Advice, wisdom tooth removal for a sickly and anxious patient

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I'm dealing with a bad infection in a wisdom tooth and it will need to be removed which I'm terrified about. I'm not bothered about pain or after effects, but rather I'm terrified of throwing up over the dentist. I have an extreme fear of being sick and unfortunately gag too easily when at the dentist as it is, so the thought of fiddling around trying to take out a very back tooth is not sitting comfortably with me. Is there anything I can do to help prevent myself being sick during the process? Any help at all is appreciated. Thank you in advance for any advice!

Talk to your dentist about the possibility of sedation. It is mind over matter, and it’s not easily done.
I had a back tooth out and I was shitting it, had a panic attack in the chair. They got it out eventually but they didn’t mention sedation until they’d pulled the bugger. Helpful.
A decent dentist will know how to help a patient with anxiety or with gagging, I imagine it’s more common than we know!

The only sedation available is the usual gas and air, which has no effect on me whatsoever. I'm sorry it was so worrying for you too!

I think if your anxiety on it is that bad and you’re really worried, they can refer you to a dental hospital and get it done possibly under general; pray it doesn’t happen again but should I ever need to have another tooth out I’ll be pushing for that route without a doubt.
My dentist mentioned taking a tablet before the appointment that they can prescribe, might be worth asking!
Best of luck and hope it all goes as well as it can do; tooth pain I think is genuinely worse than labour pain it’s so horrid!

No advice on the sickness worry I'm afraid. I just wanted to say I've just had a tooth out and was terrified, about the injections mostly but it was really fine and I wouldn't worry to have it done again. Good luck x

They can prescribe you Valium to take beforehand. Only a couple of tablets. You can ask for it to be done under GA

Have you had gas and air as a dental patient? It reduces the gag reflex

Hi OP. Have you had gas and air for dental work before? It's normally really good with patients with a strong gag reflex. It suppresses the reflex, if you are worried I would recommend it.

Loads of patients gag tbh OP, I honestly wouldn't worry. I have never had anyone be sick when doing an extraction. I have emetephobia too (great choice of career lol ) and so I'm really careful with patients but I don't recall anyone else telling me it had happened either.

It really is mind over matter, try to breath through it and you can always raise your hand if you need a break. You should be totally in control, no dentist can do anything on you without your permission, and no dentist can carry on with a procedure that you want to stop.

I doubt you will feel sick, but if you do, just tell the dentist you do and stop, that's absolutely fine. And absolute worse case scenario, it's only sick, you wouldn't be the first and you won't be last. Dentists work in peoples mouths, we deal with a lot of gross stuff everyday, honestly do not worry about it.

The only options available are in the normal surgery in the chair with gas and air, apparently nothing else is able to be offered. I have had gas and air for every dental work done to date but I've never noticed any difference, I only know it's there because of the thing on my face, it has no other effect on me. I really don't want to make the appointment because I'm too worried. Thank you all for helping to reassure me!

You could ask your General Dentist to refer you for IV Sedation OP. That's a viable option in most areas of the UK. There may be a local provider in a nearby practice or it may the local hospital Oral Maxillo Facial Surgery Hospital Unit. There are a few contraindications to IV Sedation but hopefully your Medical History will permit this. Most IV Dental Sedation is with Midazolam and the dentist is the Operaor/ Sedationist IYSWIM. IV Sedation is generally more profound than Inhalation Sedation.
I am really impressed that your General Dentist provides Inhalation Sedation . Where I work, Inhalation Sedation is provided in Community Dental or the Dental Hospital... and it's strictly only for up to 16 year olds & Special Care Adults. I only work within the NHS, presumably your practice is Private.

When i lived in London I had a broken tooth and hadn’t been to the dentist in years due to severe phobia. They were so lovely - referred me to the community dental clinic for a path up with gas and air and then on to the hospital for treatment with IV sedation

I now live elsewhere and I have two broken teeth and my teeth are a mess - I can’t manage to even sit in thr chair. I don’t know what to do but from what I’ve read, gas and air isn’t available in NHS dentists. There is no dental hospital service. I literally have no clue what to do about it!

Hi OP, i have the same phobia and had my wisdom teeth extracted under a GA in hospital, however speak to your dentist about this being an option. I still cannot go to the dentists because of it, good luck.