to be scared of having my tooth out?

[KayAdams]

Long back story - pregnant with my DD (who is now 17, so this was mega ages ago) and my left hand side bottom molar tooth cracked. I went to the NHS dentist who "fixed" it but it's given me toothache ever since. It has since been refilled but it still used to hurt every time I bit down on it.

Earlier this year I was flossing and the filling came out YET AGAIN - but this time the hole is very very deep. It doesn't hurt unless I eat sugar and I clean it diligently about 3 times a day so, ironically, it's causing me less pain than it has done for 18 years.

Anyway, I went to a new dentist this morning (we moved to a new area) who said that I have to have this tooth extracted. I'm fine about this, as I'd been asking my previous dentist to do this, but he kept wanting to save the tooth.

Anyway!! My AIBU - my new dentist wants me to go under general anaesthetic. School holidays are coming up. I'll have kids at home. My DH will have to take at least one day off work to look after me them. And I don't want a GA at the dentist! But I don't want to have a local either. I suppose I'm scared because a GA is quite severe and then there's that little part of me who thinks it can all go horribly wrong and I won't wake up .

Is be scared to have GA at a dentist too.

I had a tooth out under LA. Wasn't fun, but not dire either. Hurt like hell after. DH had the same and he had no pain after.

Ooohh - what was it like having it done after local? Could you feel it rocking backwards and forwards? Did they have to drill down hard and for a long time? FFS. Have you ever seen Marathon Man with Dustin Hoffman?

Are you sure he meant you would have it at the dentist? I thought GA had to be in hospital these days?

He's referring me to another set of dentists who have a bigger practice. So yes, it will actually be at the the dentist....

Im pretty sure GA for dental work are only used for serious surgery, multiple extractions and people with severe dental phobias, a single tooth extraction isn't a major procedure. I'm very surprised you were offered it.

I had a tooth extracted under LA a few years back, it wasn't a nice experience, but it wasn't awful either. I felt a bit shaky for about an hour after but then I was fine. I am a bit of a dental phobe, I suspect most of the shakiness was just adrenaline rather than anything to do with the actual extraction.

So when you say "wasn't a nice experience" - what exactly do you mean?

GA has been banned from being done in practice since around 2000. It is always done in hospital. And its not clinically justified to be done for one tooth. I would check perhaps they mean sedation

Are you sure it's nor sedation you've been offered rather than GA? That would explain larger dentists.

I had 5 years of hell before getting mine out, was waiting for sedation but too much pain so got diazepam and got it done under local.

Was very . . . vigorous but not painful, awful lot of pushing and pulling bet genuinely no pain.

Had one done under sedation too, was fine but wasn't out that much, expected to be with fairies but was campus throughout.

And you will be numbed so the most you feel is pushing and pressure rather than pain.

I've had a few teeth extracted, mainly as a child for orthodontic reasons. All under local. All but one was fine, the needles hurt a bit, but it's a quick twist and pull and the tooth has gone. A few seconds of discomfort while the needles go in but otherwise fine. Really. No drilling!

The one that was more of an ordeal was one I'd had an abscess and root canal in when I was 18. It had cracked and been refilled and ultimately had a new abscess in. I was given the choice of an expensive bridge that might not hold or having the tooth out. As it was a long way back and you can't see it, I opted to have it out. Because it had been root filled and then rebuilt with pins and posts it was very brittle and more or less had to be dug out. It was an unpleasant 30 minutes. If I was going to have an extraction like that, I think I'd prefer a GA.

Sounds grim really does if you have been offered G A it might be seen as an operation althoygh dh got major work done under sedation he still needed supervised afterwards if it needs out then just arrange to have it out your health matters too your dh can take a days holiday

I don't think you're unresonable. I'm having a wisdom tooth out next week and am shitting it!
At least once it's out and healed you won't have anymore trouble. Look at the long term posetive a rather than the negatives.

I only had GA for my 3 impacted wisdom teeth. If you have sedation you will be fine I promise you. DW recently had this for a different medical procedure and she is terrified of hospitals, needles etc. She managed really well and said she wasn't really aware of anything horrible at all. Good luck!!

I think he offered me GA because I'd told him that I'd had a filling done as a child without anaesthetic and I've been rigid in the dentist's chair ever since.

I don't think my tooth is that bad. There's no infection/ abscess and it doesn't hurt as long as I keep it clean. Maybe I should just bite the dental technician's hand bullet and go for LA.

It is SO not fair. I brush with an electric toothbrush 2-3 times a day. I floss. I use dental sticks. I have regular check ups. I have fillings. DH never does any of the above, he only went to the dentist last week (after a TEN YEAR gap) because he wants his teeth whitened and all they did was clean them. He doesn't need work done to them.

I'd ask why he feels a GA is necessary. A good dentist should explain everything to you (something I didn't realise until I accidentally got a fabulous NHS dentist)

I think I also have bad associations with GA as I've had 3 traumatic D&Cs due to miscarriage complications. I've got used to them, but I couldn't stay awake for 3 days after the first one, probably due to the shock of having devastating news at the 10 week scan. Anyway, all this was before my DS was born, so there's good news in the end - but I'm still nervous of a GA outside of a maternity unit.

I had 2 teeth pulled under GA in hospital due to severe phobia. It was absolutely fine. I was so scared beforehand and actually had to be wheeled into the theatre as I was shaking so much I couldn't walk but every member of staff was lovely. I lay down, there was a quick scratch in my arm and then I woke up about a second later. There was no pain whatsoever; they had given LA before I woke up so that the numbness kicked in and then kept feeding me painkillers regularly throughout the day. I just remember the feeling of absolute relief, happiness and a sense of calm when it was over. The surgery took place at 8am and I was kept in until about 4pm until they were satisfied I wasn't going to have any adverse effects from the GA. Honestly, I don't even remember a woozy feeling, I was just immediately awake and filled with relief that it was over. Later that evening, my gums started to throb a bit but even that wasn't too bad and was sorted out with paracetamol.

I would do it under GA again in a flash! That said, it does sound as if you will be going for sedation at a larger dental practice as I think GA is always done in hospital.

Dh is dentophobic and he has had stuff done with gas and air too im terrified before i gobut i am fine once im there a toothout doesnt hurt you do feel pulling which is a bit urgh but its ok and doesnt hurt

YABU but it's understandable. I also have an unreasonable fear of dentists and dental procedures. I put off having a wisdom tooth extracted until the pain was literally unbearable - I couldn't sleep at night with the pain, and painkillers didn't get anywhere near it. So I finally plucked up courage and went to the dentist (had to register first because it's been so long since I went!). The dentist said I could either have it done under local the next day, or general at hospital but I'd need to wait up to six weeks for an appointment. So I opted for local in fear and trembling. The reality was such an anti-climax. I took headphones with me so that I could listen to music while it was happening, and I closed my eyes tight, waiting for the worst. The local wasn't nice as I had to have quite a lot of anaesthetic pumped in. Then the extraction itself happened, and I barely felt a thing. When the dentist tapped me on the shoulder to say it was done I was very surprised as I hadn't realised she'd started!!

I like your post MorningtonCrescent - it's to the point, yet very reassuring. Thank you

Pinching the DD's headphones will be a good idea. After all, it's all her fault

I've had two teeth out since February. Both under locals. It was unpleasant but not painful. About to have my third out. I've never had a filing and literally grinding my teeth away from stress. I'm getting a mouth guard to protect the rest. Shit year.

To change the subject completely, I'm just googling the route I need to take, to take the kids surfing this summer. I've found a town in Cornwall called Feock. I'll shall be thinking of that when the tooth is being taken out.

Feock.

Feock.

I am petrified of the dentist. I had to have a tooth removed, and was going to have sedation. In the end I was in so much bloody pain he took it out with LA. I dont know quite what i was afraid of. I didnt feel a thing, even when he was tugging. I was singing at the time. No really!!
Are they offering you more sedation in case it breaks? I was told if they couldn't get it out in one piece, I'd need more surgery to remove it. Mine was like yours, big hole in a molar