problem is that the dont work very well unless the filling is very very small, there is still not substitute for the drill if you need a big filling, old fillings removed etc.

Samash

pauline fayne wrote: »

zxy - I saw the same story on the news last year , i believe it was a new development by a Japanese dentist so it will probably be years before it is available here .
Going for 'twillight sleep' myself in 8 hours time . After years of pain and researching help for phobic patients I finally did it ! If you would like the dentists name (in Dublin) I will p.m you .

hi pauline,
how did this go for you? could you explain this procedure please. also if you could pm me the dentists details too that would be great

SedationDentist

Having had a particular interest in treating nervous patients for the last 10+yr, I've seen some terrified people come in the door. Here are some suggestions/advice for the terrified:

Forget about the stereotypical grumpy dentist who will moan at you for not having been for years. Nobody wants to hear that, and your dentist knows it; he/she will be friendly and sympathetic (or out of business!). The days of the rough dentist are long over, I promise you.

I always hear "that's not as bad as I thought" and

not "it's worse than I thought". In my experience, phobic patients overestimate the extent of the problems, particularly when they have been worrying about it for years. People tend to be surprised when all the treatment can be done in a couple of appointments.

Plan for your first visit to be an easy one. Sometimes patients ask for an appointment just to meet the dentist and practice team without us even looking in the mouth! That's ok, you are not wasting the dentist's time, he/she will have to charge you for a consultation, but an introduction is an important first step.

Consider the use of sedatives to get you through the appointment. Some practices offer IV sedation (sometimes called twilight sedation); it's close to a miracle drug, and can be used in a dental clinic outside of hospital (unlike general anaesthetic).

Get your friends and family on board. Don't go to the first appointment alone, bring someone along for moral support. They will also be able to come into the surgery to ask questions and take in the answers if you are too focused on your fear!

I've had a lot of patients tell me that taking the plunge, and getting their teeth fixed has been a huge positive force in their lives. For me, it's the most rewarding part of my job.
Good luck and go for it!

zoeczk

abceire wrote: »

ok so i m very nervous of the dentist, i went today for the 1st time in about 4 years,i need a few filling and teeth cleaned and maybe one tooth removed, i m 32 and had to bring my mom with me , i ve fainted before at the dentist, when i m very nervous i can faint, not happened in maybe over two years,i hate having to sit there with my mouth open not able to escape, i even had some valium that my mom got for me today, which did help,but the dentist who was understanding and friendly,cshe checked out me teeth,noted what had to be done and then put this kinda flat plastic thing in the side of my mouth so she could do an x ray, i couldnt keep it in my mouth because i felt i would throw up,so i had to leave it at that, she said go see a doctor and ask for something to help me relax,not sure doctors will do this, will they?i dont have a regular doctor,just one i ve been to 2 or 3 times
i do remember goin as a kid needed fillings and 2 teeth removed, the dentist told me what relaxing pills to get, i got them and was hi as a kite,he did all the work in one go, i was grand with it as i was so hi on valium, but i woke up later at home with stuff flowing from my mouth and i fainted,
i so want to get my teeth sorted and then i hope go twice a year to get them checked and cleaned,i d like to get over my fear of dentists but not sure how, the valium might be the only answer
do any dentist around dublin use gas and knock you out?
i like the idea in one way but then in another i know that if your put to sleep that ll make me worry the week before too
so any advice??????
sorry for the big rant
nice to hear from others who feel the same

ditto!
so scared of dentist. got brave last summer ( wanted a new me!) my apointme3nt was four 0 clock . took the dentist 25 mins to pull a back tooth. now im terrified again. need sum work think i have gum disease. dont know where to go or who to see, and i only have the medical card. i think its medical card dentists who created the fear of dentists in ireland. the only ones who will knock you out are across the border./ but half the price of irish dentists. have heard great reports. my husband is polish, and my own GP recommended i go to poland for treatment!

jenny4385

r u in dublin? my dentist is brilliant i was terrified to go and put it off for years.. its just about finding the right one

KittyMcM

didn't realise this thread existed, your stories are amazing and comforting. I have cancelled so may appointments. I am 28 and have ben twice since i was 12, both for emergency dental work. really thought i was alone on this one x

Alibaba

Didn't realize this thread existed either. You are certainly not alone Kitty. Was a very nervous patient myself for years. Hadn't been to a dentist for 10 years up until 2 yrs ago until i had to
Could'nt believe the change....
Treatments have advanced in leaps and bounds. A whole new experience. Was even there today for a filling. No problems.
So anyone who's nervous....it can be overcome with a positive attitude.
And as i was saying if you haven't been there for long time you won't believe how treatments have advanced.

KittyMcM

yeah that's so true and it's not like irish dentists can afford to treat you with contempt when you visit as their numbers are down..

cocoshovel

Up until 1 year ago I was terrified of going to the Dentist. All through my primary school years every dentist I went to was horrible to me. The primary school dentist in town that we were all sent to was the most grey dull depressing place every and she was really rough with us. Every time the treatment was extremely painful to me. one particular incident was when I was getting a filling and the dentist gave me the injection when a sharp pain shot up through my face in through my nose sort of jerking my head back (any idea why?). The drill was a really bad piercing pain, Ill never forget how bad it was. The dentist didn't seem to care if I said it hurt etc.

BUT

After I left primary school, that was no longer the dentist I had to see. For 6 years of Secondary I avoided the dentist until last year when I went for a check up at a clinic in the city. The dentist seemed much much more professional and gentle, everything she treated me for didn't hurt what so ever and it was actually a pretty reassuring experience.

I'm still a little bit sketchy when it comes to the syringe but I can now go to the dentist without extreme fear, heavy breathing and dreading it for weeks.

Surfing_Xboxer

As a person who was TOTALLY SCARED OUT OF MY WITS of the Dentist - I have become someone who now ENJOYS going..

Before I overcame my fear I had gum disease,needed two back teeth pulled and several fillings ....

I found a great dentist which helped my fear BUT the main thing I realized was that YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH and you cannot put a price on it.... Oral health gives you so much confidence..

I am typing this in work after just coming from the Dentist in bray ....... and not a bother on me..

anyone reading this who is afraid : PUT YOUR HEALTH BEFORE YOUR FEAR OF THE DENTIST !!!!

SURFER

Alibaba

Surfing_Xboxer wrote: »

As a person who was TOTALLY SCARED OUT OF MY WITS of the Dentist - I have become someone who now ENJOYS going..

Before I overcame my fear I had gum disease,needed two back teeth pulled and several fillings ....

I found a great dentist which helped my fear BUT the main thing I realized was that YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH and you cannot put a price on it.... Oral health gives you so much confidence..

I am typing this in work after just coming from the Dentist in bray ....... and not a bother on me..

anyone reading this who is afraid : PUT YOUR HEALTH BEFORE YOUR FEAR OF THE DENTIST !!!!

SURFER

I was the same. It's all in the head really(if you'll pardon the pun :rolleyes:) And the treatments nowdays have advanced considerably compared to years ago.

uberalles

Its the Irish dental bill Im afraid of.

A 750 euro crown in Ireland costs 160 euros in Czech Republic in a state of the art dentist practice I hear.

Another difference is the dentists there only own one average size house unlike the greedy fcukers here.

loveofliving

Alibaba and Sufing-Boxer, I honestly could not agree more!

I was absolutely TERRIFIED of the dentist to the point of having panic attacks even THINKING about the day that I MIGHT even CONSIDER just making an appointment. I would be in tears at the thought and would become hysterical.

I remember we had dental check-ups in school and I had no choice as my mam always followed it up of course. That sad thing is I remember turning a certain age and being so happy that no person could now MAKE me go to the dentist and it was my choice. I was completely in denial.

7 years ago I had an appointment and I got a filling (horrible experience for a lot of reasons mainly bad dentist) and she told me I needed a tooth extracted as it was rotten. I never went back.

It was always in the back of my head and my boyfriend has always made little comments about how eventually I would have to go, cue panicky feeling all over again. I hated to even talk about it!

for some reason something clicked with me this year (I think a lot of it had to do with the bf who has had oral surgery, bridges, crowns, braces among other dental treatements through his life and the encouragement he gave me). I decided I would make an appointment when I got back from my summer holiday to Lanzarote. I remember being on the plane home and feeling that all too familiar feeling of panick just thinking about the fact that I knew people were expecting me to make the appointment.

Anyway, to cut a long story short I made the appointment immediately (only way to do it, dont delay and make it worse for yourself). I had about two weeks of absolute torture. it is all i thought about and I was obsessive about it. I decided to read a book called "feel the fear and do it anyway" and it helped me SO much. i definitely felt more calm about it after reading this book. I went for the appointment ( a day early after all that because when i called to confirm my appointment they had made a mess of it and the appointment wasn't showing up so they asked could I come down NOW when I called the day before... ended up being a blessing as it was all over sooner than i thought it would have been) and I brought my mam with me. I was making jokes about how terrified i was and really trying to keep it together but when the nurse called me and I walked in to the room and saw what it looked like after 7 years I nearly fainted. All the fear came rushing back. The dentist was talking to me and my mam said for the first time ever she heard my voice quiver. I was petrified. He examined me and said my teeth werent in bad knick at all and that I needed the rooten tooth pulled, two fillings and a dressing on my front tooth which was chipped. I asked him to pull the tooth there and then despite him saying "ok, are you sure you wouldnt rather build it up to that?" in other words start with fillings and keep worst till last, but I wanted the opposite. All that anxiety etc would come back so I wanted the worst and all over. It was absolutely FINE. Mild discomfort with two anaesthetic injections, no pain after that just pressure and a little tenderness after. I went back today two weeks later with no reservations and had a filling in my back molar (again two more injections) and though I did not like the drilling (brought me back to bad childhood experience) it was fine. i go next week to get one more filling and then thats me done. I am so proud of myself and honestly if I can overcome this fear anyone can!

Its true, your health is your wealth, and I cannot believe it will all be over in a week and I will be a "normal" dental patient who gets check ups every 6 months!

You'd never know Im delighted with myself would you?:D haha

Alibaba

loveofliving wrote: »

Alibaba and Sufing-Boxer, I honestly could not agree more!

I was absolutely TERRIFIED of the dentist to the point of having panic attacks even THINKING about the day that I MIGHT even CONSIDER just making an appointment. I would be in tears at the thought and would become hysterical.

I remember we had dental check-ups in school and I had no choice as my mam always followed it up of course. That sad thing is I remember turning a certain age and being so happy that no person could now MAKE me go to the dentist and it was my choice. I was completely in denial.

7 years ago I had an appointment and I got a filling (horrible experience for a lot of reasons mainly bad dentist) and she told me I needed a tooth extracted as it was rotten. I never went back.

It was always in the back of my head and my boyfriend has always made little comments about how eventually I would have to go, cue panicky feeling all over again. I hated to even talk about it!

for some reason something clicked with me this year (I think a lot of it had to do with the bf who has had oral surgery, bridges, crowns, braces among other dental treatements through his life and the encouragement he gave me). I decided I would make an appointment when I got back from my summer holiday to Lanzarote. I remember being on the plane home and feeling that all too familiar feeling of panick just thinking about the fact that I knew people were expecting me to make the appointment.

Anyway, to cut a long story short I made the appointment immediately (only way to do it, dont delay and make it worse for yourself). I had about two weeks of absolute torture. it is all i thought about and I was obsessive about it. I decided to read a book called "feel the fear and do it anyway" and it helped me SO much. i definitely felt more calm about it after reading this book. I went for the appointment ( a day early after all that because when i called to confirm my appointment they had made a mess of it and the appointment wasn't showing up so they asked could I come down NOW when I called the day before... ended up being a blessing as it was all over sooner than i thought it would have been) and I brought my mam with me. I was making jokes about how terrified i was and really trying to keep it together but when the nurse called me and I walked in to the room and saw what it looked like after 7 years I nearly fainted. All the fear came rushing back. The dentist was talking to me and my mam said for the first time ever she heard my voice quiver. I was petrified. He examined me and said my teeth werent in bad knick at all and that I needed the rooten tooth pulled, two fillings and a dressing on my front tooth which was chipped. I asked him to pull the tooth there and then despite him saying "ok, are you sure you wouldnt rather build it up to that?" in other words start with fillings and keep worst till last, but I wanted the opposite. All that anxiety etc would come back so I wanted the worst and all over. It was absolutely FINE. Mild discomfort with two anaesthetic injections, no pain after that just pressure and a little tenderness after. I went back today two weeks later with no reservations and had a filling in my back molar (again two more injections) and though I did not like the drilling (brought me back to bad childhood experience) it was fine. i go next week to get one more filling and then thats me done. I am so proud of myself and honestly if I can overcome this fear anyone can!

Its true, your health is your wealth, and I cannot believe it will all be over in a week and I will be a "normal" dental patient who gets check ups every 6 months!

You'd never know Im delighted with myself would you?:D haha

Well done. Tis great to hear that. As i say i was the same as yourself. I'd say the school schemes years ago instilled a lot of fear of dentists.

Monife

Alibaba wrote: »

Didn't realize this thread existed either. You are certainly not alone Kitty. Was a very nervous patient myself for years. Hadn't been to a dentist for 10 years up until 2 yrs ago until i had to
Could'nt believe the change....
Treatments have advanced in leaps and bounds. A whole new experience. Was even there today for a filling. No problems.
So anyone who's nervous....it can be overcome with a positive attitude.
And as i was saying if you haven't been there for long time you won't believe how treatments have advanced.

When people say treatments have come on leaps and bounds, what timeframe are we talking here?

I am 24 years old and absolutely petrified of the dentist. Even just talking about it, I can imagine the smell, the chair, the light in your face, the taste and my heart starts beating fast, I start getting shakey and clammy hands and am almost in tears. I had bad experiences as a child like many people which stopped me from going to the dentist through most of my secondary school years up until last April (2010). Half of my tooth fell out and I just had to go to the dentist. It was a female dentist and I told her to just take the remaining tooth out, I don't mind that, it's the drill I despise. Anyway, she couldn't because it would affect my bite so I had to endure a long, very painful filling. I was shaking and crying in the chair and she didn't care at all and just kept lecturing me. Everytime I always feel the pain and the sensation of the drill is just horrible.

I need to go to the dentist again and I am petrified. I would love to get the IV sedation but I simply cannot afford it. My mum suggested valium but I wonder would it be enough to calm me? Has anyone any experience using valium?

Also, any time I went to the dentist when I was younger, I was always told I needed a few fillings. I have never had problems with my teeth (apart from the one mentioned above) and never had toothaches or anything and I always thought this was a bit of a scam to get you to pay more.

Ilovelucy

You can come out the other end of treatment actually enjoying going to the dentist. Three years ago my teeth were in desperate condition and the morning my little boy started school I broke part of my front tooth so knew I had to go.

I had often made appointments but would always ring up about two days before and cancel as "something" had come up. This particular morning when I rang the secretary said to come up straight away so I had to go.

I arrived absolutely petrified. I explained to the dentist that I had had a dreadful fear but knew I had to get treatment. I had a lot of work done, fillings replaced and two extractions plus a crown to repair my front tooth. I had very deep cleaning done by the hygienist over 4 visits. I had them whitened and had all the work finished by Christmas.

It was expensive but now three years on I have no fear whatsoever. My dentist is fantastic and I trust her. When I went in first I was a bag of nerves and couldn't stop crying. I had to go this morning to have something investigated and had no bother going in to sit in the chair.

I visit her twice a year and the hygienist every 4 months. It's worth it. They gave me my smile back.