14yo dd having filling very nervous any advice?

[catqueen]

This isn't very major but I thought I'd just post on here anyway. My 14yo dd has been told she has to have 2 fillings and they will require a numbing injection which she is very strongly against - anyone else's dcs had a filling without injection? Is the injection really necessary or should she definitely have it? She's quite sensitive to pain

I have just this afternoon taken my 13yr old dd for her first filling today! She was very nervous and has anxiety issues which she sees a therapist for so a bit more than the usual nerves I would say.

This is what I did.

1. Offered a reward for straight afterwards. The generosity of this award is entirely up to you!

1. Called the dentist and asked her if she could use the numbing gel on her gum ten minutes before the appointment to reassure dd that the injection wouldn't be too bad, which the dentist did.

1. Dd had her iPod with some calming music on it, she wore it throughout.

1. Sat on a chair next to the dentist so I could hold dd's hand and make encouraging noises.

It worked like a dream! She said she could hardly feel the injection at all because of the gel having been on a bit longer than usual, she didn't like the drill much but tolerated it very well and for the rest of this afternoon she's been having fun dribbling drinks and prodding her face.

Good luck!

Thank you so much! Will defo ask dentist about numbing cream sounds very helpful. Thank you for your advice

the cream sounds a good idea
Just tell her to practice mind-over-matter, I have learnt to have fillings w/o injections just by shutting off the pain, dentists always sound surprised :)

So it is bearable without injection - thank you so mch!