And dang it, for someone who’s phobic of going to the dentist, that’s a pretty damn big accomplishment!
I’ve been phobic of the dentist since I was a kid and my dentist and his nurse HELD ME DOWN SCREAMING to inject the Novocaine. Since then, I have always been terrified of the dentist, and even went to a dentist who specialized in phobic patients in NYC (who was amazing - I have considered going back to him when I’m visiting in NYC - Ohio to NYC isn’t that far:D). I’ve never, ever driven myself to the dentist - in NYC, the dentist’s office would send a car for me (because they knew that they wouldn’t see me otherwise), and here, ElzaHub or my MIL have driven me to all of my appointments - because I have skipped numerous appointments because I’ve been too terrified to drive myself.
Today, I didn’t have a choice. It was either go, or pay the fee without getting my two small cavities filled - and I considered skipping it, but I knew ElzaHub would be disappointed in me - and I hate having him disappointed in me. So I ignored my panic attack (because it was right on the surface - I have no idea why I was able to prevent it this time), got in my car, drove myself to the dentist, and got through the Novocaine and drill without one freakin’ tear.
You have no idea how proud of myself I am right now.
And I have another appointment next Tuesday morning that I’ll be driving myself to - AGAIN.
Sheesh. I almost feel like I could kill a spider in my house now. A big one.
I hear ya. I started going to the dentist this summer, after a) not going at all, for years and years, if I could possibly avoid it, and b) not being able to afford it. Now I have no choice. Previous dentistry has been among the worst experiences of my life. Like the time the dentist had his knee on my chest, trying to wrench a tooth out of its socket. He dislodged some of the bone in my jaw in the process. Then he made me a partial that didn’t fit right, broke another tooth, and hurt like a mother, not to mention that it impaired my speech and ability to eat. So I never wore it.
I told my new dentist that being there was like going on “Fear Factor” for me. She has been very good about it. She’s removed seven teeth (I did say it had been years) and installed three crowns, all without pain. I guess you just have to pick a good dentist, and we seem to have lucked out.
I applaud your courage, because I know exactly what you’re talking about.
I found a wonderful dentist - he gives me valium for the night before and the morning of the appointment. He says he does it in self defense: 1) he doesn’t want the arms ripped off his exam chair, and 2) he doesn’t want me to have a heart attack in his exam chair.
Oh, believe me, I didn’t get there without a Xanax. It’s absolutely necessary. My NYC dentist would give me a liquid sedative the second I walked in the door (have I mentioned how much I LOVED that office??), and he will always be my favorite dentist (I got headphones and watched soap operas while they worked on my teeth), but I kinda like this one because he’s insane and he ignores my freak-outs - which I don’t think would be a normal course of action for a phobic patient, but I think his being insane helps. I put headphones on and listen to my own MP3 player, but he just ignores me when I clench the sides of the chair.
fishbicycle, someone who understands - yep. It’s exactly like Fear Factor. You have to spend an hour psyching yourself up, then ignore the climbing terror in your chest, then fight the urge to run.
I’m really impressed that you’ve been through extractions without pain. Your dentist sounds amazing.
When I was a kid I hated the dentist because my dentist at time time seemeed to hate kids and wasn’t very understanding of the fear that kids have of getting a cavity filled. I refused to go to the dentist for a couple years after that, and I was only five!
But now my dentist is awesome. I still don’t like going to cleanings because I hate the way the polish tastes, but all the dental assistants there are awesome and my dentist is hilarious. He always comes in singing whatever is on the radio, and badly.
After not going to the dentist for years, I found a great one and had my teeth fixed in 11 appointments. Luckily I was still drinking at the time. I had to have early morning appointments so I could show up sober, then leave and get drunk. Often I didn’t make it home before opening the wine!
I’ve since given up drinking, but I still go to the dentist twice a year.
I’m not as phobic as you are, but I know pretty much what you mean.
My major dental accomplishment so far was getting through getting a crown. The dentist was great. But I was terrified! Oddly, though the needles and things scare me the most, the worst bit (as in, the only part that hurt aside from the initial needle pokes) was getting the actual crown fitted, since he had to sort of shove it up there. Owie. But it’s fine now. It was super-sensitive for several months, but better than having to have it yanked, which I nearly did.
The next thing I fear is a root canal. I have this horrible feeling that I’ll need one eventually. Pass the Valium!
Good for you, Elza! I also had a crown last year, whiterabbit, and it was a great achievement for me to get through it all (drug-free, I might add - cognitive therapy is the best!)
Congrats on your courage! Good job. Your husband must be super proud.
Does anyone have any advice on finding a dentist that’s understanding of phobics? My boyfriend is not only afraid of the dentist, but he also has a severe needle phobia, and he desperately needs to get his teeth fixed. I’ll make the appointment and hold his hand through it, but it’s going to be a really terrifying ordeal for him. He wants somebody who’ll put him to sleep the second he gets in the door, but I don’t think that’s too likely.
Alma, there are some dentists who practice sedation dentistry. They put you to sleep, and go nuts on your mouth, and you need to have a ride home. When you wake up, the work is all done, and you didn’t feel a thing. I couldn’t get any where I live, but I’ve seen them listed in the Yellow Pages.
Your boyfriend probably doesn’t like needles in the mouth any more than I do. But now they have a lidocaine gel (it tastes a bit like Ora-Jel). They dip a swab in it, and put it between your cheek and gum to freeze the area before they put the needle in. Works wonders.
Maybe your dentist has poor needle-sticking technique. I couldn’t feel anything beyond a bit of pressure. She’s the best at this maneuver I’ve had yet.
Different people have different nerve reactions in their mouths - I always have to get the painful, pinching, roof-of-your-mouth needle when I have work done on the top. My mom didn’t even know they froze people there. And I always feel the needles, regardless of dentist, but the lidocaine jel helps a lot.
Ah, “sedation dentistry.” I wasn’t sure what the term was, so thank you fishbicycle, I was able to find some information.
I don’t think I’ll be pointing my boyfriend to this page, though. I’ll have to tell him that nobody ever feels the needle, ever. Never. Plus he can’t look at it, so maybe that will help.
Well, now that it’s the next day, my mouth’s really hurting - where he put the Novocaine in :rolleyes: . Since he wasn’t very gentle about it, I’m assuming that’s why it hurts. Of course, that’s making me dread going next Tuesday - we may be back to ElzaHub taking me in because I know I’m going to panic.
I told him last night that after these cavities are filled, I’m switching dentists. This guy’s insane and rough, and I already have enough fear issues - we’ll just have to tell him that my new insurance doesn’t cover his office.
I don’t mind having my teeth cleaned, but any procedure involving a needle must be preceeded by a long drag of nitrous oxide and accompanied by continuous application of same.
This is standard practice at my kids’ pediatric dentist. You can peek in and see a whole row of children stoned out on “Mr. Nose”.
Never helped me much…the surface of my skin goes numb, and then the needle hurts when it goes in.