Dental Phobia

[pippip]

Okay so i've had a dental phobia for as long as i can remember. For a period in my life i got really down and just really negected my hygeine and bascially stopped brushing my teeth (i know its gross but i did) After that there was no way i was ever going to go back. But now my Mum made me an appointment because she saw a brown spot on one of my teeth and she thinks its a cavity. Its kindof near the front and those teeth never get cavities  so i probably have like 100 more. Ive got my life back on track but ive only been brushing them now for a few monthes like maybe 3 or  so.So now i have to go to the dentist and im scared to death. I dont know what scares me more the health risks, the social fear, or the actual dentist going there and having a panic attack thing.
1.Health Risk- I could definetley get HIV/AIDS and who knows i heard tooth decay can spread to your brain and cause death if left untreated and i havent been there in like 4 or 5 years. IF it has to get pulled im going to just die of anxiety from it.
2. Social worries- You have to talk with your mouth open which makes you sound like a dork, and when you have to spit its just extremely embarassing, and besides Dentists and hygenists automatically HATE you and think your a bad person if you have bad teeth.
3. Sitting there is just going to be absolute torture and when i go back to get a cavity filled it will be just so much worse.

I know i have to go but i dontknow if i can! Does anyone know what i can do to survive this and make it through the first appointment? Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated!

[apple]

I take an anti-anxiety med called Clonazepam for situations like this.  Sorry its my only option for me.

Dentists dont hate you if you have bad teeth.  They tell even the people with good teeth that they dont brush enough or the right way.  Trust me.  I saw the dentist for the first time in 17 years last month.  I was so worried about having a bunch of work done also.  I had no cavities after all that time..they still said I didnt brush right...well if my teeth are in good condition, I must have done something right in those 17 years.

Sounding like a dork?  We all do, they know that.  They just chat you up to help pass the time.

Hope you can relax a bit about this...better to get it taken care of before it starts to hurt.  Good luck!!!

[pippip]

Thanks for the advice! I'm determined to force myself to go, and not back out at the last moment. Good for you for not having any after 17 years! I bet i have alot, but thats okay i guess.

[suki43]

Hi Pippip!

Fellow dental phobic here! Well you know from another post of mine that I didn't see a dentist for 11 years, then went 2 yrs ago and still had no cavities. I believe you can't see cavities. That's why the dentist uses a metal hook to see if the surface of your tooth feels soft and sticky. Staining occurs naturally as you get older, yellow, brown and grey. Do you smoke or drink coffee? My bet is it's a stain.

I have nicotine stains on the back of my teeth and am trying to get them off slowly. If anyone can recommend something that works, I would appreciate this.

As far as brushing right goes, I really don't know what is the right way. How can dentists tell if you don't brush right? Does anyone know?

As for how I coped with going to see the dentist after 11 years - well, I worried myself sick to be honest, but I went and when he asked me how I was, I said absolutely terrified. He knew the score, and the way he treated me actually made me relax. Then when he told me that I still have no cavities and must have strong enamel, I could have cried with the relief! Now I'm nervous about going again....

Thinking of you.

Suki

[pippip]

It actually did end up being a really big cavity  It was my first time having novacaine and oh my god cavities are absolutely nothing when you have novacaine. I was terrified too, and had a major panic attack in the chair so i counted everything on the ceiling and made myself repeat the flower patten in my head and just stupid stuff to keepmy brain occupied. I made it and so can you. You'll feel so wonderful after you go and conquer that fear, keep that happy feeling of when it'll all be over in your mind, it won't last long. Good luck I know you can do it!!

[apple]

I'm going to the orthodontist to see about getting braces.  Not cause I want straight teeth for show...but because the are twisted and the edges are sharp from grinding them, and the rub my tongue raw.  oww.

My main panic is sitting there for so long with my mouth open and well...anything I do for ME I have anxiety over.  But...I gotta do this so my tongue gets so sore.

My appointment is on the 29th.  Can I really do this??? 

[pippip]

Apple, I think you can definetley do it!! I'm sure they will let you rest your mouth, they did to me the last time i went to the dentist. Your dentist probably has too its just too trivial to remember. If your anxious about just sitting there and not being able to get away try and focus on someting else or self-talk yourself about how great its going. I bet they would even let you being along an mp3 player or a portable radio if you wanted to. You should do this for you, you definetley deserve it.

[apple]

Music...what a great idea!! 

Thanks for that. 

[suki43]

My dentist has the radio on all the time, which I find makes the whole experience more "casual" and less "clinical". He's also young and easy on the eye, so I can chat to Dave the Dentist quite openly! 

Once I had told him how nervous I was, I noticed that before he put any tool in my mouth, he told me what it was and what he was going to do with it.

He also told me to push my shoulders down in the chair to help me relax, which did help.

Mmm, I'm wondering why I am still so damn petrified of going now....well, I am afraid of needles in my gum - even though I've never had it done. I was told by a friend who went to see him and had novocaine, that she didn't feel the needle go in at all.
I wish they could inject in my 0104, coz there's plenty of flesh there to go on! 

[pippip]

No problem Apple, it definetley helps relax me.
My dentist sings o_O its interesting lol but he likes country which i don't paticuarly care for.

Suki the last time i went to the dentist they put this gel stuff on your gums before the needle so you dont feel the needle at all. And if you don't have any cavities you won't have to worry about that anyways :)

[suki43]

Thanks, Pippip! That doesn't sound so bad. My hypo has been a bit calmer the last couple days. I'm desperately trying to stop obsessing over my gums!
I have definitely stopped looking at them so much.

I guess the thing that I can't get out of my head is the off the cuff remark from the stupid hygenist when she said "make an appt. with the dentist in case you need treatment". When i feel really anxious, I jump on this comment, and fret over what she meant.

I am more or less convinced that the misuse of an electric tooth brush caused it, but the hypo in me is telling me I have something bad. I remember googling it a few months ago, and it said that you may have periodontal disease if the bite of your teeth feels different. I assume they mean that your teeth are loose or something. SO then I started clenching my teeth together, convincing myself that my bite felt different.

Truth is, I don't think it does, but the mind is so powerful! It actually feels weird to clench my teeth like this, as it's not something you normally do.

TOnight I have been worryin a bit, and now I have a headache! Ugh!

I'm just hoping that with gentle brushing and good mouth care, this won't get any worse. It's probably not that bad, but the self-critical part of me is disappointed that there is slight gum recession at all.

Suki

[pippip]

I'm pretty sure hygenists have to have some knowledge about teeth/gums. I'm pretty sure she would have told you that your gums were recessed or you had gum disease if you did. Clenching your teeth together isn't very good for you and it probably feels wierd to everyone who does it just to see if it feels wierd. If can cause a headache to if you do it too much.

[suki43]

Hi Pippip,

Yes you're right. I've tried to stop clenching my teeth. But you know when you read something on google then you convince yourself that you have what you just read?

The hygenist said that I have some gum recession. She didn't mention gum disease or anything.

The strange thing is,my mum's gum has recessed over one of her canine's and it's quite noticeable when she showed me, but her dentist hasn't said anythin about it, which suggests that it's OK. Now I'm thinking that I should see my mum's dentist, who I used to see when I lived in England, but now I live 250 miles away in Edinburgh, so it's hardly practical.

i notice other people's teeth more since my worries started. I think my teeth are in good shape really and to the untrained eye, I don't think I have much to worry about, and yet I'm worrying! Aaaaarrrrrgh!

Suki

[pippip]

Yeah i know all to well about convincing myself I have things off of google. I used to start feeling "too good" then google and end up with something deadly again. Google is bad bad bad From what you said on another post maybe it could possibly be caused from smoking? Cigs can do alot of wierd stuff to your mouth so maybe thats it? Why would you see your mum's dentist if he didn't seem to care about her recessed tooth? If your not happy with your dentist you coudl always try and find another one a bit closer to your home.

[suki43]

Hi Pippip!

Yes, I am going to make an extra effort to quit smoking as I know it isn't good for gums or anything else. I have one pack left so when I finish these today I'll stop. Tomorrow will be my quit day.

I think I was considering if I could see my mum's dentist as he knows me as he was my dentist before I moved away. I suppose if he is not concerned about my mum's tooth, it makes me feel a bit more at ease, if you know what I mean.

Suki

[apple]

I just saw the orthodontist today and I have gum resession on a few teeth.  He said its from brushing too hard along the gums.  He told me I can scrub the tops of my teeth but to wet my toothbrush with warm water and gently brush the sides..along the gum line.

So dont worry yourself...its not a bad thing. 

[pippip]

Good for you and good luck with that Suki, I know you can do it

Apple, did everything else go okay at the orthodontists?

[suki43]

Thank you apple and Pippip. I'll do what you suggested. Where is your gum recession, apple?

Suki
xx

[apple]

On my eye teeth and a couple in the back.  No worries just have to brush lighter.

I was there again for the xrays and moulds to have the doc put together a treatment plan for braces.  I had to take a clonazepam before hand because its kindda wierd anf freaky getting someone in my mouth.  But I did it ok.  will be going back on June 21st to do the consult on what they will do and how much it will cost.  Then I will get started.  I dont know if following thru with this will ease me a little as I would have to go in every 6 weeks. HMMMM 

We shall see I guess.  !& years never havin anyone look at my teeth and now I'm pushin in getting this done.  Yikes!

anxious for sure but positive I want to do this...anythin to stop my toungue from rubbing raw.  Worth it...I think so.

[suki43]

Hi Apple!

I'm really proud of you - and I don't mean that to be patronising, I was petrified before going to the dentist last time from the moment I made the appointment. It will defo be worth it when it's done.

I used be scared of seeing a GP - but when I was on anti-depressants I had to go every 3 weeks or so which got me used to it.

When I last went to the dentist and nothing was wrong, apart from needing a good clean, I thought, right I'm going to go now every 6 months like I'm supposed to.

Then I went to see the hygenist who pointed out my gum recession, and my anxiety came rushing back, I rushed out, and am scared to go back - all because of one comment.....man!

Please excuse my ignorance, Apple, but what are eye teeth?

I had orthodontics done when I was a child - I remember the impression moulds in my mouth, but I'm so grateful that I had it done. I had x  rays when I was 7 and they could see my wisdom teeth already low in my jaw and so treated me in order to make room for them, so I am fortunate never to have had impacted teeth.

Do let me know how you are getting on. It will so worth it, I promise.

Suki

[apple]

I got my braces today.  I'm a mess.  I have to go back cause one brace fell off already.

I'll write more later   

[apple]

Well I took tylonal and my clonazepam before I went in yesterday.  I managed to apear ok thru it all.  One broke off and I had to go back right away.  then last night another onwe broke off again.  I dont go back till tomorrow to get it fixed.  Is this the sick way of the universe to make me go back again and again?  My mouth feels like I was boxed in the mouth a few hundred times and I wish I hadnt done this.

I dont like the dentist, I dont like someone pokin around right in my face...is this happening to jerk me out of my fear?

I dont know...I wish I didnt have to go back so soon

[pippip]

Apple,
I'm so sorry that you have to keep going back. Maybe it is happening to expose you to the fear without much of a choice of whether your going or not. Is the pain getting better the longer they are on?

[apple]

Thanks so much for posting pippip!!

The pain has gotten a bit better, altho the plastic pieces they put in the stop me from bitting the bottom braces off, also stops me from chewing my food.  I think I will wait one more week then ask if they can take them out or put more in so I can chew.  I need to eat again, mush is getting reel bland. 

I'm feeling better about going.  I think your right.  it prepared me enough to not feel so freaked about going back again, now that I've been there a few times in one week.

Thanks again for thinkin of me

[pippip]

Have you tried putting normal foods in the blender? My friend broke her jaw last year and couldn't eat for a really long time so she would put like a big mac in the blender. Sorry if that grosses you out, but I thought it might help you out.
Good luck going back you can do it! =)