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TERRIFIED of dentists and I think I need a root canal...


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While I don't have anxiety about dentists, I do about other things, so I know what you mean in that regard.

 

That said, it really will be fine. Ask people for recommendations rather than pick one from the phone book, and then go. I've had 3 root canals and was terrified beforehand because everybody always acts like it's the worst thing ever. I don't know why, now. It's not a short procedure, so that's annoying, but it wasn't painful, either. If you're so anxious you can't even sit in the chair:), just have them hook you up to that nitrous oxide, and you'll laugh over thinking it only took 2 minutes. But really, it's fine. Either bring an iPod or ask for music to be played to help with the boredom:).

 

It's definitely not that bad! :)

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Someone tell me it's not that bad. We're talking serious anxiety here. Plus my tooth really hurts.

 

I've never even had a filling. I'm shaking in my boots.

 

 

What makes you think you need a root canal just because your tooth hurts? You might not need anything that extensive. And X-rays don't hurt. Go and see what's up.

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That kind of scares me even more because then I have to give up total control.

 

Believe me, you want to give up total control when you don't know about it anyway, rather than give up total control while completely stressed out.

 

Sounds like sedation is the way to go for you. Either way, you are going to be giving up control to someone to work in your mouth, sooner or later. And it might not even be a root canal.

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While I don't have anxiety about dentists, I do about other things, so I know what you mean in that regard.

 

That said, it really will be fine. Ask people for recommendations rather than pick one from the phone book, and then go. I've had 3 root canals and was terrified beforehand because everybody always acts like it's the worst thing ever. I don't know why, now. It's not a short procedure, so that's annoying, but it wasn't painful, either. If you're so anxious you can't even sit in the chair:), just have them hook you up to that nitrous oxide, and you'll laugh over thinking it only took 2 minutes. But really, it's fine. Either bring an iPod or ask for music to be played to help with the boredom:).

 

 

It's definitely not that bad! :)

 

Nitrous oxide does not work for everyone. They took a very long time waiting for it to kick in for me. Then I was high as a kite the rest of the night, to the extent that someone drove me home, because they had to give me so much. Word to the wise.

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:grouphug:

 

I just had one on Tuesday. This was my second. My first (along with having my wisdom teeth removed) is the reason I am now scared of the dentist.

 

I waited too long on a tooth that I knew needed work because I was afraid of the dentist. It abscessed. My dental insurance won't pay for sedation dentistry if the reason is dental panic :glare: It would have cost me $350 out of pocket to be knocked out. I would have preferred that. The last tooth that abscessed I had pulled (back tooth) and the insurance did cover sedation. BEST. THING. EVER. We just couldn't afford it this time.

 

I had one Valium Tuesday morning which took the edge off. I could have taken one more but chose to try it with one. I had two smaller panic attacks but then did ok.

 

The regular dentist referred me to an endodontist (sp?), you know the person who specializes in root canals. That made a WORLD of difference. She was quick, thorough, and had no trouble with my incredibly small, narrow roots.

 

My advice...See a specialist. Get Valium or better yet, do the sedation if you can afford it, you won't regret it. And :grouphug: It took me almost a week to talk myself into calling the dentist about the tooth pain and then another 4 days to talk myself into calling the specialist. And then tears in the dental chair trying to explain why I was so afraid to be there. I understand.

 

I still have to go back next week for the crown.:crying: But knowing the Valium helped is giving me less panic.

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I understand. I have a phobia of dentists too.

 

I've had to have quite a bit of work done on my teeth in the last few years, and it's never as bad as I'm expecting. And every time I go, it gets easier. I have taken Xanax in the past and it does help.

 

You definitely need to be seen. The longer you wait, the more likely it will progress and you'll need more extensive work. So call now! :)

 

It may be something simple. And be sure to tell the dentist about your anxiety. They can help you relax.

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I understand. I have a phobia of dentists too.

 

I've had to have quite a bit of work done on my teeth in the last few years, and it's never as bad as I'm expecting. And every time I go, it gets easier. I have taken Xanax in the past and it does help.

 

You definitely need to be seen. The longer you wait, the more likely it will progress and you'll need more extensive work. So call now! :)

 

It may be something simple. And be sure to tell the dentist about your anxiety. They can help you relax.

 

I know the longer I wait the worse it might be. I have no insurance so it makes it complicated. I have had a chipped molar since last Christmas but it didn't cause me any pain at all until about a month ago. It comes and goes but it's gotten to where I can't really chew on that side even when it isn't hurting.

 

I don't know who to call or how to find out how much it would be and then you add in the anxiety plus our total lack of money. Sigh. :crying:

 

I guess I'll start with my church. People have all kinds of connections there - maybe someone there knows a gentle dentist who will work with me.

 

Also I already have a Xanax prescription for occasional use. I'm thinking I'll be taking two of those guys before I go in. Is three allowed? Four? :lol: I'm just kidding. But I am so scared.

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I can tell you my experience.

 

When I was 17, I had my bottom two wisdom teeth extracted. The experience was so traumatic for me that I swore I would never go back to the dentist. Now, It wasn't that the dentist did anything wrong; It was just very overwhelming to me, and no one explained anything ahead of time, and no one helped calm my anxiety.

 

I let my top two wisdom teeth come in sideways and fall out of my mouth on their own. Yup. I was THAT scared of the dentist. Yes, it hurt like crazy. And unfortunately, because of the crazy angle they came in at, they pushed out my back molar on the top on both sides, too. But even with ALL that; losing FOUR teeth slowly, painfully, by myself, I *still* wouldn't go back to the dentist. I was that scared.

 

Well, I grew up some, lol, got married, and had kids. And finally, I felt the Lord telling me 'Hey, you take your KIDS to the dentist; maybe you should go get checked out, too'. I was SO scared. I googled around, and found the MOST fantastic dentist in my area.

 

He does do sedation dentistry, and he's a Christian; he will pray with me before doing things if I want. Maybe that sounds crazy to some people, but it helps me. A LOT.

 

Anyway, It was fifteen years that I hadn't been to the dentist. I was terrified. I thought for SURE they were gonna tell me they had to pull all my teeth, or something else terrible like that. Turns out, I just had one big cavity, a few small ones, and he removed the rest of the wisdom teeth roots that were there. I did get sedation for that first big visit, but now I do ok.

 

So really, go. I really, REALLY understand what you're going through. But ask around, look around on line, find a good, friendly, patient dentist, and go.

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I was exactly like you. I went to a dentist who totally screwed up my teeth, and then had a bad experence with an extraction. I waited 10 years before I went back to see a dentist(who came by referral), because I had cavities in my two front teeth and I would never smile. It was horrible.

I caved and went. And I am glad I did. The new dentist I saw went very slow, made sure the novacaine didn't hurt, stopped every few minutes to ask me if I was okay or needed a break. After I saw how wonderful my two front teeth looked, I kept going back.

I have been going to the same dentist for 7 years. I have had at least 8 fillings, I have 5 crowns, and had a crowned molar root canaled in May, and another crowned molar root canaled a few weeks ago.

 

Root canals are not fun. It isn't a pain issue, it is more of a keep your mouth open for 2 hours that stinks.

 

Then, you need to have a crown placed on it afterwards. So it isn't cheap. Hurts your purse more then your mouth.

 

But, because you have such severe anxiety, I would not jump right into a root canal without some kind of calming agent. Laughing gas, valium, xanax would help.

 

If you started at the beginning, like a cleaning, then maybe a small filling and worked your way up, then it wouldn't be so bad.

 

Your pain is only going to get worse. It isn't like a scraped knee that will heal. Once a tooth has a cavity it will not heal. Small problem-small fix. Big problem-big fix.

 

And you many not even need a root canal. My dentist will always try a pulpotomy first if it is possible and that usually takes care of it. You still need a crown, but it isn't as invasive as a root canal.

 

I know many people will tell you to go to an endodontist because the specialize in root canals. But my dentist has done two of mine, and the last one I just had some jaw pain for about a week. But he is very good.

 

Get a good referral. You may not even need a root canal. I know there have been plenty of times I thought I needed one, and I didn't. Just a filling.

 

Really, I have EXTREME anxiety. You can do this! And just think of how good you will feel what it's done. I am thrilled with the way my mouth looks now. I think I might be a dentalaholic!

 

Best wishes, and trust me you will be fine!

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I have total dental phobia. I always joke that I need a valium just to make the appointment to see the dentist. I had a dentist as a child that did not believe in novacaine for kids, and I had SO many cavities...I remember dental assistants having to hold my arms and legs down as the dentist worked on me...awful.

 

What I find now is that my anxiety leading up to the appointment is always so much worse than the appointment merits, or than the appointment itself, for that matter. I always feel such relief during the appointment because it is NEVER as bad as I fear. I do take valium before-hand. I think some kind of sedation is really helpful.

 

Some dentists specialize in working with dental phobics, and I do think the dentist's approach makes a difference. Look for someone like that...maybe someone at church can recommend one.

 

Recently I've started bringing audiobooks on my phone to listen to during the appointment. The other thing that helps is that I plan some reward for myself afterwards. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, just something I wouldn't normally allow myself, like an hour of window-shopping, or trip to Starbucks, or buying a book I've been wishing for. Something to reward myself.

 

You can do it! You will be a great role model for your kids too, on how to face fears when you need to.

 

Huge hugs...I truly understand how scary it is! You will be fine, and you will feel SO good when it is behind you!!

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I can so totally related to this thread...it makes my heart pound extra loud just thinking about it.

I can say outloud...you are not alone.

I once told my dentist that I hated him...I don't, but I hate the job of him working on my teeth. He said that it wouldn't be normal if someone actually "liked" going to the dentist.

One thing I have found with teeth issues...they tend to not get better, but they can lead to needing more extensive work.

I have been like many others here, who actually make it out to be more than its worth and then once I am there, not so bad.

I did have a root canal and I thought I would "die"....I didn't and it wasn't so bad. I could get through it again, if need be. I did, however, have to get up out of the chair 5 times to make a trip to the ladies room! Yes.....again, you are not alone!

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lets say i got the nerve to actually make an appointment....lets just say i got that far. How would i go about finding a good sedation dentist? Do I just call and explain on the phone my anxiety and ask how they handle it?

 

Same for the OP, she has no insurance but i do. If we couldnt find a referral, how do we find one ourselves? If we got up the nerve anyway. :tongue_smilie:

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Have them give you a prescription for Clindamycin antibiotics first, in case there's an infection present. Trust me, in about six days....you'll be BEGGING for the root canal instead. :lol:

 

BTW, I've had two, and they were easy. Minimal pain afterwards as well. Four ibuprofen and I was good to go.

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lets say i got the nerve to actually make an appointment....lets just say i got that far. How would i go about finding a good sedation dentist? Do I just call and explain on the phone my anxiety and ask how they handle it?

 

Same for the OP, she has no insurance but i do. If we couldnt find a referral, how do we find one ourselves? If we got up the nerve anyway. :tongue_smilie:

 

Yes. And I can guarantee you they've seen worse than you (especially if you call a dentist I've been to before :tongue_smilie:).

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ok next question: I just looked up a quick google search for Sedation Dentist where i live and noticed some gave oral sedation and some gave IV sedation. Is one better than the other?

 

I dont need to really be knocked completely out (well i say that and then i will) but i dont want to know a thing they are doing or feel even the slightest thing.

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It's not that bad. I went a long while without insurance, also being extremely poor - too poor to pay any out-of-pocket cost...so my teeth are a nightmare right now. In fact, I have an appt in the am for a root canal.

 

 

The shots to numb your mouth hurt worse than the procedure.

 

 

The dentist will stop the procedure if you raise your hand. (or mine will) My dentist is extremely sensitive and after a couple procedures with her, I am not really worried about tomorrow's root canal. (I just hate that I have to go.)

 

 

Wear ear buds and zone out to some music...take your anxiety meds if you need them.

 

 

It's uncomfortable to have someone working in your mouth, but it shouldn't hurt.

 

 

:grouphug:

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I had two root canals at the beginning of the year. I get really nervous going to the dentist and my dentist knows it. He gave me a RX (Valium) to calm my nerves, and it really worked. I was at the dentist again yesterday (getting a filling), and while I was nervous, it really wasn't a big deal. I just tell myself I HAVE to go, it's not an option.

 

My root canals didn't hurt at all, not even the next day.

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You definitely need to be seen. The longer you wait, the more likely it will progress and you'll need more extensive work. So call now! :)

 

It may be something simple. And be sure to tell the dentist about your anxiety. They can help you relax.

:iagree:

 

Many dentists nowadays are skilled with patients who suffer anxiety. Get a consultation and they can go over options for treatment/sedation. It is not as bad as you think... and I had 2 root canals!! ;) My dentist was wonderful with my fears.

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