topic Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!! in Among Friends

STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 11:55:31 GMT

I found out the other day I need to have a root canal (?!?!?). I've been lucky these 71 years and other than a cavity here or there, no big issues. Childhood bad experiences of being tied into a dentist chair (brother, too) & fear of unknown over take me and I always freeze with fear just to get a cleaning.

I always had my DD (hygienist) and her dentist take care of my teeth for the 20 years she lived on this coast. I was visiting her at least every 4 months anyway. After she moved, I panicked getting used to a new dental practice here.

Now a root canal? OMG!!! I haven't slept well and have had nightmares about my upcoming three (3!!!) appts. Yes, I arranged for nitrous....lots of it until unconscious if necessary. DH is driving me there and home.

Anyone else have such a debilitating fear of dentists?

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Nbo — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:07:21 GMT

I never had a fear of dentist until I had 2 of my wisdom tooth removed. The next day after removal my face was swollen and the pain was unbearable. This was before there was an internet that you could look up instructions for yourself. I was not given instructions or any paperwork to read. My husband was there and he wasn't given instructions. I had never even had a cavity before so I didn't know I couldn't drink anything hot so I got a dry socket. In defense of Dentist this was at a military hospital. At that time the dental plan only covered for basic care off the base. To get any kind of oral surgery you had to go on waitlist to have student dentist from the air force work on your mouth. I had a root canal done 15 years ago and that was done by a Dentist and it went very well. You will be fine.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Justice4all — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:20:53 GMT

@Shanus

a root canal is NOTHING!!!! I got a few numbing pinpricks with local anesthesia-felt like nothing..I just averted my eyes. You don't feel any pain. Since the nerve is dead, afterwards you feel no pain! It should be done by a specialist in endodontics. I am assuming it is a lower molar?

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

AbbyK — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:16:59 GMT

Try not to worry too much. My husband has had two root canals, and he said he has never felt a thing....was never in any pain as they numb you up very well.

I hear you though. For a cleaning, I have to take half of a Xanax . Doesn’t put me to sleep, but I’m not as nervous having anything done!

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Desertdi — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:24:57 GMT

Nope! I have an upcoming appointment for several implants. (My only FEAR is what the TOTAL BILL WILL BE!!!)

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:30:54 GMT

@Justice4all wrote:
@Shanus
a root canal is NOTHING!!!! I got a few numbing pinpricks with local anesthesia-felt like nothing..I just averted my eyes. You don't feel any pain. Since the nerve is dead, afterwards you feel no pain! It should be done by a specialist in endodontics. I am assuming it is a lower molar?

@Justice4all It's an upper right molar. "Gas" for me...I want to know and feel nothing. If they could do the nitrous in the parking lot to get me inside, it'd be even better. Lol

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:34:04 GMT

@AbbyK wrote:
Try not to worry too much. My husband has had two root canals, and he said he has never felt a thing....was never in any pain as they numb you up very well.

I hear you though. For a cleaning, I have to take half of a Xanax . Doesn’t put me to sleep, but I’m not as nervous having anything done!

@AbbyK Oooh! You just reminded me I have a Xanax for 10 tabs I never took for a non-stop flight to Seattle last year....Doesn't it interfere w/ any other "sedation"?

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

CherryHugs — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:34:32 GMT

I have had the fear of the dentist all of my life! I can get a tooth filled and checkup ok but anything else and I am terrified! Wish you the best with your appt.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

AuntG — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:35:05 GMT

Dear @Shanus while I don't look forward to dentist visits, I've never had them cause me anything more than mild discomfort. All I can tell you is that I've had root canals, cavities and crowns put on with just freezing the area with minimal pain.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

alicedee — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:36:10 GMT

I have had a root canal done before.,,,it is truly not painful. They swab some kind of numbing agent on the gum before they give you a couple pricks (Novocain)....and you won't feel any pain at all.

i never had nitrous, so can't speak to that. But I do understand having fear of something that most people take in stride. You can try to rationalize it all you want, but the fear is still there. Not easy.

Sending you a cyber hug, and I will think good thoughts for you. I hope when you have been through it and actually experience that it wasn't bad, that it will help you be less nervous in the future. 🌷

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:36:46 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
Nope! I have an upcoming appointment for several implants. (My only FEAR is what the TOTAL BILL WILL BE!!!)

@Desertdi Uh oh, didn't ask. DH has a crown to do...$1400!!! I DID ask about IV sedation...$2500 extra. Uh, no.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:37:37 GMT

@CherryHugs wrote:
I have had the fear of the dentist all of my life! I can get a tooth filled and checkup ok but anything else and I am terrified! Wish you the best with your appt.

@CherryHugs Thanks.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Justice4all — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:38:36 GMT

@Shanus

are you going to an endodontist?

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:45:06 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
Dear @Shanus while I don't look forward to dentist visits, I've never had them cause me anything more than mild discomfort. All I can tell you is that I've had root canals, cavities and crowns put on with just freezing the area with minimal pain.

@AuntG When my DD lived 4 hrs. away, she worked for a cosmetic dentist. DH and I both had full mouth veneers done about 12 yrs. ago...very pretty and white. DH had some TMJ issues and needed some bite adjustments and teeth were made accordingly. In my case, I had some staining from brackets from braces I had as an adult. How'd I get through 7 hours of that? Nitrous turned all the way up, headphones playing loud classical music and DD kept coming in to hold my hand. She also gave me a "pill" (have to find out what it was) when we left her house before appt. that knocked me on my ---! DH and dentist practically had to carry me in from the car. They laugh about it now.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:46:46 GMT

@alicedee wrote:
I have had a root canal done before.,,,it is truly not painful. They swab some kind of numbing agent on the gum before they give you a couple pricks (Novocain)....and you won't feel any pain at all.

i never had nitrous, so can't speak to that. But I do understand having fear of something that most people take in stride. You can try to rationalize it all you want, but the fear is still there. Not easy.

Sending you a cyber hug, and I will think good thoughts for you. I hope when you have been through it and actually experience that it wasn't bad, that it will help you be less nervous in the future. 🌷

Thanks @alicedee. Need the hug.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 12:52:34 GMT

@Justice4all wrote:
@Shanus
are you going to an endodontist?

@Justice4all Yes. My dentist found the "issue" during a routine cleaning and wanted a periodontist to check if it was just an inflamed gum. No such luck. He's sending me to the endodontist. Oooh! Tough to type w/ sweaty hands.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Desertdi — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:24:21 GMT

@Shanus wrote:
@Desertdi wrote:
Nope! I have an upcoming appointment for several implants. (My only FEAR is what the TOTAL BILL WILL BE!!!)

@Desertdi Uh oh, didn't ask. DH has a crown to do...$1400!!! I DID ask about IV sedation...$2500 extra. Uh, no.

@Shanus Don't bother with "sedation"..........a root canal is no worse than a filling......it just takes about twice as long. The "rumors" about how bad it is are unfounded.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

PamfromCT — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:26:02 GMT

@Shanus, You have nothing to fear. You will feel nothing. Despite all my efforts, I have had my share of dental problems.

Even an implant, and my DH has had two. Now that whole process had me very nervous, but it went very smoothly. Just follow all your aftercare instructions carefully. You will be fine.

It’s only human to fear the unknown, but know that these procedures are very routine. Sending you a big hug!

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

chrystaltree — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:46:47 GMT

Yes, indeed. I was a dental phobic through my 40's. There were years when I never saw a dentist. It's a wonder I still have teeth. I grew up before dental insurance and my parents had 5 children, 2 with medical problems. There was no money for dentists but our city had free dental clincic at the public health clinics. They would take us from school to get our teeth cleaned...or pulled. They didn't do fillings. And then they marched us back to school with a piece of bloody gauze in our mouth. It lso hurt, I don't think they used any novocaine. As I got older, I only went when I had toothache and I delayed going to a dentist as long as possible. I associated the dentist with pain. And then as I entered my middle years and I had dental insurance; my vanity was stronger than my phobia. My teeth needed work and I didn't want to lose any. A friend recommended her dentist and omg. It was revelation. Everything was different and that dentist totally understood my dental phobia and he promised that there would be no pain. There was a mask so I wouldn't see anything. There was ear phones so I could listen to music. The dental chair was more like a surgical table. I got to lie down flat. The experience didn't trigger old memories. And the dentist was so calm and supportive. I overcame my dental phobia....and then....I needed two root canals. He sent me to a specialist but to allay my fears. He explained in great detail, with pictures, every single step of the root canal process. He even told me when something might I would be most likely to feel some pressure or discomfit. So, I fine when I had those root canals. I knew what was going to happen and I knew there might be some discomfit but no real pain. It all went very well. I was fine with it all after that.

Re: STILL FEAR THE DENTIST!!!

Shanus — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:51:16 GMT

Thanks for your support @PamfromCT . Hope this dentist works fast as lightening, but accurately, so I never have to see him again. 😬