Petrified but worse mortified about seeing a dentist

LegacyUser

ok i know this will seem like such a ridiculous problem to some on here but today ive had a pain in my tooth ever since i drank a cup of tea. Ive checked in the mirror and right near the gumline its sort of brown which i can only assume is decay or something. Im now terrified that i might have to go to the dentist. Im in my 20s, i feel so stupid feeling like this but i just want to cry at the thoughts of it.

And it isnt just the fear of having a tooth pulled (although that fear is quite big) but im also so mortified at having a dentist look at my teeth. I havent been to a dentist in years (too scared after childhood experiences of them) and now they are just a mess - crooked (i need a brace badly), stained, gaps where there shouldnt be gaps... you name it, ive got it. Worse is that im in the US right now where everyone has perfect teeth it seems, so i just know they're going to be so shocked when they see mine. Im worried they'll either start shouting at me for neglecting my teeth or worse, laugh. What do i do..please help

Stheno

The Dental issues forum has a thread on dental phobia, you can get advice there about your fears.

Your best option is to make an appointment to get your teeth checked out and deal with any problems you have now, rather than leaving them get worse as you get older.

It is possible to get over dental phobia's, I put off going to dentists for years due to fear, and then found a kind patient dentist, and after seeing him for a couple of years, I pretty much doze off in the chair now regardless of what he is doing.

Best of luck.

Ickle Magoo

Rather than thinking the dentist is going to be angry with you, or shout - they wouldn't btw, that would be completely unprofessional. Dentists want people to have nice teeth and be pain free, I'm sure they would be delighted you have at last gone in and are prepared to let them help you!

Neyite

i know where you are coming from - i avoided dentists for about 10 years because i hated them so much. i smoked too so they were a right state. when i finally went, i made a series of appointments until it got it all sorted. i was convinced that i would have to get half my teeth removed but all i got plenty of fillings, and wisdom tooth removed. it also didnt take as long as i remembered- 2 fillings in 30 mins, each appointment.

i was waiting for a comment about the state of my teeth, but it never came- i can only assume that they remembered respectfully that i was forking over a whack of money to them. remember you are a customer there.

i also convinced myself that they would see me as a professional challenge. your teeth might be crooked, but nearly everybody has wonky ones in their head. be up front with them - say straight up, you have a phobia, its taken you years to work up the courage to make that appointment and that you want to discuss a programme to get them sorted once and for all. any decent dentist will admire you for doing this.

i guarantee that your teeth will not be the worst that they have seen.

as a bonus for me being good, i promised myself that if i kept all my appointments i would get them whitened. i did, and i did. now i really like my smile. good luck:)

Overheal

Cant you leave a note with the Receptionist when you book the appointment that youre self concious about it?

sse

They'll only access you on first visit and advise what you need to get done then. The very last thing they'll do is attempt to remove any teeth. It amazing what they can salvage with pins and fillingsetc. Its definetly not as bad as it use to be...once you get the injection you don't feel a thing. The best thing to do is try and get some recommendations in your area and just get it over and done with and it will be a major relief when its all over.

As said...just tell them that you haven't been in years and that yoou're very nervous about the visit. Your not the first and won't be the last.

susanroth

You should just tell them straight up before they even look in your mouth that your very anxious about your teet and thats why you haven't been to the dentist in so long! I would just tell them as well that you know its not going to be good news and to break it gently please:P
I told my dentist on last visit that i was very nervous as my teeth were very sensitive and he was very understanding, I wish I had always said that! I have a bit of a phobia too but have started forcing myself to go twice a year!
Btw I also went to a dentist in america and the hygenist told me all irish people are petrified going in there she was totally baffled by our fear! then she proceeded to give me a green toothbrush...
No need to be embarrassed its their job! i'm sure its nothing they haven't seen. Not everyone in america has perfect teeth from what i've seen a lot of them yes but also a lot of them have had a lot of work!

krudler

OP, dentists these days are a far cry from the butchers we had as kids, I was the same, hadnt been to a dentist in well over 6-7 years and had to go as I cracked a tooth, put it off for ages then the pain got to obad so went, if I had known it wasnt going to be in any ay as bad as I expected I would have went years ago, I literally felt ill at the thoughts of stepping into a dentists office, but I've been a few times since and an going voluntarily to get a checkup and cleaning done in a few weeks, not a problem with it anymore. Its a very natural fear but they'll look after you, dentistry has come on in leaps since the last decade and the painless aspect of it is a big thing now.