Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Ouch - tooth out!!! Has anyone done this and survived??

32 replies

lisalisa · 08/06/2004 14:47

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
nutcracker · 08/06/2004 14:51

Hi, i had 8 teeth out when i was younger, because of overcrowding. I can honestly say that it's never bothered me one bit.
The most painful bit,is the injections, but that only lasts for a second or two.
Had a wisdom tooth out about 2 yrs ago, and had no probs then either.

You'll be fine honest

sponge · 08/06/2004 14:58

They put a bit of anaesthetic on the gum before they do the injection so you hardly feel it. Having the tooth out then doesn't hurt at all. It will ache afterwards once the anaesthetic has worn off but they give you good pain killers for this. It won't be anyhting like as bad as you're imagining. Honest

Flip · 08/06/2004 15:01

The injection hurt me the most. Then I spent the rest of the time trying not to laugh as she tried to pull the tooth out. At one point she took her shoe off and had her foot on my chest. I'm sat here grinning about the thought of it so no long lasting damage.

elliott · 08/06/2004 15:31

I had lots of teeth out as a child and became completely phobic about dental injections - I ended up having to have general anaesthetic. I have since grown up (a bit) and a few years ago had two wisdom teeth out with a local anaesthetic - I was very proud of myself! Had an excellent dentist though. I think techniques have come a long way since my childhood and if you make sure your dentist knows you are nervous, they will to all they can to make it painless. It certainly wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd feared.

elliott · 08/06/2004 15:32

Should add - I didn't feel the tooth being pulled at all. Injection just felt like a bit of pressure on the gum.

Original poster
lisalisa · 08/06/2004 15:37

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
JJ · 08/06/2004 15:42

With the gel it doesn't hurt at all. Really. Also, if you are phobic, they can give you happy gas (nitrous oxide) to calm you down.

I had a dentist who was good about making me calm, but he wasn't a great dentist otherwise. But his brother, an oral surgeon, was fab. Who are you seeing? (Is it in Central London in the City?)

tabitha · 08/06/2004 15:46

I had an impacted wisdom tooth taken out when I was younger and I can honestly say that it didn't hurt at the time. Had a bit of pain and swelling afterwards but it was bearable with paracetemol.
Also, if the dentist is any good, they can give injections with minimal pain and I speak as the world's biggest coward when it comes to dentists .
You'll be fine.

Janh · 08/06/2004 15:51

Didn't see your message yesterday, lisalisa, sorry!

I had to have a molar out a few weeks ago - the injection was the worst bit as usual, the actual extraction was a doddle - mind you the tooth was in a very bad way. It didn't hurt much afterwards either, stopped bleeding promptly and I didn't have to take any painkillers. Obv we're all different but HTH!

Original poster
lisalisa · 08/06/2004 16:27

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
agy · 08/06/2004 16:29

If you can manage to relax while you have the injection, this can help. Just keep remembering, its gonna make the next bit sooo much easier - and that you'll soon be rid of the hateful tooth!

Blu · 08/06/2004 16:33

LisaLisa, it really doesn't hurt, honestly. I know what you mean about the fear, it feels very unnatural to have someone doing things in your mouth, and I do feel trapped and out of control. But dentists are used to very nervous patients. Before hand, agree that she/he will stop immediately any time you go 'aaarggglgle'. I find it helps to listen to the inane radio station they always have playing, or think about something else completely whilst concentrating on keeping my feet relaxed. Every few seconds just be conscious of relaxing your ankles and toes, and maybe wiggling them a bit.
IT WON'T HURT, you can sometimes hear it. It makes a velco-y ginding noise for about a second when the tooth comes out. But it should be over very very quickly. Breathe calmly, and relax those fingers and toes consciously every few minutes.

Ixel · 08/06/2004 17:21

I had one out opposite my wisdom tooth, to make room for the latter. Am terrified of the dentist. But he was v good looking, which helped, as I didn't want to embarrass myself. Just close your eyes so you dont see the needle, as its worse than any feeling. But it was alot easier than I thought. Over in seconds. No after pain, as I dosed up on paracetemol. And you can ask for a sticker at the end of it all...

Mirage · 08/06/2004 20:53

Lisalisa,I had a wisdom tooth out years ago without a general anaesthetic.I had to go to hospital & they reccomended that I have a GA,but I was too scared & refused.(Have had Ga's since,& don't know why I was so frightened).So they did it with just a painkilling jab.

I honestly didn't feel anything apart from a lot of tugging (it was impacted) & was so relieved afterwards that I nearly fainted.

I have never liked injections in my mouth,but it was all fine.
Good Luck

cuppy · 08/06/2004 21:20

Lisalisa, I too need to go get a tooth out buthavent yet had the balls to book my appointment.

Its not the injection that scares me - its imagining someone holding my head while my tooth is yanked out, and the noise of it crunching out.

I'm scaring myself even more now!!

helenmc · 08/06/2004 22:45

I had a wisdom out a couple of years ago - do have something to eat a good hour before, as I hadn't and felt all faint aftewards. But it really wasn't that bad, and a bit sore for a week afterwards. Beside you've gone through childbirth - you can do ANYTHING! On a funnier note, I had a work colleague who was so petrified she got Valium before she would go to the dentist. Trouble is she forgot to take the pill the night before so doubled up the morning dose...still she said it was the best ever trip to her dentist - like floating on clouds.

helenmc · 08/06/2004 22:45

cuppy - if the thought of the noise scares you - could you wear headphones and have your fave music on???

Nome · 09/06/2004 00:41

Hi Lisa, good to see you back. How are the gallstones? And your new baby? Poor you, I had to have a wisdom tooth filled a month after ds was born and haven't had the guts to go back since!
Last time I had a tooth taken out the dentist gave me a little injection to numb the site and then a great big one at the back. Don't look at the needles...and I found relaxing my fingers one by one gave me something to think about. Apparently if your hands are relaxed your jaw is more relaxed, opens wider etc. No idea where I read this though. Good luck

JosieP · 09/06/2004 02:50

Hi there
I had all four wisdom teeth out a couple of months ago - they knocked me out with IV sedation (I'm currently living in hateful Texas, USA) - obviously didn't feel anything until I woke up. They gave me great painkillers (I'm bf'ing my 5 month old dd) so I had to pump and chuck my milk for 24 hours until I stopped taking the painkillers. I ate scrambled eggs/ rice pudding and yoghurt for a week and after 10 days I was totally back to normal. Good luck!

colinsmommy · 09/06/2004 04:19

My favorite was the laughing gas. That was lots of fun. If I remember, it hurt a little bit, but I didn't really care.

bloss · 09/06/2004 04:34

Message withdrawn

Ghosty · 09/06/2004 05:09

I too hate the dentist ... well, not the dentist but I have developed a phobia of the injections over the years (had a lot of treatment as a child) ... Once I jumped so much when the dentist was putting in the injection so the needle bent 45 degrees .
Two things that help for me
a) Find a sympathetic dentist and make sure he/she knows you are a 'big baby' ... they always laugh when I say, "Be nice I am a big baby when it comes to dentists!"
b) I know this sounds silly, but I always ask to hold the nurse's hand ... ... they never seem to mind and it helps me.

Oh, and a tip a dentist gave me once - squeeze your earlobe really hard so it hurts just as they are doing the injection ... it really works to take your mind off it

Good luck LisaLisa ....

Ghosty · 09/06/2004 05:15

I just remembered something that happened to me when I was about 14.

I had to have two teeth out ... and some other gruesome stuff done that I won't go into. My mum and dad went with me to the dental surgeon for what we thought was the preliminary consultation after having x rays etc. So he went into minute detail about what he was going to do - when I say minute detail I mean MINUTE detail ...
At the end my mum said, "When shall we do this then?" and he said, "I can do it now if you like!"
That was it ... I was out of that chair and off, out of the room and sprinting down the corridor! My Dad had to chase me all the way to the reception of the hospital and bring me back!
In the end they agreed to give me a week to get my head around the idea ...
That is how much of a baby I was and am!

zebra · 09/06/2004 05:48

I had a wisdom tooth that needed to come out at very short notice (wonderful dentist who fitted me in as an emergency appt between other patients). About 3 years ago.
The jab hurt more (but still not much) than the tooth-pulling, honest. The tooth came out cleanly (with roots) with one good yank -- it had long term rot and was infected. One of the easiest/best dental treatments I've ever had.

robinw · 09/06/2004 06:46

message withdrawn