Tips for staying calm if you struggle at the dentist.

[Glitterkitten24]

My tooth has broken and I have an emergency appointment to see dentist this afternoon.

In recent years I really struggle getting work done at dentist. This tooth is really far back in my mouth and difficult to access which makes it all worse.
I have a really strong gag reflex and am fighting not to gag and panic the whole time.

If you are similar, please share your coping strategies to help me get through this.
God, listen to the state of me - please don’t tell me it’s not a big deal because my rationale brain knows that but I can’t help how I feel about this.
send help!

Hello!

best thing you can do is contact them in advance to tell them you are really nervous. There are so many people who are anxious about the dentist (including myself) and they are SO used to it.

I find they then treat me especially gently and will talk me through everything (if that’s what you want).

And I just keep my eyes completely shut!! And treat myself with something nice after - like I used to go and buy a candle or some nice hand cream from the Waitrose opposite straight after!

Just to say I didn’t go to the dentist due to my anxiety for about 15 years??? My teeth were a disaster but they were absolutely wonderful with me and I wish I hadn’t been so anxious. To the point I used to sit through the pain in agony knowing that the nerve would eventually die so the pain would eventually pass!

Not sure if that’s helpful or not!!!! They’ll be really nice to you though, I promise!!!! And the anaesthetics etc that they can give you are really subtle and quick and easy so it will be painless!

Oh when I had my wisdom teeth out, I wore really comfy clothes and let myself be all snuggly.

could you try thoughts of kittens when your eyes are closed? Just guessing you like them based on your name!

I think if you really can’t cope - they may be able to give you sedation. But I can tell you are going to get through it! So, snuggly clothes, buy something nice for yourself afterwards, and think of kittens jumping into your heart (in a cute way filling your heart with love!!!)

Tell the dentist you're terrified.
My dentist can prescribe a low dose diazepam as a one off for large fillings etc
Wear headphones and listen to music (I've not tried this one yet)
Concentrate on taking long slow deep breaths

You need a nice dentist and unfortunately they're not all nice! Some are impatient and mean. I had terrible problems until I found my current dentist. He's so calm and relaxed it makes me feel better.

I just close my eyes for anything unpleasant. I find it helps me if I'm not watching him looming towards me with various tools! I also continually tell myself that the quicker it's done, the less time the unpleasantness lasts and the quicker I'm out of there.

Tell them you are really, really nervous and ask for a valium prescription. They can prescribe one or two pills to take before. The dental nurse held my hand and that helped a lot. You can maybe ask for her/him to do that. Be upfront about how nervous you are don't try and just be brave or hide it. Good luck.

Thank you all. Despite my best efforts I promptly cried when I went in to dentist and she immediately referred me to have the work done under sedation.
I have a temp filling in, but so relieved to be getting it via sedation.

thanks for all your replies.

Rescue Remedy will help.

Try to go somewhere in your mind. You will not feel shy pain only a vibration.

It takes minutes and the longer you can tolerate it the sooner it will be over.

It's horrid experience but focus on the euphoria you will experience nice they're done

God it's annoying when autocorrect thinks it knows what I want to say better than I do

I’ve had to have some treatment recently and the x-rays made me gag. The only way around this was to take the x-ray after the local anaesthetic had been administered as the gag reflex is calmed down. Honestly I just thought that it’s only an hour of my time and to just grin and bear it.

well done op 🙏