Because I have to!

[alisonb]

For as long as I can remember I have always dreaded that visit to the dentist :shock: .I pride myself in having taken very good care of my teeth-because I have to!!
I am petrified of any dental procedure-to me that is what nightmares and horror movies are make of.
My last visit was app 20yrs ago-I am lucky ,I have strong teeth-well, so I thought until a couple of hours ago. I had a tug-of-war with a piece of biltong(jerky) and broke a molar-Agony!!!
Tonight the nightmares will start-tomorrow I will find the courage to visit a dentist-because I have to!!! :shock: :shock:

Anybody share my fears of a dentist. Wonder what the correct word would be for this phobia??

 

[1982vett]

Dental phobia, Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures

Several others that may have an impact-----

Aichmophobia – fear of sharp or pointed objects (as a needle, knife or a pointing finger). (don't bite the dentist when they stick their finger in your mouth.) :lol:
Algophobia – fear of pain (you may already have it, but you may be in for more)
Androphobia – fear of men. (if male dentist)
Gynophobia – fear of women. (if woman dentist)
Haptephobia – fear of being touched (yep, you going to get touched by something) :nod:
Hemophobia, Haemophobia – fear of blood. (dentist may want to pull that one) :shock:
Osmophobia, Olfactophobia – fear of smells. (I hate the smell the drill makes when the dentist drills)
Trypanophobia, Belonephobia, Enetophobia – fear of needles or injections. (going to need one of these for sure) :cry2:

Goog luck, glad it is you and not me.

 

[VanC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fear

We have dentists around here that specialize in taking care of folks that have a fear of dentists. I suppose they shoot you up with enough drugs that you don't even know what they're doing, let alone feel anything.

Like you, good, strong teeth runs in my family. I don't take care of them like I should but I'm sure better than a lot of people do. I brush after every meal when possible and get a routine check up and cleaning every 6 months. Flossing is another story. Only time I floss is when I've got something in there I can't get with a toothpick. I hate it. With all that, I've only got three fillings and one crown in 55 years. Not bad, I guess.

For some reason, I've never had a fear of dentists, doctors, needles and that sort of thing. I guess I'm lucky. Not that I look forward to those things or consider them a pleasant experience, but I don't fear them like some folks do.

Anyway, since I don't share your fear, I don't really have any advice for you, but I'm sure you'll feel a lot better when it's over. Good luck.

 

[VanC]

Dental phobia, Dentophobia, Odontophobia – fear of dentists and dental procedures

Several others that may have an impact-----

Aichmophobia – fear of sharp or pointed objects (as a needle, knife or a pointing finger). (don't bite the dentist when they stick their finger in your mouth.) :lol:
Algophobia – fear of pain (you may already have it, but you may be in for more)
Androphobia – fear of men. (if male dentist)
Gynophobia – fear of women. (if woman dentist)
Haptephobia – fear of being touched (yep, you going to get touched by something) :nod:
Hemophobia, Haemophobia – fear of blood. (dentist may want to pull that one) :shock:
Osmophobia, Olfactophobia – fear of smells. (I hate the smell the drill makes when the dentist drills)
Trypanophobia, Belonephobia, Enetophobia – fear of needles or injections. (going to need one of these for sure) :cry2:

Goog luck, glad it is you and not me.

Gee, vett, that list outta make her feel A LOT better! :lol2: :lol2:

 

[1982vett]

:lol: Just trying to be helpfull...

 

[Alice]

Alison,

I appreciate your fear...believe me, I do. Everytime the dental office calls to remind me of an appt., I come up with all kinds of reasons why I can't make it...and I reschedule. Then I finally gut up and go and it's just as miserable as I knew it would be.

Last night I lost a filling...a great big filling. I have no choice...I have to go to the dentist tomorrow and I have already begun dreading it.

I feel your pain, Alison!

Alice

 

[alisonb]

Just trying to be helpfull...

Thanks vett,you succeed, I feel a whole lot better. Don't they have a word for this one- dentist starts drilling a tooth,your mouth automatically fills up with saliva which the assistant nurse should suck up with her little suction pipe.But she is too busy admiring the dentists long fingers thinking how adroit they are to realise that you are almost drowning in your own saliva and choking on tooth filings. :shock: .
VanC,the link you posted-'post-traumatic-stress disorder' caused by a previous traumatic experience :nod:.I don't recall the incident but that is my worst fear-someone nearly let me drown/choke in my own saliva way back when :lol: :lol: .
Alice-am holding thumbs for you.Just posision your hand in a strategic place -
ammo if you need it :lol: .

 

[Ryder]

Alison,

I appreciate your fear...believe me, I do. Everytime the dental office calls to remind me of an appt., I come up with all kinds of reasons why I can't make it...and I reschedule. Then I finally gut up and go and it's just as miserable as I knew it would be.

Last night I lost a filling...a great big filling. I have no choice...I have to go to the dentist tomorrow and I have already begun dreading it.

I feel your pain, Alison!

Alice

I've got my own fears and phobias in other areas. So I am not perfect yet. (Although some think I am. :nod: )

Tell you what has helped me. You are probably looking at it as something they are going to do "to you".
Look at it as something they are going to do "for you". They are going to help you by preventing your having a real problem in the furutre. Take some time and think about the dentist and his helpers. Appreciate them. Respect and value his professional expertise. They are your friends.
I trust they are good people. If they are not-find another dentist.

Change in perspectice can make all the difference in the world.

 

[dun]

For years I bent the arms on dentist chairs, now I have them give me the happy gas before they even start with the novicane. Much better now!

 

[3waycross]

For years I bent the arms on dentist chairs, now I have them give me the happy gas before they even start with the novicane. Much better now!

Doesn't work for me. They gave me enuf to kill a horse and all it did was give me a headache. Wish it did!

 

[upfrombottom]

Doesn't work for me. They gave me enuf to kill a horse and all it did was give me a headache. Wish it did!

Same here. Worst headache I've ever had.

 

[hillsdown]

I am claustrophobic so dentists and I do not do well. The thought of them working in my moth hovering over me... :help: I do go every year for a check up. I also brush my teeth 3-4 times a day and floss at at least 2 times a day..

I needed crown lengthening surgery a few years ago when I broke a molar and I swear to God I left my body when they were cutting my gums and sawing down my tooth..

I think sedation dentistry would be the best way to go from now on.. :nod:

 

[peg4x4]

OMG!! I can't lie back in the chair!! Hate needles (So I get chemo!) Clastrophobic so I get CatScans! Explaine to them that you're very very phobic,they will work with you.. Have the same fear of drownding in my own saliava.. I have to pretend all this is happening to someone on tv..
However-there have been great advances in dentistry.

 

[spoon]

Jeez. I have lousy teeth and spend way too much time in the dentists chair even though I brush, floss, rinse with whatever he tells me to. But going to the dentist doesn't bother me. I've had fillings, root canals, surgery removal of impacted molars, over a dozen crowns and last I had 3 implants done. I'd be toothless if going to the dentist bothered me.

 

[alisonb]

I also brush my teeth 3-4 times a day and floss at at least 2 times a day..

Grief HD, you're gonna brush away the enamel on your teeth :lol: .
Thanks all for the words of encouragement(not you vett ),it was not half as bad as I imagined-all patched and ready to ...eat .
Alice-between the burst pipe and the filling -did you manage to get sorted?

 

[hillsdown]

I also brush my teeth 3-4 times a day and floss at at least 2 times a day..

Grief HD, you're gonna brush away the enamel on your teeth :lol: .
Thanks all for the words of encouragement(not you vett ),it was not half as bad as I imagined-all patched and ready to ...eat .
Alice-between the burst pipe and the filling -did you manage to get sorted?

Actually you should brush your teeth and tongue at least twice a day ( when you first wake and before bed) to have the healthiest teeth you should brush in between all meals as well... :nod:

I am glad to hear everything went well A. .

 

[chrisy]

I also brush my teeth 3-4 times a day and floss at at least 2 times a day..

Grief HD, you're gonna brush away the enamel on your teeth :lol: .
Thanks all for the words of encouragement(not you vett ),it was not half as bad as I imagined-all patched and ready to ...eat .
Alice-between the burst pipe and the filling -did you manage to get sorted?

Actually you should brush your teeth and tongue at least twice a day ( when you first wake and before bed) to have the healthiest teeth you should brush in between all meals as well... :nod:

I am glad to hear everything went well A. .

Brush your teeth twice a day and not to hard, with toothpaste the rest of the time it should be with warm water only or just a mouthwash, so the hygenist said to me, as you will thin your teeth and damage the enamel. I had a very bad experiance when I was a teenager at the dentists, and had a fear for a long time after, but a good friend of mune became a dentist I used to go see him and he got me over my fear, now I am not worried at all. He used to give me a lavender bag to smell and a cup of camomile tea, I find if I have this before I go now I feel quite relaxed. Good luck, to one and all who have to go to the DENTIST. I went just before Christmas and had an overlay done, as I lost a filling and a piece of tooth she said a crown was needed, but I have an overlay on a tooth much bigger than the new one and that has held for two years, they are much cheaper and less fidderly. I now avoid eating toffee's and nut brittle which is good with my diabetes an all.