Irrational (rational?) fear of dentists - HELP!

I have a very sore tooth. I suspect it has gone bad It started to hurt a week or so ago - just getting sensitive basically but now it hurts when I breath in through my mouth and I cannot chew on that side or let liquid run over the tooth.

I am terrified of dentists. I have made an appointment with a new dentist (the last one I used had no bedside manner at all and reduced me to tears but basically telling me to stop being ridiculous ) so that is the first hurdle over but I just cannot stop feeling sick and terrified.

Anyone got any suggestions for getting over this? It is a crippling fear that reduces me to tears and shaking and I just cannot relax in the dentist chair. I have uber sensitive teeth - the cleaning that the dentist gives is nothing short of torture as the nerves in my teeth just scream!

I just wish I could be given a general anaesthetic and be knocked out completely and then brought back around once it was all done and dusted.

Yeah, the cleaning is the bit I hate, apparently it's ultrasound. Could you ask him to leave that bit out? Just have him give your teeth a good scrub the old fashioned way (wire brush, wasn't it?).

Aside from that, I don't mind dentists. Not that happy with their fees though.

No one relaxes in a dentists chair! Invest in some herbal horse calmer & skull some back before you get someone else to drive you in Rescue Remedy for a more PC solution?

Dose yourself up on Rescue Remedy & try & be brave
I have a similar tooth BUT the gum keeps getting infected.
I cant see any decay nor does hot/cold affect it so I have decided to try antib's first; which I started yesterday, If it doesnt help I guess it will be an extraction. I am more worried about the $'s it costs than getting the actual tooth out!!

Louise...I know exactly what you mean. Five years ago I would have panic attacks at the thought of visiting the dentist and had nightmares every night for a week before an appointment. Not that I had many appointments []

Anyway, I'm over it now and have had two root fillings and a crown in the last few years without too much grieft [}]

Anyway, the practical things you can do is to brush your teeth with sensodyne or equivalent for at least TWO WEEKS before the appointment. This will make your teeth less sensitive. Go into your dentist - only as far as reception - and see if they sell Tooth Mousse...sounds silly but it is wonderful stuff. Often teeth hurt because the gum recedes and exposes new bits of tooth. These bits are very sensitive. The tooth mousse hardens them up or fills them in or something. It really works! It comes in amazing flavours too, including strawberry

www.gcasia.info/content_GC_Tooth_Mousse.html

Good luck
Kate

Louise - GO TO A NO DRILLER! I did this last year - it's laser denistry - no pain, bluddy marvellous!

:eek:Want some of my valium Lou?[:0] That's the only way to get me into their torture houses[}]
Can't wait to get false teeth[]
All my sympathy & Cheers

I know exactly how you're feeling

I've just been to the dentist this week for a sensitive tooth exposed by the gum, still very sensitive now

The dentist who will remain nameless was horrendous. They could see I was shaking and nervous when I walked in but straight away they blasted the tooth with cold water, I shot up in the air so fast I caught them by surprise

Then to get me back they jabbed the needle into the gum and rushed through the appointment, not really telling me anything and told me to clean my teeth properly [:0] Now I've still got pain and a friend said they were surprised they didn't do an xray to see if there was any damage further down the tooth. As well I've also got a bruise where the needle went in.

Not happy at all and it's another experience to make me even more terrified of dentists, the least they could have done was be sensitive with me [!]

hate them with a vengance to and just shake the entire time. Try the Rescue remedy or some homeopathic Argentum Nit.

Giddyup, tell us more about a no drill dentist? I have never heard of them.
Anyone had the so called "happy Gas"
I have 2 wisdom teeth that are coming but play up abit lately. I had to have the bottom ones cut out and gums stitched when I was 22 Im downhill to 50 now and the other 2 sure took their time to decide to come down. And I think the rate they are going I will be downhill to 60 before they actually cut.

FF - Was the dentist in Masterton and does his last name begin with M?

Thx for all the tips - glad I am not alone (although not surprised). I doubt we have drill free dentists in Masterton but you never know ... I just hope that tomorrow is not all in vain!!!

Dear Louise

I spoke to the Dean of the Dental School about this fear one day, and he said actually, it's completely rational. It's because of our evolution (apparently) - our teeth have evolved from our 'under bellies' - our vulnerable areas. It's not nice lying down exposing all that we have, and I *HATE* it!!!

So, I am speaking from a place very similar to yours. And, I have to confess, finding a good dentist is bloody hard.

I used to visit a dentist who, if he needed to do anything, would give me a pill or two (Hypnovel) to take 15 minutes prior to the appointment/s. I was conscious and cooperative (!) during the appointment/s, but I don't remember a thing about them. I needed someone to come and get me - oh, and I always had a back-to-back appointment in this situation. The dentist would do what he needed to do, then the hygienist would clean them. I remember years ago I had to have a number of fillings in between my front top teeth. I had the IV version of Hypnovel in that situation. And whilst I rarely, if ever, pop a Nurofen for a headache, Hypnovel for dental work I didn't blink at. And, I got a great night's sleep after it!!!

I have found a new dentist too, now. I needed to have two wisdom teeth out and a filling - and although she was happy to go the Hypnovel route, she suggested something else. It was a gas which tasted like Juicy Fruit, and apparently it is something that the likes of the armed forces will give to soldiers injured in the field before they're able to be medic-ed out (or, as used by SAR, apparently). Honestly, I was so nervous trying something I didn't 'know'. I had a few puffs, tasted DISGUSTING, but then it was just ok for her to do what she needed to do. Then I needed her to stop, and I needed a few more puffs. And she carried on. And she stopped, and gave me a few more puffs. I remember all that went on, I remember her talking to her assistant (about Botox!), I remember being driven home, and apart from pain (I'd had two wisdom teeth taken out - how surprising is that?!) I was fine for the rest of the day. I read a book, and dealt with my young children - I felt a little robbed of the good night's sleep that Hypnovel would have given me, but all in all it was a 'reasonable' dental experience. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called - I will remember if anyone else mentions it. Sorry! I'll try to google and see if I can find it.

Also, about the cleaning - I personally just can NOT stand the ultrasonic cleaners. My old hygienist was great whilst I was pg, and she always did my teeth by hand. Now I will always ask for them to be done by hand. I swear u/s treatment from a physio makes my bones rattle, and I just can't stand u/s dental cleaners. So, try having them done by hand.

I also took a homeopathic remedy prior to treatment, and I have a really really good cell-salt for Anxiety which I personally find bloody marvelous prior to a dental appointment.

I would second the Sensodyne suggestion. I have a tooth which plays up every now and again, and trying to get a breath of air on a cold day is enough to make me want to pull it out myself. Sensodyne helps when it's in one of those 'sore' cycles.

Shop around dentists, if you can. I personally would have said something to the dentist with the terrible bed-side manner. I think you pay excessive amounts for dental work, and for them to not treat you in the manner in which you expect or need to be treated, just isn't cricket.

So, that's WAY over my 0.02c worth.

I HTH!

Thx Prim - I haven't got two weeks before the appointment as it is tomorrow at 10.45am *gulp* but will definitely quiz dentist (nearly called him the vet, haha!) on options and ask for my teeth to be hand brushed!

PS I have a feeling that the dentist I experienced is the same that Flying Feathers. He has a reputation that precedes him. Apparently he is an excellent dentist but I was not going back for my temporary filling to be made permanent! I found another dentist, a lovely man, who has since retired damnit!

You'll be relieved to know Louise that it's a dentist in Carterton and it's a she [:0] Thought she'd be kinder to me being the same sex but definitely not a hope there [}]

You have my deepest sympathy after just having to have a wisdom tooth extracted because it had such a bad abcess (kept putting it off hoping it would get better ) It didn't and I thought I might be ok just getting on with having it out as I was in so much pain. I did warn the dentist beforehand that I wasn't a 'good' patient and was liable to pass out, or throw up...but he insisted that it wouldn't happen with him. Well needless to say I had one of my better days and totally blacked out for 5 minutes, causing him more than a little worry and then promptly 'redecorated' the entire room. God knows where it all came from as I hadn't eaten anything except soup for two days[]. Couldn't get hold of anyone to take me home so it was nearly 2 hours before I felt ok to drive. Funnily enough I wasn't asked if I wanted to come back for a check up and one consolation is that his cleaning up bill must have been nearly as much as he charged me to extract the tooth.

Ewww! Has anyone actually been to a laser dentist though? I know I just said I had, but I'd really like to know what others think.
It kinda makes a crackling, ticking sound as it drills through your cavity, but no pain, therefore eliminating the need for injections.
More expensive, but what the hell!