To be terrified to have my wisdom tooth taken out?

[augustslipped]

I need to have my wisdom tooth taken out and I'm terrified. I've been referred to a specialist dentist and I had an appointment booked a few months ago and I ended up cancelling it as I just couldn't bring myself to go. I'm really, really scared about it and I'm not usually scared of the dentist or medical procedures.

I'm scared about hearing the tooth crack as they pull it out, and the idea of having a huge hole in my gum freaks me out. I'm worried about the recovery, and I know I'll be really anxious anytime I need to swallow any food or drink in case it dislodges the clot. I'm scared if I get dry rot when the dentist is closed and I'll be in unbearable pain with no help available.

I went for a routine dental check-up and the dentist urged me to get the wisdom tooth out as soon as possible as food is getting trapped under it and I'll end up needing my molar out too otherwise. I floss and brush so diligently but obviously it's not enough and there's only so much I can do when the tooth is impacted/sideways.

I know i'm being a baby but I'm so scared

I had both bot ones surgically removed. They gave me so my r sedation bc and seriously I couldn’t have cared less about what was happening, that stuff is awesome. I was higher than a pilots lunch box and at one point I felt one of the stitches but didn’t give the slightest fuck.

to bc avoid dislodging the clot do not smoke, use a straw or swish for 24 hours afterwards. I rinsed my mouth by just holding salt water in my mouth the letting it ‘fall’ out. No swishing or spitting. I was scared of the hole and didn’t touch it at all until it was fully healed. I got an infection bc and to be fair all it felt like was a jagging pain and the dentist gave me antibiotics straight away. It’s honestly not the nicest to go through but within a few days it’s fine.

I asked to be sedated. I was still petrified and in tears as they sedated me but didn't feel or remember a thing. I was super careful afterwards not to dislodge the clot and had no issues at all. I couldn't explain what I was so scared of but was just terrified. Please ask your dentist about sedation.

I had one out. Difficult removal, it was horizontal in my gum. Was totally fine, recovery was easy, back eating within a day or two

Don't remember much pain tbh

Also, yes was sedated on the nhs. Was referred to a private dental hospital by my dentist and sent away with some expensive mouthwash and pain relief all free of charge.

I’m having all 4 of mine out soon and I’m also terrified! I’m being out to sleep for it.

I gotmine out a year ago. Had heard it was supposed to be bad so asked the dentist if I would need someone to drive me. He said no.
It all went fine and I was back at work an hour later with no issues.

If it's any help I had one pulled out, very complex and felt nothing during the operation. Tooth was basically horizontal! It's the care and pain afterwards you need to manage well, I didn't find it too bad with painkillers and I have low pain threshold. take a few days off from work if you can, you will be fine!

Can you ask to have this taken out at the hospital so you can be knocked out? With my first wisdom tooth I did this, but I hated waking up from the anaesthetic and felt my recovery was slower than the last wisdom tooth I had taken out which was at the dentist.

I didn't hear a crack, I literally felt nothing because he started finishing up and I said why haven't you took it out? And he said I have? It was honestly nothing! I was told prior to me having that one out that it was very close to a nerve and was going to be complicated to remove, clearly it wasn't! The only thing I didn't like was the injection but it's only the initial part and is practically the same as when you go for a check up and they prod your gums!

I was worried about complications after but just make sure you eat on the other side, stick to soups and soft stuff. NO STRAWS! They can cause problems.

Honestly, it's not as bad as you think and I wouldn't waste your time going private! If you're worried about hearing something maybe ask if you can take headphones?

I've had 2 out, a top and a horizontal bottom one. Both were 5 minute jobs. The bottom one I needed a couple of stitches as they had to cut the gum due to the tooth not being fully exposed. Mild bruising on my cheek and a bit tender for a couple of days but not anything that couldn't be managed with ibuprofen and paracetamol.

The worry on the lead up to the procedure was worse than it actually was. If you feel you would benefit from diazepam etc to calm your nerves, the uave a chat with your gp to see if they can prescribe something for you.

I put off having the procedure for 2 or 3 years, I really wish I hadn't.

Thank you all. I decided to ring up the private dentist but they can't get me in until next month which is a busy time at work. I then rang the NHS dentist I was referred to and they can fit me in next week so I'm going to go with them. I can't have sedation as there's a long waiting list for it, and I have a few weeks off before going back to work in September so it makes sense to do it now rather than have to worry about needing time off from work etc.

I've contacted my GP to ask about diazepam, I'm not sure if they'll prescribe it but I wanted to at least ask.

The part I'm most worried about is the recovery, so after thinking it through it made no sense for me to pay privately as I'll still have the same recovery process.

I think the part I'm finding difficult is because the wisdom tooth has never caused me any pain, it has caused decay in my molar in front of it but I never even knew about that as it was completely painless and was only revealed in an x-ray. It's like my brain can't compute putting myself through pain for 'no reason'. I just keep looking at the picture of my x-ray to remind me that it needs to come out.