Dentist. AGGHHHHHH!

[Sarah Gixxer]

I'm sure none of you like the dentist - it seems to be programmed into everyone to be scared of the dentist, don't you think?

Anyway, I have to go and I'm such a cry baby about it! I have always had regular checkups and my teeth have been fine for years and years. I've got one right at the back which I had a big todo with about 18 years ago and since then it's been only half-tooth and half-filling. It gets x-rayed every couple of years to make sure it's still ok and it's never showed up any problems.

Last night I was eating my dinner and there was this loud crunch noise. I was convinced I'd broken my filling so spent ages poking about and peering in the mirror at my teeth, but I can't see anything wrong with teeth or filling. But what I did find, much to my horror, is that said half-tooth/half-filling monstrosity has gone GREY! I mean the tooth part has gone grey to match the filling. It looks horrible and OH went to the dentist 6 months ago with a tooth looking just like it and had to have it taken out.

Like I said, I'm such a big cry baby about the dentist. I made an appointment for next week and I'm just dreading them saying, "You'll have to have an extraction." BOO HOO!

I'll have to take my iPod and hope some music will help me to not think too much about what the dentist is doing!

[SusanF]

Sarah I hate the dentist too! I went this morning and luckily this time I don't need anything done (although she did say there were a couple of fillings she will be 'keeping an eye on' ).

[Mabel Figworthy]

Oh poor Sarah! Hope it won't be as bad as you fear

[burgundyice]

Oh dear! Did you work out where the 'crunch' noise came from, was it the problem tooth or a different one?

As someone who's had a lot of dental work done (I have weak enamel)...
Depending on what's happening, you might need it taken out (one good point to remember about extractions is that compared to drilling, filling, etc they don't take that long at all ), or maybe root-filled + a crown or something? (in which case you wouldn't need to worry about it decaying or feeling sensitive )

When I'm going to the dentist I always think like this: you just have to lie there, it's not something like an exam or job interview where you have to be professional & amazing & impress them! Also what works for me because I can't eat when I'm nervous is to stay up late the night before and have something more substantial to eat, that way I don't get too hungry if I don't manage much breakfast and if I'm tired it doesn't matter cos I just have to lie there!

Hope that helps! Let us know how you get on

Louise

[Nachstenliebe]

Oh Sarah I feel your pain. Even reading this makes me sqeamish and want to hide under the bed.. and I've never really had a bad experience with the dentist.... I think it is engrained in our heads! Good luck with the dentist.. I hope they can take care of you with the least amount of hassle possible
Faith

[Sarah Gixxer]

Thank you everybody! I shall think of all you lovely people when I'm lying in the dentist's chair!

Louise, I think the "crunch" must have just been something I was eating after all. I examined and felt around every tooth and there was no damage that I could find. I've got teeth like concrete and have never really had problems with them - apart from half-tooth/half filling. When I was really young it needed a basic filling and I went to a useless dentist who didn't do it properly. Then I got an abcess and the problem went on for a year until I saw a good dentist (my current one) who took the rubbish filling out, took the nerve out the tooth so I wouldn't suffer, and did various other things to it, ending with the huge filling.

So I have had some horrible treatment, but I don't mind the drilling and filling part. It's the thought of the twisting and pulling and "pulling out" noises and so on from extraction that I'm scared of. I've had a tooth out before but it was under general anaesthetic, which they don't do any more, much to my dismay.

I'm telling myself I will probably have 15 minutes in the chair and then it's over. That's maybe 4 of my favourite songs on the iPod.

I'm not encouraged by the fact that my Dad had one out a month ago and he got an infection, needed antibiotics and had to have 9 more visits to the dentist! Yikes!

[maggs]

I empathise with you Sarah I HATE dentist always have since being tiny. It takes all my courage to go twice a year for a check up. I am a firm believer in going regular and nothing needs doing.

The times I have had work done the dentist is always telling me to relax so he can open my jaw or move some other part of my mouth as I lock it solid every time they approach with something in their hand, this happens at checkups and hygenist work as well. It doesn't help that I have a gag reflex that trips in when anything put near the back of my mouth.

[Sarah Gixxer]

I know what you mean, Maggs, I don't freeze up, but the worth thing for me with having my mouth open is that I produce loads of saliva when I'm nervous so I end up desperately trying to swallow while my mouth's wide open!

I think my dentist experiences were made horrible when I was young because I went with my parents to this ageing dentist whose hands shook and sometimes he'd jab you with his instruments even just doing a simple check up!