Terrified for the dentist at 2,should I cancel?

[ifyourtooshyletmeknow]

I went to the dentist a month ago for a check up after not being for years.
They found I need 2 fillings
1 small and 1 medium
I get no pain from them at all
I have cancelled my apt twice now because I'm so scared.

I'm meant to be there at 2
I don't know if I can do it
I'm not scared of the needles or even the drill
I don't like the feeling of not being able to swallow and when they put the rubber dam or cotton wool on
I honestly can't stand it
I'm nearly in tears thinking about it

I don't know what to do

Go and get them fixed. They won't go better by themselves.

Can anyone go with you?

Op saying this blindly but get a grip here.

It will be a million times worse if you don't have them filled because once you've got an infection or abscess the pain is unbearable and you will be up shit creek without a paddle.

By far cheaper and less painful to get them filled now

Id go and talk to them about the issues you have, they may be able to do something a little differently so you won't experience what you're worried about.

I know I sound like a idiot
I've had operations and everything and not had this fear
I'm going to go and tell myself if I go I'll treat myself to a new top (kind of like when you were little and your mam bought you a toy for being good )ha ha

You went to the dentist for a check up, which was really brave as you're scared of the dentist, so you can absolutely do this. I didn't go to the dentist for years after a painful experience, so I know how hard it can be, but you took the first step!

Getting a filling isn't too painful - I had to get one when I finally went back to the dentist, and it really isn't that bad. And as others say, if not filled you can end up with infections which would be very painful.

I think it's a great idea to give yourself a treat, but you really do need to go, tell the dentist that you're nervous and ask them to explain what they're going to do.

You need to contact them and discuss your fears, dentists are used to dealing with nervous patients. You may need to change the appointment (they may need a bit more time) and make sure you can have someone to help you get home afterwards if they suggest a light sedative.

Do not cancel, find a way of dealing with it.

Cancelling won't help.

The required fillings aren't going to get better on their own, they will only get worse so it's better to go and get them sorted. Tell the dentist you are really anxious - they are used to it! Mine was really good.

Make sure you keep going to regular check ups no matter how anxious they make you feel. It's far better than letting it all build up until you have a problem that needs fixing. You've already taken the first step of the original check up!

Please go.

Do you know how many people are desperately trying to get NHS dental appointments? If you cancel now with 3 hours notice it’s unlikely that appointment will be filled and it’ll just go to waste. You’ve already wasted 2 other appointments.

At the very least if you cancel this one, please stop making and wasting more appointments.

I feel exactly the same and used to do the same until I put off a small filling too many times. I then ended up with toothache and needed root canal work done.
I’ve now wised up and horrible as it is I will have anything I need done quickly rather than go through that again.
Keep telling yourself it’s almost over and then have a lovely treat afterwards.

Oh and I second telling them how you feel. My dentist knows how awful I find it and she’s really good about it.

Please tell them how you feel. I absolutely get it & its horrible. But I told my dentist & he was fantastic at reassuring me & told me we could break at anytime if I put up my hand. Just knowing that helped me get through it. I didn't need to put my hand up in the end, just knowing I could was enough. Good luck.

You can do it! In just over 3 hours it will all be over and you can be proud of how you did it. 3 hours, it’s nothing!

Hi, I recently went to the dentist for a procedure, in the same state as you, I had really got so worked up and worried- the dentist said 'how are you today?' and I burst into tears! And then he couldn't have been nicer! I rebooked and basically just had to talk myself into it,. tell myself it would be fine instead of telling myself it would be horrible. I feel more confident now that I can cope in future and yes, I do try and remember that I'm lucky to have a dentist so to make the most of it.

Please go. The teeth needing filling won't get better, they will only get worse. If you tell them you are nervous many dentists nowadays can offer gas and air, sedation or other techniques to help. Our dentist will do sedation, gas and air and has TV's above the many of their chairs so you can watch TV whilst having any treatments done.

Around here, cancelling 2 appointments would get you kicked off the list. Nearest dentist taking on even private patients is over an hour away. Waiting lists for private treatment are 3 years long. NHS lists are all closed with people been told that the wait for an NHS dentist is over 6 years. Any emergency NHS treatment is done at the dental hospital which is just dentist chairs in a hall with dentists all working side by side and is 2 hours away. A friend had to have an emergency extraction due to infection. She too is a nervous patient, she waited 3 months on antibiotics for a space at the dental hospital. She was terrified when she saw it was 20 chairs all in a room, separated by curtains and drills, suction and dental tools whizzing constantly. She was given sedation but it was terrifying for her.

I couldn’t put off any longer going to the dentist for a painful wisdom tooth. I knew it’d have to come out. Sat in the waiting room in sheer panic. Told the lovely dentist I was so nervous. She did an X-ray and agreed it needed to be taken out. I could have fainted. She did the numbing injections and I thought please just let her get on with it. Two minutes later she told me it was out. I didn’t even know she’d started. I came out walking on air with bravery. Go, honestly you’ll be so glad you did. Don’t let your nerves get the better of you x

The anticipation is far worse than the actual appointment I find. Once it's done, I always feel a bit daft for worrying. I'm sure you will feel the same.

20 chairs all in a room, separated by curtains and drills, suction and dental tools whizzing constantly

I posted a thread at the weekend about my tooth drama (hence the username). I’d been told by my neighbour that my nearest emergency dental hospital was exactly like you’ve described.

I was on the phone to my NHS dentist at 8pm Monday when the lines opened, I was 8th in the queue and all of the emergency appointments for that day had already gone by the time I got to the front of the queue.

Thankfully my dentist squeezed me in (I think he probably sacrificed part of his lunch break or something) and I can’t speak highly enough of him, I burst into tears as soon as I walked in, he was so gentle as I was in so much pain akd took his time explaining what was wrong and how we’d fix it.

To be in the pain I was in and to think I might possibly not get an appointment when there are people so casually declaring I have cancelled my apt twice now is quite infuriating, and must be a contributing factor to the shit show that NHS dentistry is at the moment.

I understand and can sympathise with the fear, but then don’t keep making appointments and cancelling them.

@ToofHurty sorry you were in pain but a fear is a fear.
The two appointments I amended were done with over 3 days notice -not last minute so they would of been taken immediately

Oh well that’s ok then, I’m sure that won’t have cost them a penny in admin, etc.

If you’ve already cancelled two why’ve you made a third one?

@ToofHurty cost a penny in admin? What changing an appointment is that much of an inconvenience to staff ?
I'm not changing my appointment for a laugh
I changed it because I was terrified
I've booked a third because whilst I'm terrified I'm aware that it needs to be done
Just like people are afraid of heights and planes
I'm terrified
It's not just something I think il do for a laugh

Can you ring now and ask for them to give you a sedative?

I hate the dentist too! Last year I had to have 2 root canals done a couple of days apart. I was terrified. I downloaded desert Island discs on my phone (think it was a Dara O'Briann one). I listened to that and it took my mind off it.
If I can do it you can OP!

Please keep the appointment, the sense of relief and achievement you’ll feel once you’ve been will be immense.

I find the dentist insanely stressful. Get really anxious before hand even though I have got a total of one filling that took about 30 seconds and I couldn’t even feel (I was terrified and had been putting it off but it was less hard than even having them cleaned). The noise of the drill even for cleaning makes me incredibly jittery and I am not a nervous person normally!

Can you identify what part is the problem? Is it the noise? Fear of the pain? The feeling of it? There may be something the dentist can help with or things like noise cancelling headphones etc that could make it easier. The trouble is that small holes turn into big holes that need much bigger procedures.

Good luck- go but tell the dentist and ask for help. As PP said- it’s normal for them and they will have techniques

I hate the dentist so I always have any work done under IV Sedation, as my dentist specialises in nervous patients.

It is more expensive, but it ensures I get the treatment I need, without any trauma.