help me. ive just had a horrible experience at the dentist.

[nailpolish]

since pg ive had terrible gums - i go to dentist every few months and get a local anaesthetic to have my teeth cleaned and polished. anyway.

we moved last year and i was delighted to find the local dentist was taking nhs patients. so dds dh and i have been a few times now, dds are great and go no probs

last week i had a filling replaced right at the back - since then ive had an ulcer where he put in the local anaesthetic. its been agony so when i went in today to get another anaesthetic for my polish i told him this and he just shrugged. he then said "right we are going to clean and polish one side today and the other side next week so ill freeze one side"

i lie down and he gets the giant needle out i close my eyes and he starts injecting it right at the back of my mouth. ive had a few injections in my mouth and this one I KNOW is starting to go wrong. my whole neck feels like its being stabbed with knives. and my bottom lip feels like that too. i know as a nurse that he is probably putting the injection in too fast (i am thinking all this in a split second) so i lift my arm and tap his elbow to say "please stop"

he withdraws the needle sits back and starts SHOUTING at me "dont you dare grab my arm again i could have put that needle right into your neck"
well i didnt grab your arm i say
i started shaking and crying and still my neck feels horrendous. so i tell him this and he says "oh for god sake your neck isnt going to explode"
so i say back "yes i realise that im just telling you how it feels"
i am sobbing now and i just want to go home
"well you have to pay for your treatment"
so i do and then i ran all the way home

i am not a wet blanket about dentists etc and these things dont normally bother me but im still shaking and crying

does anyone know a lovely dentist in ediburgh please

could i have a glass of wine do you think

Has all the reaction stopped? How do you feel?

stick to tea I think...hope you feel better v soon

I am off to pick up dh, no wine till later.

Hope you feel a bit better soon.

my jaw aches and the arm is still numb and heavy. i think ill stick with tea. thanks, girls

nailpolish - he sucks!!! My dentist tells me to raise my hand if he hurts me and he will stop immediately.
Yours sounds extremely unprofessional in his manner and should have been the one apologising to you!!! Especially as you had to PAY to be shouted at! I am a nervous patient and this would have made me react exactly the same way as you! feeling very on your behalf... xxx

thanks lou
he told me boefore to tap his elbow if i want himn to stop
thats what i did - then he starts shouting at me for "grabbing" him
as if id grab him

You should definitely write in and tell them you suffered these after effects, they need to know what they have done I think!! Hope you feel better soon

nailpolish that story illustrates why dentists get a bad name.
What a horrible experience.

The injection you were being given is the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block. Google it is you want to really scare yourself!

From your description the needle touched on a nerve. Even with the best technique in the world this is unavoidable from time to time as the nerve is quite deep in the tissues ( hence longer needle) and of course people's anatomy varies and you can't SEE where your needle is going once it is in the gum.

If it happens with any of my patient I always apologise and explain what has happened and reassure them they will come to no harm ...and will be VERY numb for the procedure!

A more common complication of this injection is not getting close ENOUGH to the nerve and hence not being numb enought for the procedure.

Ususally if the nerve is hit you feel an intense shooting sensation like an electric shock, and numbness is almost immediate and profound!

It helps to inject slowly but even that does not prevent it every time.

It is most unlikely you will suffer any permanent damage, this is quite a common thing.

However I just want to say that your dentist's chairside manner leaves alot to be desired. ( that's an understatement). I hope you can put it behind you and not let it put you off finding a more human dentist.

I really don't understand how some dentists can treat their patients like this and still have patients to treat!

herecomethegirls

did you see that id called the practice you recommended? they were great. i spoke to a nurse and told her the saga and she went off to speak to one of the dentists and then gave me some good advice

thanks

jasper

waht you describe is how the injection felt. thanks for the reassurance

thing is, if ever this happened to one of MY patients at MY work, id have called them at home to see how they were doing.

nailpolish - I didn't read that yet..I am so glad you got some good advice though! Hope we can restore your faith in dentists a wee bit!

Oh NP poor you. I am terrified of the dentist and had been for years. I finally found a lovely woman dentist who i trusted completely.

Then she goes off and gets pg and leaves and

My new dentist seems ok but i am back to hoping and praying that i don't need anything serious (root canal etc) done ever again,i think they would have to sedate me!!

I would complain if i were you,they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it should they??

Thats absolutely shocking, you poor thing, big hugs to you . xx

i do want to complain, agalch, but you know what its like.

Yeah i know nP. It's really to be outraged on your behalf but i didn't complain about mine either.

Best to find a nice un and move on eh?

Fecking annoying tho. Hey cheer up,you WILL be fine and dandy for Saturday and we will be merry and gay yes???

yes i am REEEEEEEEEally looking forward ot saturday

i keep forgetting to ask - did you have a ncie birthday??

that SUCKS, naily!

i'm sorry that happened to you.

i had a lovely lady dentist in Rankeillor Street.

Not really NP. I was so pissed off at being ill and missing my lovely day away with DH the week before that my actual birthday?anniversary wasn't great tbh

Found out a few days before that my mum and dad were taking my db away on an all inclusive holiday to Gran Canaria because he's feeling a bit low. Well you would if you were living rent/bill free and getting subbed by your parents wouldn't you?

So as usual she didn't offer to watch the dd's and ds2 so we could go out for a meal or whatever. We did have a take away and some wine (watched the wedding dvd again lol) so it was lovely really.

But the way i feel is more to do with my parents than my birthday so forgive the moaning.

Saturday will more than make up for all the shit i have had tho

uch agalch that is such a shame. im sorry to hear that.

saturday is going ot be a hoot i [promise

Hey after last time i know it will be a hoot with you there lol!!!

DH is off tomorrow so might try and go shopping for something to wear,god if i wasn't such an awkward shape shops and i would get on fine.

np,

I have a full scale and polish every 6 mths. I have NEVER been given any kind of pain relief/anaesthetic for this NHS or private.

Was there a particular reason for the injection, had you asked for it?

I now see the hygenist for a slightly uncomfortable scrape, scrub and a seious ol' TePe sticking - it doesn't hurt but you do spit a little blood after.

(used to just get a minot scrape and mostly polishing which I hated as have a very tickly/sensitive mouth)

You poor thing, hope feels better soon.

I think they make the mouthwash pink so you don't notice all the crap and blood from the scale and polish...yuck

marmaduke, yes i had asked for it. my gums are in such a mess after being pg, having the scale and polish thing hurts too much otherwise.