Who Else is Dental Phobic?

[Deeje]

In this day and age, why is going to the dentist still so painful?

The last time I had my teeth cleaned, it was like being in a torture chamber.....and I paid for the privilege of suffering for 45 minutes with clenched fists...and white knuckles trying to suppress the urge to scream!
I have extremely sensitive gums but the dentist ignored my request to "please be gentle". The water in his drill was ice cold and set of sensitivities in the nerves in my teeth.....it was horrendous!

I have seen "sedation dentistry" which involves anesthesia.....I would take this extreme route, but it is horribly expensive.

A new dentist suggested that I have half my teeth cleaned under local anesthetic and come back in a couple of weeks to do the same with the other side. That was going to cost over $700....just to get my teeth cleaned, let alone have any fillings attended to. $$$$$

I am in need of some dental work now and am dreading the thought of going again.

Anyone have answers to this dilemma? What techniques do your dentists use to make the procedures as painless as possible?

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Eh, I'm fine with the dentist honestly. The worst part is that first shot of novacaine. Try relaxing and letting your mind scatter.

 

[SomeRandom]

I am terrified of the dentist! And the cheap public option dentists are little more than butchers. (Which is why I try to save some dosh to go private.)
Mine does the anaesthesia technique. A small pin prick of a needle and the rest is all in my head lol.
Shop around, there are some competitive prices among dentists in some suburban areas. Had like 3 fillings and a root canal for about 2-300$ at Pacific Smiles and the dentist was bored but polite.
If you want to do it yourself there are teeth cleaning kits in the the local shops. Probably not as good as the pros obviously but still.

 

[Deeje]

Eh, I'm fine with the dentist honestly. The worst part is that first shot of novacaine. Try relaxing and letting your mind scatter.

Its hard to relax when the anticipation of another torture session is looming. I am thinking maybe Ill try and save enough to have the half/half treatment.....with a month in between to recoup funds. He can do any fillings whilst he is there. I am at that stage where I can put it off no longer....

 

[suncowiam]

Hah! I just came back from the dentist 5 minutes ago.

I have no fear of them though.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Its hard to relax when the anticipation of another torture session is looming. I am thinking maybe Ill try and save enough to have the half/half treatment.....with a month in between to recoup funds. He can do any fillings whilst he is there. I am at that stage where I can put it off no longer....

You ever thought of trying meditation? That will allow you to control your focus and thoughts better, with time and practice.

 

[Revoltingest]

In this day and age, why is going to the dentist still so painful?

The last time I had my teeth cleaned, it was like being in a torture chamber.....and I paid for the privilege of suffering for 45 minutes with clenched fists...and white knuckles trying to suppress the urge to scream!
I have extremely sensitive gums but the dentist ignored my request to "please be gentle". The water in his drill was ice cold and set of sensitivities in the nerves in my teeth.....it was horrendous!

I have seen "sedation dentistry" which involves anesthesia.....I would take this extreme route, but it is horribly expensive.

A new dentist suggested that I have half my teeth cleaned under local anesthetic and come back in a couple of weeks to do the same with the other side. That was going to cost over $700....just to get my teeth cleaned, let alone have any fillings attended to. $$$$$

I am in need of some dental work now and am dreading the thought of going again.

Anyone have answers to this dilemma? What techniques do your dentists use to make the procedures as painless as possible?

Dentist, opthamologist....any doc....I know the feeling.

 

[Terese]

I fear no dentist. My teeth are very battle-hardened despite being sensitive. I can be pretty resistant to pain when i want to.

 

[sun rise]

If your dentist won't use topical novocaine, find another dentist. Also, my hygienist squirts the water in my mouth and I let it warm a bit before the "swish and spit". Again, better ones do this as well.

 

[Sunstone]

I fear no dentist. My teeth are very battle-hardened despite being sensitive. I can be pretty resistant to pain when i want to.

Same here. I usually don't request Novocaine because it just makes the session longer.

 

[Trailblazer]

In this day and age, why is going to the dentist still so painful?

The last time I had my teeth cleaned,

I am not afraid of the pain... I am afraid of what the dentist might find, since it has been so many years since I have BEEN to the dentist even to have my teeth cleaned...

Last time I went to the dentist I just had one small cavity, and it had been about four years since I had been to the dentist, so I guess I rationalize...

I know, I know, my bad, so please no lectures... I have complete dental coverage through my employer so I have no excuse at all, except outright fear.

I am not afraid of pain. I have had umpteen million root canals but during the ones I have had most recently there was no pain at all because I was referred to a specialist.

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

In this day and age, why is going to the dentist still so painful?

The last time I had my teeth cleaned, it was like being in a torture chamber.....and I paid for the privilege of suffering for 45 minutes with clenched fists...and white knuckles trying to suppress the urge to scream!
I have extremely sensitive gums but the dentist ignored my request to "please be gentle". The water in his drill was ice cold and set of sensitivities in the nerves in my teeth.....it was horrendous!

I have seen "sedation dentistry" which involves anesthesia.....I would take this extreme route, but it is horribly expensive.

A new dentist suggested that I have half my teeth cleaned under local anesthetic and come back in a couple of weeks to do the same with the other side. That was going to cost over $700....just to get my teeth cleaned, let alone have any fillings attended to. $$$$$

I am in need of some dental work now and am dreading the thought of going again.

Anyone have answers to this dilemma? What techniques do your dentists use to make the procedures as painless as possible?

Who Else is Dental Phobic? Me!

Pre appointment Valium

 

[Deeje]

Hah! I just came back from the dentist 5 minutes ago.

I have no fear of them though.

It isn't fear of the dentist...it is anticipating the pain inflicted by the dentist who tells you he'll be gentle...

.....but is secretly anticipating the sadism with glee.

I would not call myself a 'woos' but if I can avoid pain I usually try to. I think of all the things that could make dentistry more comfortable and it seems as if they don't even want to try to improve the experience for those of us who dread the thought of it.
There are a lot of folks who would go to the dentist more often if only it was less painful.

Why is it even more painful than I remember as a kid?

 

[Deeje]

If your dentist won't use topical novocaine, find another dentist. Also, my hygienist squirts the water in my mouth and I let it warm a bit before the "swish and spit". Again, better ones do this as well.

Its not the swishing water so much as the drill water....it seems to be deliberately colder than usual room temperature water. It sets off all the nerves in my teeth and makes the pain worse. Why can't the water be warm? How hard is it? Seriously....?

Dentists are not nice.

.....or should I say, their methods are not nice.

 

[Deeje]

Same here. I usually don't request Novocaine because it just makes the session longer.

No Novocaine....? My hero....!

 

[Deeje]

I am not afraid of the pain... I am afraid of what the dentist might find, since it has been so many years since I have BEEN to the dentist even to have my teeth cleaned...

Last time I went to the dentist I just had one small cavity, and it had been about four years since I had been to the dentist, so I guess I rationalize...

I know, I know, my bad, so please no lectures... I have complete dental coverage through my employer so I have no excuse at all, except outright fear.

I am not afraid of pain. I have had umpteen million root canals but during the ones I have had most recently there was no pain at all because I was referred to a specialist.

I have no health insurance. (too expensive) Urgent dental work is covered by the government for those on a pension here in Australia....but it is very basic. They will pull a tooth rather than try to save it.

My mother is 93 and still has her own teeth! Not sure that I will follow that example....

As for root canal work.....I think that is dentist-speak for

Who has had root canal, costing an absolute fortune, only to be told it didn't work and they will have to pull the tooth....?

 

[Trailblazer]

I have no health insurance. (too expensive) Urgent dental work is covered by the government for those on a pension here in Australia....but it is very basic. They will pull a tooth rather than try to save it.
My mother is 93 and still has her own teeth! Not sure that I will follow that example....

My mother died at age 93 and as I recall she had all her own teeth. I have lost one tooth that had to get pulled in 1996, I have a bridge there in the back so can barely tell any difference. My husband has lost many, many teeth because he never brushed or took care of them, so now they want to pull them all and give him dentures but he is holding out and keeping what he has left... I told him to brush after we got married in 1985 but he would not listen so I do not feel that sorry for him now. He thinks I am going to pay for implants? Do you know how much those cost, and no dental insurance pays for them.

As for root canal work.....I think that is dentist-speak for

It would be for me but I have worked for the government my entire life so I always had good dental and health coverage... So I pay hardly anything for anything... I do not know what will happen if/when I retire, which is why I am not planning for it yet.

Who has had root canal, costing an absolute fortune, only to be told it didn't work and they will have to pull the tooth....?

That never happened to me... they always worked, all hundred thousand of them.

 

[Revoltingest]

For @Deeje .....

Spoiler: Simpsons dental visit

 

[Deeje]

For @Deeje .....

Spoiler: Simpsons dental visit

Sounds like me!

If you see Simon Cowell's face after that video...that was exactly what I did......too funny.