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Original poster

Dentists - why are we scared of them

105 replies

Ailsa · 02/10/2002 00:12

I never used to be scared of the dentist, but for some reason, don't know what or why, over the last 12 months I've got really scared of going.

After having raging toothache all weekend I finally plucked up the courage to go to the dentist today.

I had to have a new set of records because they couldn't find mine and someone elses.

I've got 2 broken wisdom teeth which have to come out. It turns out that the wisdom tooth that isn't giving me any grief is the one that's worst.

I chickened out of having the painful one pulled today, but have got another appointment to get it sorted.

OP posts:
monkey · 14/10/2002 20:10

thanks jasper - sorry to be a pain, but am I ok to get the anaesthetic or do I have to be brave? My dentist is rather hard to get hold of & my language isn't always good enough for me to be 100% confident we're both talking about the same thing sometimes!

ks · 14/10/2002 21:14

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robinw · 14/10/2002 22:29

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Demented · 14/10/2002 22:51

Thanks Jasper, I have passed on what you have said to DH.

jasper · 15/10/2002 01:29

Good grief Monkey, there is no place for bravery in modern dentistry IMO! Get the anaesthetic and plenty of it!
Robinw I am shocked at that advice, which is of course nonsense.I know community dentists are a slightly different breed but that's ridiculous
ks I am guilty of doing that "how did the holiday go?" thing with hands in your mouth, but you see when you reply "umaargaawarrgh" your dentist can understand exactly what you are saying.

Cadi · 15/10/2002 10:16

Jasper

Interesting stuff - I had a filling whilst pregnant and the Dentist put in a silver filling :-( If Dentists are advised not to - can I complain that he did? would it be taken seriously? He didn't explain anything to me.

jasper · 15/10/2002 18:25

Cadi there are no hard and fast rules. Like all these grey areas you are supposed to weigh up the risk- benefits and it is unlikely your dentist thought there were any risks or he would not have put it in.

I had silver fillings placed ( and dental xrays taken) while pregnant if that is of any interest.I would not have been happy to leave the tooth the way it was for months, or to have made do with a temporary filling.

As a general point ALL complaints are taken seriously; there is a recognised complaints procedure in the NHS. Every year we have to fill in a form at the practice to say how many complaints (if any) we have had.

Hope this helps.

Cadi · 16/10/2002 14:13

Thanks for the reply Jasper :-) I'm just really annoyed that he didn't see fit to tell me so that I could make an informed choice - if there are any risks with a procedure (especially where my unborn baby is concerned) I think I have a right to be told but all too often health professionals think they came make those decisions for us because they know best grrrrr!!

Not directed at you - I'm sure you would have informed your pregnant patient of the issues :-)

susanmt · 16/10/2002 14:37

Can I ask a question? DO you think it would be OK to make an appointment to see a dentist and not have him look in my mouth? I know this sounds stupid, but I am terrified. My mouth is a disaster area - I had root treatment started on 3 teeth a few years back but the dentist was so horrible about it (lectured me the whole way throuh about looking after my teeth, the reason I had got into trouble was that I had been depressed and wasn't looking after myself properly) that I never returned. Of course, these three teeth have now totally disintigrated and it hurt, but I was so determined not to go back (was still ill) that I let it happen.
Now we have moved and our local dentist is by all accounts lovely. I want to go and meet him and tell him my experiences but not have to get in the chair on my first appointment. Do you think this would be OK? I know I am going to need a lot of major work to put this right, so I want to be sure of the dentist before I start. And yes, I know I am an idiot.

jessi · 16/10/2002 21:36

Jasper, another question here! I went to the dentists last week (ds was meant to get a check-up too but wouldn't open his mouth!) anyway, he said that I need to replace two back silver fillings as they are old. I asked why and he said they were just old. I asked if there was any damage to them or decay and he said that he would check for decay when he drills them out. Do you think they really do need replacing? He wants me to have them both drilled out and replaced with white ones using some horiffic looking clamp and rubber sheet thing! I'm not too keen and wonder if that is a valid enough reason to replace them just because they're old?! I don't have any pain from them and am reluctant to do this unless I really have to. He said I should see him whenever to do this, no urgency, just when its convenient. Any advice you have would be appreciated!

ks · 16/10/2002 21:49

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sb34 · 16/10/2002 21:57

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susanmt · 16/10/2002 22:11

No, about as far from SW London as you can get, on an island off the west coast of Scotland!

robinw · 16/10/2002 22:28

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jasper · 17/10/2002 03:40

Totally agree Cadi.
Susanmt I completely despair of some of my colleagues when I hear of dentists "lecturing"patients about their mouths....as if having to have dental treatment wasn't bad enough.
Yes, it is perfectly OK to go along and have a look/chat without going in the chair or opening your mouth. Just tell the receptionist that when you phone up.Or Robinw's idea is a good one - go with a friend and hang about in the waiting room.
I once had a man who was so nervous he had suffered toothache for 30 years and had a serious paracetamol habit. His wife threatened to divorce him if he did not see a dentist. On his first visit (just to chat, not to come into the room) he was so anxious he could not even step outside the car! We corresponded by letter a few times before he had any treatment done.
He is now completely cured of his phobia, loves anything to do with teeth, is forever sending me dental articles from newspapers and appears to really enjoy his 6monthly visits. ( I should warn you that recovered dental phobics, myself included often develop an obsessive and unhealthy interest in all things dental )
Jessi I am slightly confused by the way your dentist has explained (or not ) the need for refilling these teeth; please bear in mind I have not seen your mouth,but piecing together what he has said to you, I can only assume that what he is describing as "old" is when after many years a filling may become "ditched" around the margins. The filling is still intact, not loose or broken , but is said to be " leaking" . Basically that means there is a tiny crack between filling and tooth which is prone to decay as bacteria get trapped in it. It is generally best to get these refilled before decay becomes apparent, because often the decay can have started underneath the filling.( It would not necessarily cause pain in the earlier stages of decay.) I assume this is what he is meaning by checking for decay when he drills it out.A tooth with a leaking filling will not always and inevitably go on to decay, so sometimes a dentist might make a note in the record card and adopt a "wait and see" policy. But it is erring on the side of caution to replace it at the earliest signs of leakage/ditching. The fact he wants to use rubber dam is a measure of thoroughness/good practice.
However if you are still worried/not keen ask him a bit more .
Hope this helps.

jessi · 17/10/2002 19:05

Hi Jasper, Thanks so much for the info, I will have to ask him abit more about it. I think its 'cos I'm such a wimp at the dentists, that I was really hoping you'd say theres no need to replace them!

susanmt · 17/10/2002 23:23

Thanks Jasper. I'm going to try and pluck up the courage to phone tomorrow!

robinw · 18/10/2002 07:43

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jasper · 19/10/2002 02:00

absolutely, Robinw, and I speak as an ex phobic
Many dental phobics have really good teeth for this very reason!

Original poster
Ailsa · 24/10/2002 23:53

I'm going to the dentist on Monday to have the offending wisdom tooth out.

I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!
I will not chicken out!

OP posts:
jasper · 25/10/2002 01:19

Good luck Ailsa, I'm sure it will be fine

Original poster
Ailsa · 28/10/2002 20:26

It's done - easy peasy, didn't feel a thing.

OP posts:
ScummyMummy · 28/10/2002 20:34

Well done, Ailsa! I'll try and keep you in mind as my inspiration when I finally pluck up the courage to go. So scared that the dentist will say they all have to come out immediately...

jasper · 28/10/2002 20:34

Hurray !

Chinchilla · 28/10/2002 20:48

Well, I had some work done on a receding gum last Wednesday. It didn't hurt (well, after about 5 injections!) but was not the most pleasant thing I've ever had done to me! I am now sitting here with this disgusting putty stuff welded to my gums which is supposed to protect the stitches, but makes me want to gag. I now know why the dentist said not to have the work done prior to any major events. I look like someone who has chewed some gum, and stuck it to their gums for later! When I really grin, I look mad, so now I am smiling like I have a major sense of humour failure - you know, no teeth, just a tight lipped smile.

Ailsa - hope it went well. Just think that the tooth would have caused more long term pain if you had left it in than it caused being removed!