The Dentist

[Mr_Wistles]

To cut a long story short I am SO SO SO scared of the dentist.

I would rather go 12 rounds with Tyson than go to the dentist.

My news years resolution was to go. I went in January and he said that I needed 3 fillings. This has now taken over my life, I cannot function without thinking about the dentist, I think I am goin mad.

I feel like I am about to die. I need one on the top left, one on the bottom left and one on the bottom right. I know when I ask him to do all three he will say no as they are on seperate sides. However, as it is a busy dentist it will take me another month or so to get another appointment and I cannot go through this anticipation again. So I am going to take a shed load of cash with me and if he says no, I will keep offering him more money until he does and if he pulls the other patients thing I will offer to pay for their treatment also.

That is HOW scared I am. Does anyone have any tips for getting over a fear of the dentist? I have already got tranquilizers from the quack.

T-Minus 38 hours and counting

 

[shahedz]

have you tried Hypntosim? or are they called Hypnotherapists? i wouldnt recommend the pulling out wads of cash trick

 

[shadowritten]

I share your fear - but then I had THE most horrendous dentist as a kid. I haven't been in 7 years, and before that one emergency visit, 11 years!

If I could have every tooth pulled from my head under GA and solid steel ones put in their place (coloured white, obviously), then I'd find the cash.

You have my sympathies, mate.

 

[Digger]

As long as they are shallow fillings...No Problem!

I needed two fillings a year ago one that turned into a bit of minor excavation (route canal surgery...oops). The problem was that I cannot open my jaws wide enough for the proper route cleaning to take place so she was digging around in there for sometime trying to clear it out...needless to say she failed to kill off the live nerves so had to "fill" on top of them... I sweat enough as it is...stick me in a dentists chair and I visibly lose weight... ...am I helping?... ...oh it did help that she was aesthetically very pleasing to the eye...

Seriously if he says they are standard fillings, you wont have a problem.

Good Luck

 

[Chumpy]

Funnily enough, I am no fan of the dentist myself, but have only ever needed 2 fillings. I just hate needles - could never be a junkie But bugger me I tried without an injection, and couldn't hack it!

You could always try seeking out a dentist which does gas, I have seen some of the surgeries around here offer this. GL

 

[oggy]

I was still am not too keen on the men in white coats either,due to an old dentist i used to go to being rather rough and uncaring.....but he retired a few years ago and another guy took over fantastic the difference was like night and day sooo much better. My advice to you is tell him you are petrified and they can do lots of things to ease the treatment so it is virtually pain free,go on you can do it.

 

[Mr_Wistles]

Well here I am at 4am, I can't sleep cause I am utterly petrified.

I think I am going to have to cancel and try some other method.

 

[huwg]

It helps if the dental nurses are nice

 

[Toasty]

Well here I am at 4am, I can't sleep cause I am utterly petrified.

I think I am going to have to cancel and try some other method.

Don't cancel, I know people who have put off going to the dentist for years and the net effect is some major work needed which is a lot more painful than 3 fillings. Get this done and set up a regular annual check up and you'll find you have no more worries about the dentist after a few visists.

 

[Donald]

Russell

You should ask your dentist if he can give you a mild sedative before he does the fillings. This would totally relax you and enable the job to be done in one go. If it's a private dentist this shouldn't be a problem. You're paying for their time. You just need to make them aware of your anxiety. I recently had some major dental work done and believe the sedative can help if you feel that anxious. My niece also had four wisdom teeth removed with sedation and it only took 20 minutes.

 

[Digger]

Don't cancel, I know people who have put off going to the dentist for years and the net effect is some major work needed which is a lot more painful than 3 fillings. Get this done and set up a regular annual check up and you'll find you have no more worries about the dentist after a few visists.

Russell. THIS is the point....and the reason why I had route canal treatment. The previous 5 years I never even stepped inside the dentist. Injections these days are pain free to administer as well, in case that is something that is bugging you.

 

[SanPedro]

Russ

Don't put off today what you know will be far worse in a year or 2 years time. If your teeth get worse then so will your fear of the dentist.

My wife hates flying and the doc gave her some Diazapam for her fears which did wonders for her nerves.

Talk with your dentist and local GP and get something to calm your nerves.

You'll probably have to go by public transport as I don't think you are supposed to drive after taking sedatives like these.

But it's all in the mind mate. The experience isn't all that unpleasant at the end of the day. It isn't painfull at all these days and I only get a bit nervous with the initial fiddling whilst the injections are going in. But they don't really hurt - not like getting smacked in the face hurt or falling off your bike hurt, just a mildly unpleasant sensation. And it's much less panful than a serious tooth problem.

So go now before it gets any worse!!

 

[stealther]

To cut a long story short I am SO SO SO scared of the dentist.

I would rather go 12 rounds with Tyson than go to the dentist.

My news years resolution was to go. I went in January and he said that I needed 3 fillings. This has now taken over my life, I cannot function without thinking about the dentist, I think I am goin mad.

I feel like I am about to die. I need one on the top left, one on the bottom left and one on the bottom right. I know when I ask him to do all three he will say no as they are on seperate sides. However, as it is a busy dentist it will take me another month or so to get another appointment and I cannot go through this anticipation again. So I am going to take a shed load of cash with me and if he says no, I will keep offering him more money until he does and if he pulls the other patients thing I will offer to pay for their treatment also.

That is HOW scared I am. Does anyone have any tips for getting over a fear of the dentist? I have already got tranquilizers from the quack.

T-Minus 38 hours and counting

I share your fear and have learned to cope really well with it over the last 10 years by not going to the dentist

 

[Alan_W]

Yesterday had a 90min session in the dentist with a fractured root removed and teeth either side prepared for bridge - don't ask

It was pain free . Painless injection, felt uncomfortable at times and my gob is sore now but I think you will find that dentists have moved on a bit from the old days.

Good luck mate.

PS Before you go why not watch a film to calm down. Marathon Man should relax you
Is it safe?

 

[mjn]

Well here I am at 4am, I can't sleep cause I am utterly petrified.

I think I am going to have to cancel and try some other method.

Big girls blouse, are you a man or a mouse?

 

[HMHB]

I put it off for 5 or 6 years and ended up with a hole in my tooth that went right down to the root. The pain was unbelievable and I didn't sleep for a week while I was trying to cure it myself with whisky ! It ended up with most of that side of my face being in constant pain
I ended up having to go to the dentist and was very afraid (silly when I think back to it now), the only solution was for the tooth to be extracted as I'd left it too long. I now go ever 6 months and am getting used to it. I was honest with the dentist that I was scared to death and she always treats me with great sympathy and makes me feel at ease.
Don't do what I did and leave it too late to save that tooth, get to the dentist and admit that you haven't been for ages because you are afraid, they know full well that there are many of us around !

 

[Mr_Wistles]

Big girls blouse, are you a man or a mouse?

I know I am going to get some ribbing but it is confirmed, I am a mouse.

I just cancelled it, I am an utter state today, what would I be like tomorrow.

I am going to see a hypnotherapist (I have been reading about them on the net) and if that does not work I will have them done under sedation.

 

[Mr.The.Spoon]

Kind of a coincidence, I just registered with a dentist four days ago. Last time I went was before University, so... 10 years ago.
My appointment isn't until April but now all this talk of pain in the dentist chair.....
I will still go but I think it's fortunate I registered last week. After reading this therad, it'd put me off.

 

[Geordie Jester]

I know the dentist can be scary, but I think you should have just gone, and explained to him/her about how nervous you are. Im sure they could have taken it step by step. The injection is really nothing but a tiny prick <insert gag> then you they could have drilled carefully (you wont feel a thing) and talked you thru it.

Phone them back and tell them you want to keep the appointment to 'talk to the dentist'. Even while you there, you could back out and have nothing done but discuss options for future.

You will not be the first or last that they have seen like this.

Temporarily you will feel better, but its still going to be hanging over you if you don't go. Try and remake appointment and tell them you are so worried that you cancelled first time, but want to come in to talk it thru.

 

[booyaka]

I understand how you feel - i didn;t go to the dentist for 12 years!!!

Used to be utterly petrified of them, fainted twice in the waiting room of the dentists etc.

However - got to a point where 2 of my teeth were crumbling, leaving big holes in them and i was almost in agony everday. I knew i had to go to the dentist to get this sorted.

Made an appointment with a new dentist, went along and explained how scared i was - the dentist was superb!!!!! Really understood things, spoke to me first before any treatment etc.

I had to have 3 fillings and a root canal surgery!!!! Was scared out of my wits after hearing horror stories about root canal surgery!!!

However had to have 3 appointments spread over 4 weeks (he did not want all the treatment done at the same time as it would have taken 4 hours!!!)

Anyway - the root canal surgery was a doddle!!! Not a single bit of pain!! Painless injections (they didnt bother me before), it was the drilling that made me sick before, now superb, no problems and i am sooooo glad i eventually bit the bullet and went to the dentist - now i have been for 3 six month check ups since and no other work is needed.

What made me glad i went was the dentist took photo's of my teeth inside my mouth as they were at first and used a computer program to show me at the age of 30 (3 years forward) what my teeth would look like if i did nothing!!

That absolutely scared the living daylights out of me, at age 30 he reckoned that i would only have 10/12 original teeth left in my mouth if i didn;t get the treatment needed done.

I have no amazing solution for you to get over your fear, other than imagine the pain if you do not go and see a dentist

You will be fine - go and explain to the dentist how you are feeling and if they are any good they will talk to you first and discuss matters with you. Finger crossed for you!!!

 

[Mr_Wistles]

Well I have now booked myself in with a hypnotherapist for next Tuesday.

I have to get these done as it is ruling my life.

 

[Geordie Jester]

well I hope it works for you.

Would be terrible if you start doing chicken impressions in the waiting room and eating onions thinking they are apples

 

[krish]

Good luck!!

The only tip I have is...
DON'T watch "Marathon Man" starring Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier

 

[Digger]

How are your new dentures Russell?...

 

[Mrs AutomanUK]

try a google search on dental problems and endocarditis....

I know going to the dentist is not the greatest thing in the world, but it's one of those necessary things that will keep you healthy. I have to go tomorrow.. erm.. ok.. later today ( middle of the night now.. ) but at least I know I will still have all my own teeth when I am an old (older) lady !!