just booked my first ever dentist appointment in 10 years

[giraffesCantFlyLikeReindeer]

I am quite proud but also laughing in a rather manic way!! Had really bad pain in wisdom tooth lastnight and was bleeding a bit - I think it is growing in a funny way and food getting stuck.

ANyway that suddenly pushed me to make appointment. Receptionist was lovely. And appt is next fri. (Could have had earlier one but Fri is my day off)

Does this mean I am a grown up now?!! fgrin

oops this was meant to be chat!

If it's your wisdom tooth and they offer you an earlier appointment - grab it. Its Christmas next week and you don't want to be suffering!

giraffes I have my first appt in 12 years in 50 mins.

Feeling as though I'm going I be judged.

Only made the appt because I have toothache and I get help with expenses through work

Getting nervous...

Dont worry about it. I never understand people who book 'routine' dentist checkups. No one does that with their doctor - why do it with the dentist?

I just go when something is wrong. Its ten years and counting.

I just think that when I go to the dentist they always find 'something' wrong which I cant see or feel and then they suggest some massively expensive treatment. Its just asking to be ripped off like garages that always find some expensive thing that needs replacing on a car at every annual service.

No I just go when it hurts. Last time for a dodgy tooth the dentist suggested I should have capped or crowned or something. I said 'nah just take it out and leave a gap, its at the back and no one will notice'. What he failed to diagnose was my teeth were wearing away. He was only interested in the money.

Dental health is more important than you realise (no I am not a dentist). Your mouth is the first line of defence and heart issues have been connected to bad teeth. I know that going is a drag or for some people, it is a phobia or fear. But it's important....

isnt it better to find something and prevent it from getting worse/have it fixed rather than not realising you have a problem and letting it get bad and then trying to sort it out though?

worldental.org/teeth/teeth-problems-and-heart-disease/70/

Santa I do understand how important it is and dd is a routine dentist attender but for me it's the cost. like I say though I will get help through a fund at work so here we go!

Well done for organizing that appointment as Santasapunkatheart is right. Dental appointments are really important to keep. I never went for about 5 years and nothing hurt but I had to have a couple taken out which need never had to happen if only I'd kept my appontments.

Good luck! I haven't been since my maternity exemption wore off (can't afford it) so I may not make it until I need one. It's a shame that dental work is so difficult to access for many through expense or phobia, as I agree it is very important.

I'm pretty sure I need a filling. I'm worried that I may need some taking out. no phobia but that's rather extreme :-(

I didn't go to the dentist for 10 years. When I went there was nothing wrong! Still haven't had any fillings/teeth out/etc. Dentist even asked me what I was doing as she couldn't find the slightest hint of decay or anything.

Apologies for being smug about this but I don't usually have much to be smug about so I am being OTT smug about my teeth

Well done OP. DH and I have just been after 7 years. He only needed a couple of fillings but I needed rather more including a root canal, even though I have had no problems at all and floss etc more than he does. It was embarrassing and a pain in the ass, but I feel soooo much better now I know everything is sorted and I don't have an app for another 6 months. Good luck!

I just go when something is wrong. Its ten years and counting.

Sorry, but this is really bad advice. In my case, I had no pain at all - if I'd left it another 6 months I'd have lost the tooth I've had the root canal in. If I'd gone 12 months earlier, I wouldn't have needed a root canal.

He showed me the Xrays. Maybe you need to change your dentist if you think he/she is dodgy.

Although I guess you weren't telling OP to do that, sorry!

Myth of teeth/heart disease debunked.

That's my excuse, anyway.

My trip was ok. One filling, one root canal which may possibly be solved with a filling... So gonna try that first.

All in all OP don't be worried. They are there to help.

Just a quick q, I get NHS exemption because of WTC so my exam today was free and I'm aware that in entitled to some free treatment. SO, if I have a root canal which I think is £209 normally what will I have to pay?

Ignore the £209 it comes under £48 one. But still what do I pay...?

MIL goes to dentist every 6 months and they found a cancerous growth on her tongue which she hadn't noticed at all. So if 6 months is long enough for cancer to make an appearance............