Do I got to dentist or GP?

[Sorryusernamealreadyexists]

Sorry, I feel as an adult I should already know the answer to this but here’s a bit of a back story...

During my pregnancy with my youngest I had (HG) which basically meant I was throwing up all day. This inevitably led to me getting issues with my teeth which didn’t arise apparently until some years down the line.

Dentist drilled out molar teeth on both sides but had to stop as I could feel them drilling. They put in temporary fillings and I had to return to try again... they tried and I could feel them touching nerves despite 7 shots of local anaesthetic! They put in another lot of temporary fillings and in disgust told me I’d have to be sedated if I couldn’t handle the process.

Fast forward to today and I’ve not been to the dentist since, the two molars are still open cavities and I’m absolutely and genuinely petrified of going back and their attitude toward me.

Today one of the cavities has broken off below the gum line. I know they are going to need removing but as id need sedating, who would I need to see? A dentist? Private? Doctor?

I’m so disappointed in myself that I’ve allowed it to get this bad, so please don’t lecture me. I’m genuinely so fearful of going back

You need a dentist. can you register with a different one.,who is more sympathetic?

It would probably be a dentist. In a lot of places only emergency work is being done so I'd phone for advice first

A dentist.

Do you really need sedating? It sounds like you might just need a more sympathatic dentist, I wouldnt go down the route of sedation just yet.

You still need local with sedation, it wont make the teeth numb for you. If your previous dentist felt you needed sedation they should have referred you on not just left you.

When you say you could feel them drilling do you mean it was painful? Because you will still feel the sensation of drilling although no pain.

Dentist

@UncleFoster I could feel a very sharp pain every time they drilled, they said I shouldn’t have been able to feel it but I swear it was agonising. They never referred me onward to anywhere, in fact they never contacted me again, and I know I should have contacted them but to be quite honest I was petrified they’d try to do the same again.

I don’t think I could trust any dentist after this. It’s not the needle that’s the issue it’s the potential pain whilst drilling which freaks me out!

Dentist.

Change surgery. Mine is amazing.
She even uses a numbing gel before giving me the local anaesthetic.

Also, bizarrely you're not the first person to say the local anaesthetic didn't work. I had some recently for a root clean, in excess of ten injections, and it wore off as I walking back to my car, my mum was the same and DH (who prior to this had a filling without LA) I'm wondering if the new anaesthesia isn't as good.

(We have different dentists).

But seriously, change dentist. I fucking hate how some dentists feel they can lecture and belittle an already distressed patient.

Theres no new aneasthetic thats not as good. Theres aneasthetic with a shorter half life that wears off quicker, but its also a better aneasthetic

Some people have different anatomy which makes them harder to anesthetize, some people have a very inflamed pulp which can be hard to numb, if theres pus that can neutralise the LA, theres several reasons why it might be more difficult to numb a tooth. But in all honesty I see a lot of people whos dentist has said they couldnt get them numb and we can no problem. Sedation wont change that, it wont make you numb.

Its not really their job to contact you, but they should have given you a plan at the appointment. Either they refer you on, or bring you back to try again.

I think you need to find a new dentist, one whos more patient, maybe someone who specialises in anxious patients? Any friends who can recommend someone?

I am anti sedation for dentistry if it can be avoided because it can be difficult to continue long term dental care with sedation. Its much better to work with the patient to a point that they can have treatment under LA alone than start them on a cycle of lifelong sedation for dental treatment. Because you arent going to get sedation for emergency care for example, and sedation on the NHS is patchy at best, you can end up not being able to access dental care. Having dental work under sedation is not always the best solution for an anxious patient. I wont deny someone sedation if they need it but I wouldnt jump straight in with sedation

I'm dental phobic, Dentists turn me in to a quivering mess. I had a lovely dentist who I trusted but has now retired & sold the practice. During lockdown one of my wisdom teeth broke in half vertically, it was totally rotten. I had to have an emergency appointment to have it out, I was terrified, I always have to have the none adrenaline local anaesthetic as the other kind makes me ill & I didn't know the dentist, he couldn't have been nicer, it was a battle because the tooth didn't want to come out but he managed to get it out. Do you suffer from Fibromyalgia? I do & always need a lot more injections to get me nice & numb.