Dentist, I'm going to die?

Question

I haven't been to a dentist in 10 years since I had to have my jaw stapled because of a botched up dentist job.
Luckily my teeth are ok, I look after them well, but I have just broken my tooth off on a chicken bone, it hurts like hell and I'm crying like a baby.
I am so so scared of going to the dentist, I feel sick at the thought of them even touching me with their rubber gloved hands, what am I going to do? I know I'll have to go, all I have is like a stump with a big hole in the middle.
Will the dentist let me given gas or an aneasthetic? I don't think I can go through with it unless I'm out of it.
Can anyone make me feel better?

Answer 1

Go and see your doctor first, they may be able to give you something to calm your nerves. Good luck!

Answer 2

I sympathise with you really. I have been terrified of the dentists for years and often would have to take my mum or sister with me to help me get out of there as I would be close to passing out. First things first find yourself a sympathetic dentist, a lot are advertising this now. Thing is once the pain gets so bad you just won't care, but take someone with you.
I am very lucky, I've found an excellent dentist with brilliant assistants and receptionists, they all know me and do everything they can to put me at my ease and because of this I have had an ongoing jaw problem resolved and this left me in constant pain for years!
I think that you have to go to a specialist now to get gas - have a look on google and see what you can find.
Good luck - I'll be holding your hand in cyberspace!

Answer 3

I suggest also that you go to see your doctor, who obviously already knows about the problems that you have had, There really are `kind` dentists, who will treat you with great care and understanding, your doctor will know exactly where to send you, and will probably fix up the appointment etc. for you. Please do try not to worry, you have had a really bad experience once, but this won`t happen again if your doctor fixes it all up for you. You will have an injection and you will not feel a thing, and the injection lasts for some time afterwards and numbs any small after-pain. You will be fine. Take someone with you when you go for the appointment, at least they can drive you there and back and hold your hand.x

Answer 4

Calm down, and this is coming from the worlds worst dental patient.
Like you I am completely terrified of the dentist. And like you after one bad experience I didn't go to the dentist for about 14 years. I didn't even go when I was entitled to it free during pregancy.
Then distaster - I took an abcess and swallowed pain killers like they where going out of fashion for about 2 weeks.
eventually I gave in and went to the dentist.
I explained about my fear and the dentist was fantastic. That day and for any treatment since then, they give me Valium gas through a small mask that they put over my nose. there is no smell from the gas, it doesn't make you sleep, it just makes you so relaxed. (i shouldn't admit it but i love getting it, its the one and only time I get in my busy life where I have no worries for about 10 to 15 mins)
As soon as the gas is switch off you are 100% ready to drive, go back to work, and I usually find for the rest of the day nothing really bothers me. ( I have quite a stressful job)

Ring around your local dentists and enquire, if you can find an understanding dentist thats half your battle.

good luck
And believe me I understand your fears and I would honestly recommend this treatment to anyone.

Answer 5

look around until you find a cute dentist. before treatment, ask to talk to him in his office as part of a consultation before you ever get in the dental chair. it is like you are interviewing them for the job. if you don't like his personality, go to another one. a good dentist should have a good personality and know how to make you smile and feel at ease. also, you might want to find a dentist who uses IV conscious sedation. it is where you are conscious, not asleep, but you will not remember the procedure.
__________________________________

BIOLOGIC DENTISTRY AND IV SEDATION

Before Conscious IV sedation was used in Biological Dentistry, there was no other choice but to have the patient come into the office as many as 5 or 6 times for treatment.

According to Dr. Hal Huggins, a pioneer researcher of biological dentistry, IV sedation is...[a good] approach for the patient's welfare because...[it will] not interfere with the 7-14-21 day cycle of the immune system. ...this new approach...[allows] for faster recouperation, excellent detoxification,...and [is] less stressful for the patient.

IV sedation is performed by a licensed anesthesiologist (M.D.). ...we use MIDAZOLAM. The risk is minimal with heart and blood pressure being monitored throughout the procedure. ...[It] can last anywhere from 3-6 hours, depending on the amount of work required; But...to...the patient,...[it will seem like] it has only been an hour or less. The patient does not go under. They can talk, use the restroom, and interact and participate throughout the procedure. Some...patients drive home,...although...the patient [may opt to] bring a friend or spouse with them.

Answer 6

Right now crush an asprin up and put it into the hole in your tooth, that will ease the pain for now, and if you can get to a drug store get the temporary filling putty to put in the hole and close the air out from it, then you do need to see a dentist, so either call a friend you trust for their dentist, or call a dental referral service, you can look up by going to web sites (dentist referrals.com) and find your area. I am sure a good dentist will give you gas or put you out in some way, you just had a bad experience before.

Answer 7

I felt exactly the same as you- but belive me you have NOTHING to worry about, your dentist will put you at ease and do everything to make sure you are comfortable. So would you rather be in agony and have a horrible looking "stump" or would you go and get it sorted out- it probably wont take that long, they will inject anesthetic so you dont feel anything and then come out in no pain and with a great looking smile again!
Trust me, I hated dentists I would cry for hours but now I actually enjoy going because my teeth mean alot to me!

Answer 8

i no exactly how you feel, i had a dentist mess up the work he did on me and i didn't go to a dentist for 7 years. i broke my back tooth and i also cried like a baby!!! there are sedation clinics that can sedate you whilst they do the work but if you want to be knocked out I'm afraid they only do that in dental hospitals now, and you have to be refered there by a dentist. in the end i just bit the bullet and went to a new dentist and anaesthetic. the relief you have after you have the tooth out is unreal and you forget how afraid you are of the dentist. be brave, one bad experience shouldn't put you off for life. good luck!!!

Answer 9

Sorry for your predicament - it doesn't sound much fun. All I can recommend is try and RELAX in the dentists chair, don't look at the needle - shut your eyes and the injection feels like a little scratch HONESTLY, once the painkiller has started working the pain is over (mostly). I promise you will be OK. Good Luck!!

Answer 10

I agree, go see the doctor. There are speicalist dentists out there for dentalphobes (my son is one). A referal from the GP got him an appointment to sort out his problem. I too have a problem with dentists & didn't go for years. I then got TMJ disorder (slipped disc in the joint) & couldn't open my mouth. I had to have tram line braces for 4 years to sort this problem out - every month in the dentist chair in agony & totally stressed + 2 root canals + wisdom tooth + molar extraction at the same time (I had a general). Good luck - you will survive this.

Answer 11

Ask around with friends, family etc to find a really sympathetic dentist.
They do exist but have to be searched for.
The homoeopathic society have dentists and maybe if this is your thing you could try that. But if not when you have a sympathetic dentist he/she will have seen many patients who are really dentist phobic and are professionally able to treat you sympathetically.
Good luck.