Phobia of the Dentist

[Aquarius1234]

I haven't been to the Dentist in over 15 years, maybe longer.

Its taken me a few years to get to the point of nearly being ready to book an appointment.

My teeth are not horrible..but stained through caffeine/ drinking coke semi regularly over the years.
Typical enamel wear on tips which is a shame.

I love chocolate but sweets I avoid.
I pretty much never drink alcohol these days and never smoke.

But I think I could have some form of Gum Disease and potentially need fillings.

Be told wisdom teeth need removing..even tho they have never bothered me.
I have had some average tooth/ gum ache but it tends to go away after a few weeks or less.
If it didn't go away, I would have booked a check up sooner.

Its been so long, I can't even remember how to sit in the chair or what happens, other than the dread of sitting there and hearing the counting.

AIBU to have avoided and ignored for so long...

I get it. When I went to uni, I forgot about the dentist and didn’t go again until I was 30. Part of this was bad experiences as a kid.

Got a very good private dentist and couldn’t believe how easy and painless it all was. Only needed one filling and it was a breeze.

Now I never miss an appointment and even got my old black amalgams changed to white ones recently. That was quite the process but I no longer fear dentists.

Don’t put it off, dentists will have seen way worse than your teeth. Good luck!

Find a good private dentist who advertises dealing with patients with phobia.
Get checkup booked
I meantime. Get a decent electric toothbrush. Make sure your doing two mins a day and flossing.
I brought dh an autobrush and thats really helped him as he hated normal electric toothbrush

Yes I have looked at a few dental practice s and seen who is good with nervous patients in their profile.

Tho still hard to know..

I do floss the teeth im able to..I can't with some of them too small a gap.
Yes to electric brush. I often end up forgetting to charge and using normal brush! I have recently got those long brushes for wisdom teeth as mine are awkward and only ever half came through. Crooked. But other than that.

Yeh I can imagine it was awkward that first time back having a check up.
Obviously I was struck off my last place and I would be far too embarrassed to go there anyway.
It would feel like walking into your old school.
Thought im sure everyone has left its been that long!
Its the waiting room that used to freak me out.

Pressing a buzzer to get into a new Dentists ive looked at makes me nervous for some reason!

I know exactly how you feel. Pre Covid I had a fab dentist who understood my phobia and I would go every six months. My last appointment was just as we went into lockdown and it got cancelled and I’ve never been since. I know I need a couple of fillings and the thought of going fills me with fear. I know I should bite the bullet and go as I’ve got a couple of recommendations for dentists who deal with very nervous patients. I’ve come close a couple of times to book an appointment but can’t do it.

Yes I have been very close to booking.
I just don't want to be told I need various stuff doing.

That’s me. It’s like a catch 22 isn’t it.

I am a 70s child and my experiences of the dentist growing up were akin to a horror film so I had an absolute terror of the dentist in adulthood but toothache made me go back and it was honestly fine. The injection was the worst bit and then it was just uncomfortable. I’ve even had a root canal and that was just uncomfortable too. No pain at all.

Okay. Did they not use injections in the 70s/ 80s ?
I know my Mum had a horrible Dentist in the 80/ 90s. But then he retired. More not gentle and broke tooth by accident etc.

I dont like the idea of being told I need several things doing. When it might not be totally needed.
But going for a 2nd opinion is just as scary. And costs money.

Has anyone had a 3d X Ray? When your a new patient you have to have X Rays..
I hope they are 100% accurate and dont mis lead a nervous patients.

They could tell me I have lots of decay that is only seen on the X Ray etc.