Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Will I need to be knocked out for this? Tooth related

22 replies

OhShitItsAMouse · 15/05/2019 12:08

Had an impacted wisdom tooth. Decay set in. Was told by a specialist that he recommended I have it out. He said if I didn’t, it would rot away and cause bad breath, risk of gum infection etc. But as it wasn’t directly in contact with other teeth. The decay wouldn’t spread.

Said tooth is no more. It has rotted away to the point where I have no tooth left above the gum line (near enough)
I was too cowardly to have it out at the time.

I’m scared of the dentist. I’m terrified of having anyone mess with my mouth.

(I know this all makes me sound yuck but all my other teeth are fine, honest! I don’t even have a filling!)

Now I’ve made things so much worse... how are they going to get this tooth out if there’s nothing there for them to grab on to?!

Aargh, I’m so terrified. I keep working myself up about it.

OP posts:
UnderTheSeaWithMe · 15/05/2019 12:24

Wisdom teeth are very large. If it is under the gum line, they will probably have to give you a general anaesthetic to remove the reminder of the tooth. Ask them what they will do.

Original poster
OhShitItsAMouse · 16/05/2019 20:38

Gahhh, I’m beyond terrified. I just want it out now.

I’m having nightmares about losing my jaw to the damn thing 😭

OP posts:
Bluetrews25 · 16/05/2019 21:44

I had a wisdom tooth out under local anaesthetic and sedation. So I basically slept through it even though no GA. Had stitches in gum.
It was fine.
I am scared of dentist, too, after a lot of dental work when younger.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Dental health General health
Original poster
OhShitItsAMouse · 16/05/2019 21:51

Thanks @Bluetrews25
I wish I had just sucked it up and had it out at the time 😭 I’ve made things so much worse!
It’s the level of decay I’m most worried about now... there is no tooth left!

I just want it gone now.

OP posts:
RobinHumphries · 16/05/2019 21:58

Wisdom teeth aren’t necessarily larger than any other tooth. Nobody here can tell you what they are going to do as nobody here has seen the X-ray. You need to speak to your dentist.

Terrysyogurt · 16/05/2019 22:00

This will be no problem to a dentist that has good oral surgery experience, if your dentist doesn't feel confident he will refer you to an oral surgeon. It really won't be that bad honestly. They may even be able to give you some sedation. The worst they may have to do because the crown is gone is some drilling and then 'flick' it out. From your point of view it feels just like a filling!! Go and chat to your dentist he will reassure you, good luck.

OhForkItThen · 16/05/2019 22:08

Mine was like this, I am a wuss (never even had a filling so it was my first dental work). I chose a GA, apparently after talk of surgical methods etc it was popped out in 60 secs

Devondoggydaycare · 16/05/2019 22:10

Sedation is your friend. I have had my wisdom teeth removed without a general anaesthetic. It's brilliant. One moment you are chatting to the anaesthnetist, the next you can't remember a thing but the tooth has gone without having to be knocked out. Ask if you have have it removed under sedation.

Original poster
OhShitItsAMouse · 16/05/2019 22:25

Thanks everyone. I know I sound so daft (especially as it my fault I’ve let it get this bad!)

When I saw the specialist last time, he wanted me to have it out with just local anaesthetic, no sedation ...which scared me even more! So of course I’ve just kept putting it off 🙈

I had sedation a few months ago for an endoscopy, and while it was a nice feeling, I can still remember every little detail.
I’ve never had a GA before and I’m terrified of that too! Oh my god, I’m a lost cause.

I have to wait another 2 and half weeks before I see my dentist (and probably months before I get to see the specialist again)
I’m counting down the days tbh, I’m so sick of getting myself worked up over this.

OP posts:
Guylian2019 · 17/05/2019 05:17

I had one taken out from below the gum line. It was under local but was allowed gas and air too if I wanted (I didn't as it made me dizzy). They made a small incision in the gum and whipped it out. Took about 5 minutes and didn't hurt at all. Took paracetamol for the rest of the day and after that was absolutely fine.

It's a mindset as I had a colleague who was off a week for the same thing as she had it in her head that it was surgery! It honestly took 5 mins and didn't hurt at all.

Original poster
OhShitItsAMouse · 17/05/2019 07:47

@Guylian2019 Thanks for that! I needed to hear of an experience like that.
Was yours down to the gum line from decay?

OP posts:
Prokupatuscrakedatus · 17/05/2019 08:20

My DD had all four impacted / growing hroizontally / not visible wisdom teeth out under local anaesthetic in two sessions by an oral surgeon.
Both times it took less than half an hour from entering the room to coming out again. No swelling, very littlte pain afterwards.

(I have no idea what gas and air is?)

Bluetrews25 · 17/05/2019 08:51

Thinking about it, yours will probably be a breeze, as the tooth had erupted, so it will only be the roots that they have to deal with. Some of us had to get the whole tooth excavated from below the gum where none of it had popped out.
You might not need sedation!
Just keep telling yourself that you want it out, and that you will let the pilot fly the plane, you will just sit back like a passenger, and not need to be in control at all.
GAs take a while to wake up from, sedation takes less time, but you would NOT be ok to drive yourself home afterwards! Local anaesthetic will be really quick to get over.

Original poster
OhShitItsAMouse · 17/05/2019 12:14

Thanks everyone

@Bluetrews25 I’m trying to tell myself it can’t possibly be as bad as I’m imagining!
The problem is though, it was still impacted when the decay set in. It still kind of is, I can see half of what’s left of the rotten tooth (yuk) and the rest still has a gum flap over it. I know there’s no tooth left under the gum flap as the dentist showed me the X-ray last time.

So I’m guessing it would be a case of cutting the gum and somehow trying to prise out the rotten root... oh my god, why did I let it go this far?

I love your thinking of it as letting the pilot fly the plane... great idea!

OP posts:
Bluetrews25 · 17/05/2019 13:52

The dentist knows what he's doing! He will have done this lots of times. You won't feel a thing when you have that lovely local anaesthetic and it will be done swiftly. Gums heal really well! (I had 11 stitches in mine)
He IS the pilot! You just need to sit back and watch the movie.

Guylian2019 · 17/05/2019 22:23

No it wasn't decay. There wasn't space for it to grow.

thesnapandfartisinfallible · 17/05/2019 22:41

Take the GA if they offer it. It isn't any scarier than sedation, just a bit more potent. You count down from ten and by the time you reach 7, they're waking you up again and you feel like you've had few too many for an hour or so. See what they say, you might not even need it, it might come out easily under local.

Camomila · 17/05/2019 23:18

I had an impacted wisdom tooth and they decided to take away the molar next to it instead, they said it was safer that way.
But in my case the wisdom tooth was healthy and the molar rotted.
The oral surgeon had it out in 10mins under local anaesthetic. I had a swollen face in the afternoon but it was fine after 2 paracetamol and holding an icepack to it.

Good luck, I honestly find with the dentist the anticipation is worse than the procedure. (I had rescue remedy and took my squeezy Hermione from HP stress toy in with me!)

Terrysyogurt · 17/05/2019 23:49

GA is scarier than sedation!! Risks are higher etc .. sedation a good option.

PinkOboe · 18/05/2019 00:09

I was sedated to have mine out. It wasn’t at all traumatic although I was properly whacked out and rambling for a while afterwards

thesnapandfartisinfallible · 18/05/2019 15:44

Yes like any other medication or procedure. There are risks involved in crossing the road! GA isn't scary at all, stop trying to frighten her. OP however you have it done, it won't hurt and you'll be so glad it's out.

Terrysyogurt · 18/05/2019 21:46

Not trying to scare at all but sedation is extremely safe and brilliant for dental work, a GA to remove a root is excessive.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page