Dentist....

[Silke]

So.
For the past 20 years or so, the only way I have been able to endure any dental treatment, was with full anaesthesia.
As in, out for the count.
In France, that is not an option.
Alas. I've had bad toothache since Thursday. I knew it's an abscess in a broken back tooth. I've battled it, big time.
Hell, I went as far as taking horse antibiotics to clear it. (No, seriously, I was that desperate.)
It wasn't clearing. It just got worse. Clove oil and painkillers, as well as Orajel (a kind of teething numbing gel, if you don't know the stuff) kept it somewhat at bay.
But I knew that tooth has to come out.
So yesterday I called the dentist. Got an appointment for this morning.
Dave, my builder, took me so I wouldn't have to drive.
I was absolutely terrified. I'm not kidding, I get in that chair and they start, and I skirt perilously close to a heart attack.
So.
At 10:30 this morning, I got to the dentist. 20 min wait (while my nerves frazzle to bits) and in I go.
My teeth are terrible. (And that's no exaggeration.)
She informs me that the tooth has to come out, but if it's too much stress for me, she can refer me to hospital to have it done.
I breathed a sigh of relief... then "However, it'll take at least a month before you get a Rendezvous".
ACK.
A month with constant tooth ache? Yay.
She then goes "I will numb it all up REALLY well, and we can try, if you want. If there is any pain, I will stop."
Here I am, shaking the chair to pieces, completely terrified...and... I nodded.
Off she went with the injections. I don't know how many. Some hurt, some didn't.
"We try?"
I asked her to give it another minute to get really numb.
Then I said "Go".
And... whup... it was out.
Literally seconds after she started, she went "Ok, it's out."
And I just sagged. Literally folded in on myself with relief.
She cleaned up the abscess and told me there are a couple others that need to come out (Oz broke them, years ago) and... I made another appointment!
I'll have to get up the nerve to go, but... I'm determined to get over this now.
Suffice it to say, I'm pretty damn proud of myself for doing this, because it really took one HELL of a leap of faith on my part.

 

[Sheldon13]

I worked for years with children getting dental work done under anesthesia. It always interested me to know the different reasons for them coming in.

What is it about the dentist that makes you so upset? Is it the potential for pain? Because like your dentist said, you are in control and if you decide you need to stop, that’s your in your power. Always remember you are in control of your own care. No one is going to hold you down and force you to undergo a procedure.


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[Silke]

No one is going to hold you down and force you to undergo a procedure.

That is actually almost precisely what happened to me.
They were holding me down to get the injections done.
I went nuts. Really nuts. I managed to get them off (two nurses and the dentist) and ran out, crying, my face swelling up, and just...running. My other half was like "WTF???"
Of course, I couldn't prove it, but omg... it was terrifying (and painful as hell!!)
I had something like 8 or 10 injections. The biatch didn't wait to let it numb up. Started to drill, and when I yelped (it wasn't numb) whacked another two injections in -- again without waiting. Same result. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The last two were really, REALLY deep, scraping down the infected tooth...it was pure agony (which is when they held me down) and I fought like hell to get outta there.
If you'd have seen my face two hours later, you'd have been horrified. I was numb up to my eyeballs.
After that -- when I'd already been afraid to go -- it was over. Done. Finished.
Unless they knocked me out completely, I didn't have anything done. (And even then I fought the dentist, apparently.)
So for me, dentist is pure terror.

 

[Toa and Ross]

You are super BRAVE. Be PROUD. I'm proud of you. You did it. Woohoo!

 

[Sheldon13]

Wow. I’m not sure about where you are, but in the States that kind of practice is ILLEGAL. It’s called malpractice and you can sue the pants off them. I’m the future I would explicitly tell your dentist a short version of what happened and have them assure you they do not run their practice in this way.


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[Silke]

It's illegal in the UK too, but no one would believe me and it's their word against mine.

 

[JSal]

@Silke I am glad you found a dentist who could treat you and relieve your pain. Having an abscess for a month would have been unbearable. I’m not sure how old you are, but I feel like dentistry had advanced significantly over the last several decades, and there is no reason for you to feel pain when treated. I’m proud of you. Stay strong.

 

[Yoda mom]

(((Hugs))) You did incredible !

Did they give you antibiotics or recommedations for antibiotics before the next extractions ?

Do you have one of those little stress squeeze balls?
I took ome when I had a painfull3 level discogram on my back

Also , playing music on your phone with ear plugs helps de stress too

You are amazing!
Healing vibes sent

 

[Cinafina]

Wow, so well done! You should feel really proud of yourself! That was a horrific experience you had and no wonder you've been terrified ever since. Did that happen to you in the UK? I hope the abscess heals well now! (((BIG hugs)))

 

[MelissaAlice]

I've had a very similar experience and I was in my early teens when it happened (12-13) so luckily my mother was in the building heard me freak out and came busting into the room as a nurse was trying to press my head back into the chair!!

I haven't been to the dentist without using the "buddy system" again!
I was lucky a few years ago now to have found a dentist that is really good about working with me an making sure I'm comfortable.