scared and embarrassed..need help?

Question

I NEED to go to the dentist.When i was a child u could say that me and my brs and sisters were negelected when it came to good hygiene.now as an adult i have 2 dead teeth that NEED to be extracted,they r always causing me problems..one of them has given me a gum/jaw abscess that is killing me right now..the thing is,im too ebarrassed to go into the dentist,afraid of what they may say and when they see the teeth that need to be removed. =(
how can i get over my fear and just go in? anyone else with similar situation that did it? i now practice very good oral habits but my past haunts me everytime i see the bad teeth,,,help please!!!!

Answer 1

Hi, Your fears are very common. Dentists have a difficult job and most of them are aware they are feared by clients. It is important to keep in mind that poor dental health can cause many physical problems such as heart, lungs, brain and kidney difficulties and in severe cases even death. So with that in mind getting decayed teeth extracted is very important for your overall health. Dentists can give you medication to help you relax and you can try to find a dentist that is understanding of your situation which may help ease your anxiety. Finding someone to go with you to the dentist for support can also be helpful. I hope you are medication for you infected tooth and gums because if not it can cause heart problems. Going to the dentist will benefit you in the long run and when you are done you won't have to worry about it anymore. Perhaps you will find a dentist you are very comfortable with and you will continue to go and get the rest of your teeth check and taken care of so you won't need to get them extracted as well. It is important you contact a dentist asap. Good luck and don't be embarrased or ashamed you are not alone in this.

Answer 2

You should know that dentist have seen it all before - you would not be the worst patient ever so don't feel too embarrassed. You are going to get the problem fixed - the dentist will respect and appreciate what you are doing. At least they should, if not get another dentist. Explain that you believe you didn't get good oral hygeine as a child - the dentist will know only too well what thats like. Two teeth are not so bad, I know kids who have had full mouth extractions - thats every single tooth removed. Just think how good it will feel to not only fix this problem but to have the pain gone as well. You are doing the right thing.

Answer 3

Oh, I feel for you, you poor dear. Please relax.

Find a dentist through references from friends and colleagues. Pay the extra 25-35 bucks for laughing gas...you're going to need it. Tell the receptionist when you make the appointment that you'd like to speak to the dentist ahead of time. Tell him/her that you have a lot of anxiety about this and will she prescribe a mild tranquilizer (usually Valium) that you can take 1/2 hour before your first visit. Then, take twice the amount it says to on the bottle!

You're going to need several visits spread out over a month or two to fix your mouth up completely (unless it's a total bust and you need full dentures at this point, which would mean extracting all your teeth. Hope not). Do not postpone these, or you will take one step ahead, then two steps backward! You'll get more used to the visits each time.

Practice better hygiene in the future. Schedule cleanings every six months. Brush twice a day, floss once a day, and get a water pik to use with a diluted mouthwash solution to clean out the gum pockets (use it at least 2-3 times a week, after flossing).

Answer 4

How old are you?
The first time i ever went to the dentist was when i was 3 years old because i had to get sugrey to remove all my baby teeth and i got my permeant teeth at age 6. I mean all of my peremtn teeht, every single one.
I go to the dentist ever since.

I get checkups and get my teeth cleaned.
Did you also know that by not keeping breath and teeth clean for a long time. YThat can cause gum diease and that could ink to heart diaese and diabites?
I sugges tyou need to go to dentist right now and find out if you really do ahve bad hygeiee to prevent all of these things happening to you.

Better safe than sorry.
Go to dentist, thats their jobs. Dont be embarsse, we ahve these moments.
They are there to help you and not judge you.
Thwy dont even know anything about you, so how could they?

Answer 5

Don't worry. Dentists have seen everything. Explain when you make the appointment that your teeth have been neglected, but you want to get into a plan to take care of them from now on. Most dentists are very understanding. The longer you put it off, the worse it will be. An absess can infect your entire body.

Answer 6

BOO,

I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEAR OF DENTISTS. AS A DENTIST WHAT I LIKE TO DO FOR FOLKS WHO ARE VERY FRIGHTENED OF DENTISTS IS TO LET MY FRONT DESK KNOW AHEAD OF TIME JUST A TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE PATIENT. THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, BUT TOWARD THE END. THIS WAY THE PATIENT DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THE PRESSURE OF THE DENTIST'S BUSY FORTHCOMING DAY. THEY FEEL MUCH MORE RELAXED BECAUSE YOU ARE RELAXED AND YOUR DAY IS OVER.
THE PATIENT AND I HAVE A FRIENDLY CHAT WHERE I AM FREE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE.
I ASK THE FRONT DESK TO ARRANGE A FUTURE APPOINTMENT THAT BEST SUITS THE COMFORT LEVEL OF THE PATIENT. IF THE PERSON NEEDS TO HAVE ANTI-ANXIETY MEDICATION PRIOR TO SEEING ME, THEY CAN COME WELL PREPARED FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
DURING THE FIRST MEETING TESTS WOULD BE DONE TO SEE WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.
DURING THE SECOND APPOINTMENT, THE FINDINGS ARE EXPLAINED TO THE PATIENT AND A TREATMENT PLAN IS EXPLAINED. THEN IF THE PATIENT IS READY, TREATMENT CAN START.
BOO, THERE ARE ALWAYS CARING DENTISTS OUT THERE. THE KEY IS TO LOOK FOR THE ONES THAT UNDERSTAND AND CARE FOR FEARFUL PATIENTS. PLEASE DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. GOOD LUCK. ;-)

Answer 7

That's what dentists are for. They see that and worse every single day. It's not as though they are going to point, laugh and yell, "Hey, Check out ol' gnarly teeth here!". The dentist's job (a chosen profession) is to help people just_like_you.

Listen, pal. Go get those teeth removed. The pain of tooth extraction is minimal compared to what you have already been through. You will be so relieved.

Answer 8

Don't be afraid. Believe me, they've seen everything. You could try to search for a dentist who advertises that he/she specializes in squeamish patients, because more than likely, squeamish patients haven't made visiting the dentist an annual thing. Another incentive to go is that some cancers have been linked to periodontal disease in addition to the dental diseases caused by neglecting your teeth. Congratulate yourself for taking care of your health now and think of how much better you're going to feel once you have those teeth out and that poison in your jaw out of your system!

Answer 9

Just go to the Dentist. Trust me, they see messed up teeth for a living. That is what they get paid for and I'm sure they won't mind as long as you are paying them. If you can't bring yourself to it, take a Valium. If you still are too embarrassed, just go to a dentist out of town that you will never see again. Ultimately, you need to get them taken care of. You will be a lot happier when you get it taken care of. Just remember to take care of your teeth in the future and let this be a lesson.

Answer 10

Go just go they have seen worst trust me its not worth the pain not to go ive had like over 8 cavities drilled and a my teeth are shifting for no reason lol that has nothing to do with it but just go so you can be out of pain