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Original poster

Traumatic dentist visit

14 replies

Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 21:22

I visited my dentist last week and stated I was having some hot/cold sensitivity in a tooth. After some X-rays and an examination it was deemed that an old filling was weak and we should replace it. All went fine and normal. I was told it would prob been a bit sore for a few days.
over the next few days the pain was increasing and I tried to cope with it thinking it would calm down. It didn’t and continued to get worse and typically it was Easter weekend and my surgery was closed.
the pain worsened and I ended up being seen by an emergency out of hours dentist. My face was also beginning to swell on the painful side. Emergency dentist removed the recent filling and began root treatment and advised me to call my own dentist the following day as I’d likely need antibiotics and to organise the next part of the root treatment.
called my own dentist the next day and was asked to collect prescription of antibiotics. My face continued to swell.
following day, my face looked so big and the pain was too much that I called the dentist back and they brought me in. it was clear that whatever infection I had was taking over my face.
in order to begin to drain the infection my dentist drilled into 2 of my teeth.
here’s the part I’m battling with. Due to the infection being so extreme, the numbing agent wasn’t effective and I felt everything. I was screaming and convulsing on the chair. And I mean proper screaming, not just a whimper. Proper horror movie screams. It lasted for roughly 4 mins but it felt like hours. My mum who had accompanied me and was in the waiting room actually ran out the surgery because she couldn’t listen to me scream. I’m still very much fighting the infection and on a whole load of different medications but whenever I think of those 4 minutes I completely break down. I’m so tearful and upset and so frightened that I might have to do that again. When my family have asked how it went I just dissolve into a blubbering mess and I can’t get the words out. Granted it was only a few days ago and I’m still very unwell with this infection but is it normal to be this upset by it? I don’t want to say ‘traumatised’ because that sounds so dramatic. I know my dentist did what he felt necessary and I absolutely don’t think it was malpractice. The holes are still open in my teeth as the infection isn’t draining fast and I’m back on Monday to see if any progress but I’m so frightened. Am I just being a drama?

OP posts:
OHEdentalnurse · 14/04/2023 21:59

Hi, I'm a qualified dental nurse.

Unfortunately due to the infection sometimes patient do not respond to the local anaesthetic. But the only way to release the infection is by drilling into the tooth to let it drain.

It can be traumatic and I have seen it plenty of times before but once the infection has drained the next time you have local aesthetic it should numb the area as it should.

Lots of people say "root canals are awful, they are so painful" it's not the root canal that is painful, it's the infection before they remember.

I hope this helps.

Tidsleytiddy · 14/04/2023 22:04

After my root canal treatment I went into a kind of shock. Had to get straight into bed when I got home. Was shivering and tearful so no, you’re not making a drama. It’s bloody awful x

L3ThirtySeven · 14/04/2023 22:08

Yes sometimes emergency medical care comes with pain & trauma.
There is no real bar for what is normal upset vs overly upset when it comes to trauma. Every person has a different bar and they’ve found that past traumas will gradually lower your bar so you are more likely to find a future trauma to be upsetting.

I think you are showing signs of post traumatic stress. But NOT PTSD (that’s more for other posters who might confuse the two).

These are symptoms of stress caused by trauma. It has also only been a few days and so you haven’t had time to process the trauma. Just be kind to yourself and focus on getting better from the infection. Once that is behind you, the fear should subside.

Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:08

OHEdentalnurse · 14/04/2023 21:59

Hi, I'm a qualified dental nurse.

Unfortunately due to the infection sometimes patient do not respond to the local anaesthetic. But the only way to release the infection is by drilling into the tooth to let it drain.

It can be traumatic and I have seen it plenty of times before but once the infection has drained the next time you have local aesthetic it should numb the area as it should.

Lots of people say "root canals are awful, they are so painful" it's not the root canal that is painful, it's the infection before they remember.

I hope this helps.

Thank you. I completely understand what happened and why but I’m just so messed up about it. I also understand it couldn’t have been nice for my dentist and his assistant to witness so I feel awful for them. And for my mum for doing a runner. Just the whole thing really. I’m still very sore and still swollen so I wonder if I’m just run down and therefor more emotional

OP posts:
BeyondMyWits · 14/04/2023 22:11

As the dental nurse said earlier, it is an infection, better out than in as they say. It is horrifying that they have to drill with anaesthetic not being effective, but it should feel much more comfortable as time goes on.

I had a triple root canal filling in one tooth yesterday. No pain at all. None, no trauma, just an ache from opening wide for 65 min. I did not have an infection though.

Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:13

L3ThirtySeven · 14/04/2023 22:08

Yes sometimes emergency medical care comes with pain & trauma.
There is no real bar for what is normal upset vs overly upset when it comes to trauma. Every person has a different bar and they’ve found that past traumas will gradually lower your bar so you are more likely to find a future trauma to be upsetting.

I think you are showing signs of post traumatic stress. But NOT PTSD (that’s more for other posters who might confuse the two).

These are symptoms of stress caused by trauma. It has also only been a few days and so you haven’t had time to process the trauma. Just be kind to yourself and focus on getting better from the infection. Once that is behind you, the fear should subside.

Thank you. Hoping the worst is over

OP posts:
Summerhillsquare · 14/04/2023 22:14

Its quite understandable, I don't know why sedation wasn't offered. Ask your GP for some valium to take before the next appointment.

OHEdentalnurse · 14/04/2023 22:21

@Prisonbreak

The fact you have a lack of sleep, pain, swelling, your body is fighting an infection.
You are going to be run down and emotional.

Make sure you eat fruit and vegetables, and drink plenty of water.

Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:24

Thanks everyone. I like to consider myself quite resilient but this has really messed with me. I’m on 3 different antibiotics 3 times a day and my dentist was talking about the possibility of sepsis so I realise he did what he had to do. But knowing what I know now, I can’t do that again

OP posts:
Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:30

OHEdentalnurse · 14/04/2023 22:21

@Prisonbreak

The fact you have a lack of sleep, pain, swelling, your body is fighting an infection.
You are going to be run down and emotional.

Make sure you eat fruit and vegetables, and drink plenty of water.

I’m so frightened to eat. Any time my teeth come together it makes the pain worse. I’m also so aware that these holes are open in my teeth and im worried something gets stuck in there. I’ve only had blended soup and yogurt for the past few days. Not ideal but anything else makes me sweat with fear

OP posts:
Akite · 14/04/2023 22:31

I had a traumatic dental experience in my twenties, vaguely similar int hat it involved procedure without anaesthetic. I'm generally a very stress-free person and mentally I knew it was fine and wouldn't be repeated but every time I went to the dentist for years afterwards I would shake uncontrollably. It was so odd because it didn't bother me going to the dentist but I had such a physical reaction to it. I would never ever do the same procedure again though, without being knocked out!

I hope you get some relief from the infection soon

UrsulaPandress · 14/04/2023 22:36

That sounds absolutely horrendous.

What caused the infection? Could antibiotics not have helped before going through that?

Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:36

Akite · 14/04/2023 22:31

I had a traumatic dental experience in my twenties, vaguely similar int hat it involved procedure without anaesthetic. I'm generally a very stress-free person and mentally I knew it was fine and wouldn't be repeated but every time I went to the dentist for years afterwards I would shake uncontrollably. It was so odd because it didn't bother me going to the dentist but I had such a physical reaction to it. I would never ever do the same procedure again though, without being knocked out!

I hope you get some relief from the infection soon

I’m so sorry you had a similar experience. I absolutely cannot do that again. I’m so frightened about Mondays appointment. I can’t go through it again

OP posts:
Original poster
Prisonbreak · 14/04/2023 22:40

UrsulaPandress · 14/04/2023 22:36

That sounds absolutely horrendous.

What caused the infection? Could antibiotics not have helped before going through that?

The theory is that the hot/cold sensitivity I was experiencing was the infection beginning and swapping the old filling for a new one aggravated it. Then I tried to tough it out over Easter weekend hoping it would ease up and instead it worsened rapidly. My dentist was concerned about sepsis so felt it couldn’t wait. I’ve been on triple antibiotics for 5 days so far and I’ve been prescribed another 7 days of double doses because it’s not shifting

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