How do you get a hysterical needle phobic 12 yo to have a filling?

[VivaLeBeaver]

I think dd might need one. She had toothache yesterday while eating some sweets. I've told her she needs to cut down on sweets. Which she seems to have taken on board. Also explained that everything has some sugar in so tooth care needs to be a priority. Now she's just had some pain while eating a poppadom.

So I suspect she has a hole. Ill take her to the dentist next week. She's already not keen on dentists after been hurt during a checkup last year, dentist was a bit rough and made her cry. She's phobic about needles full stop so the two things combined aren't great.

She asked me how they numb you for a filling and when I said injection she started full on screaming and sobbing. If she does this at the dentists which she will do I'm just worried they won't do the filling.

Ask about sedation. They don't knock you out completely but you are happy as larry on gas through face mask. Worked for phobic DS

Second the 'happy' gas. DD was the best patient ever with it.

There is a dentist near me that does the happy gas as I was considering it only a few weeks ago but was brave in the end. Wasn't sure if kids could have it, thanks. Will tell dd as she's still crying so that might calm her down.

They can do gas instead.

Alternatively if you can prime the dentist beforehand, mine was great and said "Okay I'm not going to do the injection yet" brandishing that metal pointy thing that they poke into holes with, but isn't sharp enough to break skin. She then did the injection but because I was expecting the metal pointy thing it didn't hurt.

Children are often sedated for dental work if the dentist feels that they might find it too upsetting (or if it would make it hard to complete the work safely).

But your DD might need to be referred to a specialist practice and there may be quite a long wait.

Yes, the practice with the gas is one you have to be referred to and there is a bit of a wait which is the main reason I decided to be brave. Put gel sounds promising. Dd's a bit calmer now.

I hate that she's picked up on my dentist fear. Not sure how as I'm ok with check ups and we always go together every year. She's never been with me when I've gone for a filling which is when I'm a mess. I've been careful not to say anything negative in front of her.

We have no idea where or why our dd developed her dentist phobia ... she had it before she'd ever needed treatment for anything! She had to have a filling and dentist referred her to local hospital dentist for laughing gas. FANTASTIC!!! She could choose between 3 'flavours' - bubblegum, vanilla or strawberry. She was completely out of it! They then numbed gum with gel, gave her injection to numb pain a bit for afterwards, then did filling.
ABSOLUTELY GREAT EXPERIENCE!!

My DD is not keen on needles but coped very well with dental injections. It helped to have a calm dentist who explained what he was doing every step of the way.

Plus they numb the gum with a little gel before giving the injection. My DD said she didn't even feel it going in.

I had a filling last year and had no pain relief. The dentist suggested it when she realised that the needle was what was scaring me the most. She counted to five each time she was doing some work, paused, checked I was ok and then did another five seconds work. It was over extremely quickly and didn't hurt. Could that be an option for her?

Find a dentist that does anaesthetic with a "magic wand"- truly pain free and that is from me who is most dentist phobic of all!!

I think the key is to go to a very good dentist.

Going to a dentist does not need to involve ANY pain at all.

I have an excellent dentist in London (not NHS and not sure if he still takes more patients) and it is truly pain free (even a root canal). You don't feel the needle for the anaesthetic at all. So it is possible.

I don't know where you are, but if you are close to London, I would recommend him (you can pm me for contact details).