Feel horrible over required dentist work, 1 extraction, 1 crown and 6 fillings

[Mentalhealthdentistry]

Looking after my teeth (or lack of) is the most tangible impact of my poor mental health.

Visited the dentist today. Knew i would need either 2 crowns, and extraction and maybe a couple of fillings. As the title suggests its more. Feel disgusting.

It’s a stupid vicious circle. I really don’t know why I neglect them so much. Drink fizzy drinks too. Needs to stop. Just feel disgusting in myself. Its just the whole shame of it all really too.

anyone had this? I know i need to do better and just need to sort it as its so embarrassing. God knows what the dentist thought and I cried but just didn’t explain, what was there to say it is what it is.

Don't be hard on yourself. This is unfortunately really common.

Take it one day at a time. I've found having an electric tooth brush, water flossers and toothpaste I really like the taste of makes dental hygiene easier when I'm depressed.

I have an electric toothbrush. Not the flosser. I could try that. I mainly go to bed not brushing them. I hate the shame of it but then why don’t i do a better job. So embarrassed. I have a professional job too.

I'm in a similar situation, about £5k required. You can just do it bit, it's gonna take a while.

The dentist will be pleased you're getting the work done. Does your practise have a hygienist who can advise on best care going forwards?

Mine had got to a similar state but since then (15+ years ago) I've attended all appointments, take much better care of my teeth, and have had minimal work done (just replacement fillings and a chipped tooth repair I think).

It will be ok

I have booked the hygienist. Tbh he did say about fizzy drinks but was nice and just said deep breaths. I booked all treatments in. So a 6 week programme there all the time practically.

I am being soft but I almost don’t want the lecture because I know how bad it is.

I am NHS and its bupa so the cost isn’t bad and to be honest if it was worse I deserve that shock. I need to break this cycle though. Even thinking when its all done do i pay for whitening as an extra push to keep nice. Stupid really.

Oh he mentioned some gum disease. Doesn’t really get worse does it.

I really hope this is me in the future

Get it done. Forgive yourself and crack in with better habits.

Use it as a positive catalyst for change. You've done the hardest part. And you have taken action. Well done.

I had the same OP due to my own mental health and I don't think I had ever really learnt how to look after my teeth properly as I had loads of fillings in childhood. When I feel really shit I eat loads of sugar and can't be bothered to brush much so I don't think this had helped. I also found it utterly shaming and was horrified with myself that it had got so bad that I needed an extraction. Like other posters have said, I just decided I would do what needed to be done, I would just endure it all, and then resolve to look after my teeth better, right now, every day. A few years on my gums and teeth are in better shape but I still get anxious before my appointments and wonder about long term problems.

I also agree that you need to give yourself a break, you have taken action and now you are facing the problems. Every time you lie in that dentist chair try to remember that.

Thank you i had to write it down to face it really. I cannot think of anything worse then the judgement that will come too when i am there. Maybe the hygienist will be the worst. Just horrible but what i deserve and it’s all booked in so each time i am there hopefully will install something in me to not repeat.

Are you absolutely sure he's not taking the mickey OP? I'd try to get a second opinion if you can.

I realise you said you neglect(ed) your dental health but back in my 20s my dentist unfortunately died suddenly and I had to find another one. I went to the one my mum was using at the time and she told me I had decay in every tooth, asking if I was a chocoholic. My mum then had a bad experience with her and I didn't go back.

I am now 51 and have had one new filling since then (which was a tiny one that I didn't need an injection for). The only dental work I've needed has been for teeth breaking up around old fillings, needing to replace old fillings etc - that were all done during the "drill and bill" culture of the 70s and into the early 80s.

I was crap at brushing my teeth properly by the way. I still find it a chore but the tepe brushes and electric toothbrush make it much easier.

I am awful about my teeth and have the enormous bills to show for it. My favourite thing is my water flosser. I think because it doesn't involve actual scrubbing or wrenching of floss between teeth, if you know what i mean? Once you have the hang of keeping your mouth shut as you move it around inside [as otherwise you get a steam of water whooshing out where you don't need it] it just does the job for you. And your teeth are magically clean without putting pressure in the wrong place on your gums etc.

Can recommend!

I second the previous poster- get a second opinion on the work that needs doing. I once changed dentist & was advised to have lots of work done (despite having good dental hygiene & visiting dentist 6 monthly my whole life). I took it as gospel & paid lots of money for what I now believe was mainly unnecessary treatment. Dentists, especially private ones, are very badly regulated imo.
Also, don’t beat yourself up about your teeth. I’m no dentist but I lived with dental students at Uni- a lot of dental problems are genetic and will occur with/without dental hygiene. For example, my back molars have all cracked due to the way my teeth bite together. Obviously good dental hygiene helps but it isn’t everything.

I could do. This is bupa and nhs so only costing £300 ish as thats the band. I know two teeth are bad. I didn’t ask re filling where they were. Took several xrays to check if needing root canal. One is defo extraction. If i knew positions i could think about white fillings. I really couldn’t face talking at the time. Felt like an idiot and asked to book it all in which he sent through to reception. When he was checking and reading out each tooth to the assistant i knew it was bad. The thing i am lucky with is no pain. The one tooth that needs removing has hardly anything left and i’ve lived through pain and i think it must all be dead now. Stupid i know.

wish someone could sort my head out. Honestly i have a good job, family etc and hide my mental health well (i hope so) but have this and am overweight. Outside of work and my child i have low motivation.

The amount of work has hugely shocked me though. Just listing it made me feel sick but i had to face it even if not at the dentist by talking to him.

Just be upfront and tell hygienist that you have mental health issues and that you know you haven’t been looking after your teeth properly. They’re there to help, not judge.

I will. I don’t know if i should call reception tomorrow and get them to add a note, maybe take some of the pressure off. I had added being a nervous patient which i am but more so over the shame and facing it then pain of any procedure. Thank you everyone. I have faced it and nothing i can do now. I realise simple self care isn’t happening and i need to sort it.

You will feel so much better once the work is done, and your teeth have had a thorough clean, look at it as a fresh start.

Well done on going and getting seen, inwards and upwards now and I’m sure you’ll feel better once the work is done. One thing I would say is that if you’re getting white fillings at the front and thinking about whitening, the white fillings would then need replaced to match the new whiter teeth. That’s what’s always put me off whitening.