General Chat

are any of you really frightened to go to the dentist.
I have had a fear of the dentist from a very early age and have had to have a lot of dentistry work done over the years.
I know I am silly to feel this way but I cant help it.
Today I plucked up courage to get an appointment at the dentist,( luckily for tomorrow so i dont have to worry for too long)
I am ashamed to say I havnt been for at least 8years.I know I need quite a bit of treatment so have a few more visits to cope with.
Think I am going to have a sleepless night.lol. :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

I go every 6mths and the last time I went I had to have a filling and she didn't numb it..My god it really hurt!! It hasn't put me off though but next time I will ask her to numb it...

Jules x

I am such a wimp. made me shiver even thinking about that.lol. poor you.

I go every 6 months and I am very nervous. It doesn't stop me going, but does keep me awake the night before. No way would I have a filling without an injection Jules, I would do more harm than good because my teeth are so very sensitive that I would jump all the time. I even have an injection if I am going to have my teeth cleaned by the machine and often have manual cleaning.

I also go every 6months and have never lost the fear
since my schooldays(many moons ago)
I don't have problems sleeping the night before but the
minute I sit in the chair my mouth dries up and my hands
begin to sweat.
Still keep going though. :-)

Emma

At one appointment I got as far as sitting in the dreaded chair, started shaking so bad she sent me home again. Just felt such a fool and apologised about 50 times.
Am I the worst patient, I asked her. Her answer was " pretty much "
:-( :-(

AnnMarie you are not being a wimp there are many many people that feel the same as you, explain to your dentist how you feel most dentist will understand and be very considerate towards you, my SIL is petrified of the dentist and has to have a mild sedative before she will even get into the chair.

Feel very proud of yourself for taking the first step <3

Thank you Lesley for your comments. <3
Barbinsglos,Thank goodness I'm not the only one, although I dont wish it on anyone else. :-( :-(

Barb, speak to your doctor, he/she may well give you a seditive to take before hand. Whereas I am nervous, yours and Anne MarieG sounds more like a real phobia.

I must be very fortunate as I overcame my fear a long time ago. I used to be a nervous wreck with the dentist we had years back but, times and procedures have changed and now I hardly think about it.


We have had this man now for almost 30 years, we go as a joint appointment and, whilst one is being dealt with, the other sits on the sofa and chats away to the dentist. He also has a TV in the ceiling above the chair so that the patient can watch as the work is done.


The procedures are incredibly improved now AnnMarie and even an injection doesn't hurt - just a slight scratch feeling.


I do hope you find your appointment to be less traumatic than you fear.

I must have been very unlucky in my 'choice' of dentists in the past as I have had some pretty horrid ones. The only good one left the practice i was at.Hopefully this time I will be lucky.tommorrow will tell the tale.!!!!!

I absolutely hate the dentist. I didn't go for years until severe toothache forced me. Dentist wanted to pull the tooth but I wouldn't let him and managed to save it. Its now playing up again....but I still won't go.


Andy

We did have a dentist that I liked very much, had him for over ten years, he left suddenly (apparently under a cloud but don't know why). That was over two years ago and in the past two and a half yesrs we have had four dentists, a couple taken on on short contracts, one female we both disliked intensely who seems to have been given the push and now this young lad who has been at the paractice a couple of months. He seems really nice and is very gentle. It is very easy to be put off by an aggressive dentist, I speak from experience.

You have my every sympathy. I go every six months and nothing changes. If my dentist wasn't taking my money I don't think he would have me in the surgery. I remember going to one when I was seventeen. He said to me that if I didn't sit still I might as well go, so I said 'good morning' and went. Eventually when I was nineteen I got one to listen and I promised him because he managed to sort out my teeth, I would always go but it doesn't get any easier.

I have only had one tooth out now in over 45 years because it started aching and the dentist couldn't relieve the pain. After six weeks I had to have an anaesthetic to knock me out. I remember sitting quietly in the chair, they put a thingy on my finger to listen to my pulse, it was gently beating away,then the needle went into the back of my hand and the last thing I remember was my pulse going off the scale and then waking up. ..shudders.... but hey....well done for making an appointment . Just think how elated you will feel when its all over. Promise yourself a treat.....like a cream cake -lol-jl

I personally would rather have a baby than go to the dentist, lucky I have really good teeth.

Carol :-D :-D

I HAVE ONLY 8 TEETH LEFT DUE TO FALLS
BUT IM TERRIFIED TO GO TO THE DENTIST
I HAVE A LOOSE ONE NOW

Ann Marie,

I was a dental nurse in the WRAF for 5 years. On my first posting after training I went to an RAF camp with a few US marines on it. One who was huge, looked like a rugby player, solid muscle and had to duck to come in the door. He had been in Vietnam and hadn't had his teeth checked for a while and had toothache. He sat in the chair and promptly fainted. Also remember an Irish Ranger who had to be sedated everytime he came to the surgery even for an inspection and x-rays. He was a big man as well. These were 2 really tough guys.

As you see you are not the only 1 at all. As 1 who's seen all shapes, sizes and both sexes quake, you are not unusual at all. Most fear the dentist it's just some manage to hide it better.

The sooner you go the quicker it'll be over. Go every 6 months then you'll have less to do each time.

:-)

Terrified is the only word that is near to how I feel. Haven't been for years, have many teeth that are broken and at times they hurt, I might be brave in September when in UK..............

I had a full set of teeth last August. Now, like Dizzi, but for different reasons, down to 8 with one loose. Who will be the next Genes member to knock on my front door? (knees quivering as I type)

Just had a call from my nephew. 50 yrs old and has cancer of the throat and mouth. Has had several ops already and is doing ok.
He went to the Dental Hospital yesterday and I nearly fainted when he told me they have to take 10 teeth out to continue treatment. He just takes it all in his stride. Well I suppose he has to. What courage :-)