Extreme Dental phobia

[Scotty2013]

I hate my teeth always sensitive, cracked grinding etc. I'm grateful we have a public system, but boy i find it excruciating going in, sweat heart racing fidgety crying etc. My worse fear of course is an extraction, had one decade ago and ended up having to stop and get up, I felt sick..😢😢. I think I'm heading towards a few perhaps and the thought sends me near breakdown. What ifs... Pain related mostly id rather be put under but not like that could happen. Anybody else fear it as bad, how do you deal?. Medication hardly worked I needed 10 lol... Thanks 😀

[Bethie]

Hi

Its heaps better these day. I had a extraction 2 months ago where my tooth broke apart like chalk. 3 big roots on it and near my syatic nerve. X Rays are now taken prior to extractions to help with identifying best place for injections.

The dental nurse was great. Gave me headphone and a IPOD for music selections. The dentist told me at anypoint i could hold my hand up if i needed a break. They made it feel like i had a real say in what was happening.

Maybe taking music in with noise cancelling headphones might help if your dentist doesn't offer them

Only problem i had was when i forgot and nearly started singing along with the music

[Jacquiems]

Hiya - it sounds like we have the same teeth! I grew up before fluoride in the water. I had an extraction in September and a root canal on a tooth that I'd paid a lot to get fixed and get a crown on it.
I was terrified. I managed to do it amazingly. You will too. I found it really helpful to daydream whilst in the dentist's chair, went off on a bike trip with my cousins (in my mind).
No one wants to be at the dentist - we're not alone. I always seem to break a tooth or get pain at night when they're all closed. If you're in Melbourne then you're in good dental hands, really, we're lucky xx

[Jacquiems]

oh and one more thing . . . you're brave you know
plenty of people don't go at all so you're doing better than them

I've had a panic attack in the dentist's chair before now and would put off anything to do with certain treatments that needed the plastic dam BUT I had so much pain before the root canal that it was worth it
distant memory now.

I did find that projecting forward an hour to after the appointment also helped me.
My current dental fear is that I have an uneven bite after all the work.
good luck with your teeth
PS: I did use anti-anxiety medication a few times - helped a bit 🙂

[Hope_for_the_best]

Have you been to your dentist for a check-up? Thinking about how scary a potential extraction is only makes you more anxious. You will also need more dental work done the longer you put off an appointment. Perhaps book an initial appointment for a quick chat and examination with the dentist. If he/she indicates that you indeed need extraction, you can discuss with him/her your concerns and work out a treatment plan. If anti-anxiety medication does not help, you may consider having your dental work done under sedation. You will be put into sleep throughout your dental work. To my knowledge, there are clinics that can offer this. Of course, it will cost you more, and you will need someone to drive you to and from the dental office, but it will help you to get through any necessary dental work.

[Scotty2013]

Thank you, medication has played its part also, good point I guess least I went back. I did one RC once but not sure I could do that again. Teeth issues can certainly add to your depression I've noticed. I'll try your guys techniques Txs.