Please help me through my tooth extraction decision.

[chocolatespiders]

I have been putting off my tooth extraction for years now and the tooth has now split. I have been to the dentist today and he wanted to do it there and then - I burst into tears ffs.
I have had two children and didnt need pain relief so I thought I could handle pain quite well. I think it is the thought of the pulling and the waiting for it to be done I just cant bear the thought of it.
I could pay for sedation but this feels like dead money but if it is the only way for me to get through it it may be worth it
Would you get sedated for this? Please make me see sense.

Could I be referred to a more specialist dentist from my practise?

I lost quite a few teeth! For a single tooth sedation is unnecessary. Just get the pain relief injections. You won't feel a thing.

Pain in extraction site has gone but I have now developed a blocked nose on the side the tooth came out. As I had an upper molar removal very near a sinus nerve is this to be expected? I did have to do one of those open mouth sneezes as dentist said not to blow nose and sneeze with mouth wide open over the next 2 weeks otherwise it will affect the nerve....
Just getting a little anxious ...

I had a wisdom tooth taken out a couple of years ago. I was anxious like you, however I had a couple of injections and didn't feel a thing. In fact the injections were the worst part! It was out in a matter of seconds and it was INSTANT relief from months of the worst pain.
Hope it goes ok!

I would not think you need sedation for an extraction.

It's really quick, and all you will feel is a bit of pressure. They don't pull, it's more pushing if anything.

Hi @chocolatespiders the aftercare was straight forward. My dentist advised to rinse with a salt water solution 3 times a day, be careful with chewing and brushing teeth on that side, also to leave the gauze in until it falls outs naturally which it did after 2 days. He also said NOT to use any kind of mouthwash for a few weeks as it can irritate the gums and dry the mouth a lot which can lead to dry socket. He's against mouthwash anyway as he says even the best ones stains the teeth even if you don't notice! Just make sure to follow the advice you're given as that will help to prevent dry socket. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

@Butterfly98 how are you?

I’m bloody terrified of the dentist after a traumatic childhood experience. I’ve actually had about 4 teeth removed, as I am so terrified of the drill. I’ve since had sedation for fillings, which is bloody brilliant!

But the point of my post was to say that I have found extractions far less traumatic than fillings. It’s over pretty quickly and a big sense of relief when it’s out!

@kitkat47 yes I'm fine thank you and I think @chocolatespiders will be as well! My gum healed up very quickly and because the tooth was at the back it hasn't made any difference, though I avoid eating almonds now as my dentist said they are one of the worst things for causing a tooth to literally crack in half!

I am so having bad luck with this all ffs.
Gum felt very sore for a few days and recently calmed down.
Now since Tuesday the tooth next to the extraction site is throbbing on and off. Not sure if it is an infection spread or the trauma of the tooth being removed and a knock on effect on the next door tooth. Anyhow called dentist for advise and she said it is not normal for the tooth next to extraction site to hurt and so I will be back in the dentist chair tomorrow.... grrrr
Need to go back to normal ...!!! Getting fed up ...

@ScaredyCat123 I think mine is infected. I have such a horrible taste in my mouth and my jaw is sore.

Well back again ...

First thing I said to the dentist was I genuinely do not like seeing you
He took it in good spirits ....

Anyhow as I had an upper molar removed with three roots in the molar one of the roots has developed a dry socket BUT has started to heal over. So the dentist said he won't unpick to give me the dressing but gave me my 4th course on antibiotics (I am now stressing about antibiotics resistance) ...
He is confident I will be better within 3-5 days otherwise I warned him I will be back
as I am flying long haul next week.
In addition my sinus is paining me .... getting paranoid about having that sinus problem now as well but I haven't experienced any of the water dribbling out of the nose symptoms etc as I keep telling myself to calm down a little. I should have asked the dentist about this but stupidly forgot ...
This extraction has made me so anxious and paranoid ....
@Kitcat47 go and see a dentist if things don't feel right ...
I've been so many times in the last couple weeks feel like an idiot ...

This thread is making me want to cry with fear. I am SO scared of the dentist. I have an impacted, partially erupted wisdom tooth which has been causing me a lot of pain this week and I think the site is infected. I was meant to have it - and two other - impacted teeth out in my 20s but chickened out. 30 years later they've rarely given me any trouble (the odd bit of jaw stiffness) until now.

I had a really bad throat infection - I think tonsillitis - for about 3 weeks and just as it was clearing up my wisdom tooth started. The area where it is poking through the gum bleeds slightly and the gum line is sore and painful - though not red. I've been keeping my fingers crossed all week that it would clear up but it hasn't and it really doesn't feel right.

When I went to dental hospital in my 20s I was told that because of the position they'd have to cut into my jaw bone to get it out and there is a risk of nerve damage.

I'm also terrified of sedation. I remember having teeth out at the dentist as a child with gas and air and being unconscious but feeling the searing pain of each extraction.

On top of that, we've recently moved house and I haven't registered with a new dentist. And feel so pathetically reluctant to see anyone new, I'm contemplating a 200 mile journey to see my old one.

I feel horrendously panicky about it. And really stupid when so many people are dealing with life-threatening conditions ☹️

Does anyone know how long a dry socket takes to heal naturally on its own?

@Medievalist best to get teeth sorted ASAP in case things go worse ...

Medevilist I had two impacted wisdom teeth and they had to cut my jaw bone to remove them. Because of that I had a general anaesthetic in hospital. It really wasn’t that bad at all. While I haven’t posted before on this thread I have been closely following it because I am scared of the dentist and have just had to change to a new one. Despite my fear it really was fine.

Just go and get registered as soon as possible so you can get sorted. Big hand hold while you do it

Oh lord I dont know if I should gave read this thread...

I have an upper molar with a crown which has been causing issues for about 3 weeks. I've been to my dentist 5 times so far. X-rays showed nothing amiss so he thought the tooth was dying and recommended root canal treatment. He started that. It still hurt. I went back and was xrayed again and was given antibiotics. Still in pain. I went back and he anaesthetised the tooth and cleaned out between the bone and tooth where there was a pocket of iffy tissue. It still hurts. The only option left is extraction.

I am fine-ish with all this stuff (for someone who, fifteen years ago, couldn't actually walk into a dentist's without nearly fainting) But tooth extraction sends me into a panic. I feel shaky sick and downright terrified. I can get sedation but will probably have to wait and I cant really afford it. But the tooth being crowned might be difficult? And it's a molar with bent roots.. oh my gawd. I feel SICK. I just dont know what to do. Can you still get diazepam for pre treatment nerves? Should I go with sedation?

I want to crawl under a stone and wake up when it's all over. I was 60 last week too😭

@KittyCuckoo I totally understand where your coming from. I have a total phobia of the dentist. I only registered again to take my daughter.
I've just had a tooth out under sedation. There is a waiting list where I live for sedation. So I asked the dentist to refer me for sedation privately to a different practice as my dentist doesnt do sedation. Xx

Thanks Kitkat47. My dentist can't believe I get so nervous as I am very good at acting calm on the outside (inside I'm a complete **ing mess!). This dentist has given me far more confidence in getting treatment- he's excellent and I've had root canal, crowns, veneers and all the fillings etc . I was a 60s child and inherited crappy teeth and gums as well as suffering from the disgraceful dentistry from that time where our teeth were filled for fun.

@KittyCuckoo*
*
I'm about your age and, as you'll have seen from my earlier post, am every bit as terrified of the dentist as you. And yes, my fear also stems from being a child of the 60s/70s with a drill happy dentist and parents who let me eat sweets and drink fizzy drinks.

I can remember sitting in the dentist's waiting room, which was in a big old house with copies of Country Life on the table. I can remember hardly being able to walk into the surgery my legs were shaking so much. And, suffering from overcrowding I had to have teeth removed under gas and air (ie just enough to knock you out, but not enough to prevent the pain of extraction, and certainly not enough to stop me throwing up for hours afterwards).

Am steeling myself for a trip to the dentist tomorrow to see about my partially erupted wisdom tooth which is clearly infected 😩

Good luck tomorriw, Medievalist!

I'm going to call my dentist first thing to discuss options. Eek.

I had teeth removed too as a kid. The gas... just thinking about it gives me horrors. My dad was a GP who also did dental anaesthetics - so he knocked us out (with blocks of rubber in out mouths and a mask clamped on our faces). Our dentist was in a little red brick terrace in the outskirts of Leeds. It was really grim.

I always had an uncomfortable relationship with my very overbearing dad and I'm sure my dental fears, particularly extraction terrors, stem from my experience with him and Miss Clough, the childhood dentist.

Thank god for modern dentistry.

I just had a wisdom tooth out and honestly it was not painful at all (and such a relief after a painful infection). Even the injections were ok as my dentist numbed the area beforehand my holding an anaesthetic pad on my gums, though you do feel a little pinching. With the extraction itself you just feel pressure as the dentist rocks the tooth to loosen it. I’ve been on ibuprofen and paracetamol since but it’s not painful, just a bit achy at times. So far so good with healing, just need to avoid food with small bits and rinse with salt water after eating to avoid anything getting stuck.

Much better to have it out than risk an infection, which for me was really painful. Good luck!

I was meant to have my wisdom teeth out in my 20s but the appointment never came through. I didn't chase it up because the consultant I saw said the bottom wisdom teeth were lying on their side with roots wrapped round my jaw bone so they'd have to cut through the the bone to get them out. And the nerve might be damaged which could leave me dribbling - for days or indefinitely....

This is why I am so absolutely terrified.

Medievalust - don't forget that dentistry and surgery generally has come on immensely since you first were diagnosed with this problem. I'm sure noone will leave you dribbling. Lots of positive thoughts for tomorrow 😊

@ScaredyCat123 I'm going back to dentist today. I have pain down my jaw. Its waking me up at night. It's not swollen but tender to touch. Not as excruciating pain when tooth was in though. It's been 2 weeks since tooth was taken out. X

Well back to the dentist for the 5th time (&$*£ sake )

So antibiotics worked to reduce some of the throbbing BUT the tooth next to extraction site has flared up and was bothering me ...
It's one flipping thing after another ....
So back to the dentist again today
He said that the throbbing on the next door tooth is probably residual pain and as a result of the dry socket ... having looked into my mouth again he said socket wasn't healing as great as it should be and asked whether I was suffered from anaemia (not to my knowledge).
This time he placed some brown stuff (packing?) on the socket (tasted strange). Has helped with the next door tooth pain. However he did say it would drop out in the next day or so but should help the healing process ....
Trying to google what the brown stuff is but keep receiving conflicting info... give up if anyone is able to enlighten me ....?

So packed for holiday but stressing about tooth.... 
I am too scared to eat, drink and brush my teeth with this brown stuff in my mouth in case I disturb it ... so fed up ....
Silver lining .... I have lost half a stone in 10 days with all of this ....
@Kitcat47 all the best with your appointment

Not sure why the entire paragraph came out in bold ...
Unintentional !