Root canal and dental fear

[OhForkIt]

I’m posting this for anyone in the same boat as me who’s been searching the site obsessively with dental phobia.

I spent YEARS in the grip of dental phobia. Been once in my adult life and that was a rough experience that made it worse. Sleepless nights, imagining all sorts from oral cancers, loosing teeth. Actually developing anxiety spreading into affecting my life.

I took my children to a dental outreach and the dentist was lovely. I got the courage to go for a check up and she was great. I need one thing- a root canal. Not the best way to start off with a first, but also a hell of a lot better that what I imagined. I cried, acted the fool... and was always treated with total respect.

Went back for treatment and I coped. She used no dams or things in my mouth, understood my gag reflex. Totally lovely. Dental nurse (male) went over and above. Held my hand, counted breathing even! Talked l, distracted me and was so kind. I got through it, no pain apart from a short needle jab. When she drilled she counted down which was so helpful, no more than 10 second bursts. Kept up chatter.

If I can go from the state I was in to a root canal in two visits YOU can with the right person. If you’re in east London I can PM the place to you. Apart from this tooth I have good teeth it turns out. I’ve made a fool of myself there and they were so understanding- so you don’t need to worry on that front 😁.

Well done for going and getting the treatment done! Your dentist sounds fantastic but you also did really well to go for the check-up and then to have the root canal work done.

Congratulations!! I managed my root-canal with IV sedation (the best thing). Then a normal filling and scale and polish with inhalation sedation.

I'm proud of you! You achieved a lot :)

I'm with you on this ladies, I feel so so sick when the dentist looms this week I managed a large filling instead of a crown as my jaw is still swollen from root canal.
My OH is very sympathetic about my fear and since I came off anxiety medication after 10 years it's been more difficult but I will overcome.
Raising a cup of tea to you all xx

Our local sedation clinic doesn’t do root canals, only extraction so I had to if I wanted the tooth. Luckily it’s not far back as my gag reflex is high (even have to hold the X-ray sheet with a finger). I have a dodgy wisdom tooth that may need something in time, decided with dentist that’s probably an IV job!!

Funnily enough the scale and polish bothers me more, as it’s everywhere. Thank god I don’t need one (but feels mean I did need rct if they are so clean...)