Dental Phobia

I can't make your fears any easier because they scare the crap outta me too.

When I had one of my wisdom tooth removed I was so afraid until I jumped out the chair and started running around the office trying to get away from the dentist. He and the assistant laughed and I started laughing too, but, he calmed me down and it really didn't turn out that bad. He'd prepared me a few weeks before with meds so I didn't surfer too much after.

Wow . . .I hadn't thought about that in a long time . . .I'm not laughing at your 'possible' upcoming pain but thanks for that funny memory. I hope it helps, Lina.

. . .no disrespect intended.

I had 2 wisdom teeth out last September. Just a bit of numbing gel and pop, out they came, felt not a thing. My husband is terrified of dentist. He had to go once, a few years ago because of terrible pain. Then dentist was lovely, she stroked his hand, pulled the tooth out and immediate relief. Just keep thinking that it's better to go than face the consequence of pain by not going.

I also used to be terrified. I am still not completely comfortable, but the phobia is gone, thanks to nice, caring dentists who have treated me good. I got a lot of problems some years ago, and had to go to the dentist many times to fix everything. The repeated visits to this kind dentist just made me so much calmer.
Pulling a wisdom tooth doesn't have to be horrible. Yours is out and visible. I had one like that removed, and it was fast, I had local anesthesia, so it was painless, and it was such a relief to be rid of it.
My advice would be to get it over with, the fear just builds the longer you wait. Good luck!

best of luck at the dentist. I use to really delay going to the dentist but now I find its much easier when you have an understanding dentist. And have regular check-ups.

Good luck Lina. It is not too bad, but that is just my opinion. Lately I have been spending a lot of time at the dentists. I had a couple of sessions where I was in the chair for two hours. My dentist has these special glasses you can put on where you get to watch a movie (believe it or not!) while they are doing the surgery.

A tablet of Ativan (if you can get a prescription) helps immensely too, if you have dental anxiety.


I had something similar to this but instead of the big headphones I just had the little ear plugs or ear buds. It helps quite a bit!

....the anticipation is much worse than the actual procedure honey...you got this!....

Neesy said:

My dentist has these special glasses you can put on where you get to watch a movie (believe it or not!) while they are doing the surgery.

I had something similar to this but instead of the big headphones I just had the little ear plugs or ear buds. It helps quite a bit!

Click to expand...

This is just awesome!

While you wait, read A Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The prose is beautiful and it should brighten your day.It does so for me. Suerte.

I had mine out this time last year. I just had Novocaine, and it wasn't too bad. I don't even think I had very much swelling. The worst part was the anticipation leading up to the procedure. It's much better once they're out.

nate_watkins said:

I had mine out this time last year. I just had Novocaine, and it wasn't too bad. I don't even think I had very much swelling. The worst part was the anticipation leading up to the procedure. It's much better once they're out.

Click to expand...

I agree. I had some problems with my bottom wisdom teeth so they had to be cut out, but since the lower ones were impacted, it felt sooooo much better after it was done. Well worth it. I've been going to the same dentist for a couple of decades so I'm pretty comfortable around him, he' s cool.

My only experience with a dentist was when I had all four wisdom teeth removed in 1993. They were impacted and causing migraines, so they had to come out. The oral surgeon had a long conversation with me describing the procedure, and what to expect afterward. At the end of the conversation, I asked him what kind of drugs would be used to sedate me for the surgery. He said 'Oh, you can be awake for the entire procedure, if you like'. I replied that if he wanted to live, he would knock me out.....He gave me some kind of concoction that he called "twilight".....I don't remember anything else. They had my mother take me out the back door after the procedure, though.....apparently, I was high on that stuff for hours

My advice on wisdom teeth is that the sooner you can get them out the better. The older you get the harder it is to have them removed.

Could always be worse. One tooth is nothing...or almost nothing. Had two wisdom teeth pulled while in boot camp. I don't know what was worse...the dentist...or that it was being done in boot camp. They sent about 80+ of us through the system they had set up, culled out those who had wisdom teeth, sent the rest back to the barracks. They showed me an x-ray, the two teeth on top at the back, no teeth under them, so on so forth. The guys who had four pulled they knocked out...me they just gave a shot or two. Was over before I knew it. The scary part was heading back to the barracks as usually we'd do everything 80+-strong, all in a group. Seems like they stuck a big wad of cotton behind my upper lip in front...s'posed to stop the bleeding. Dunno why I didn't just enter the barracks by the side door like we did all the time...went in through the "quarterdeck"...a kind of main entrance and there was a procedure you were supposed to follow...enter, stop, salute the national ensign hanging on the wall, salute the man on watch, ask permission to cross the quarterdeck or whatever it was. I musta been behind others cause as soon as the guy on watch saw me enter he's waving me in...keep going! keep going! Good thing too as I had a mouthful of blood and imagined spewing it all over the buffed-tile floor. The dentist...a lieutenant, dress-whites...he gets me in the chair asks me where I'm from...Michigan...so you're a Wolverines fan? I nod. I'm an Ohio State fan he says as he reaches for this big honking needle. Then he climbed up on my chest...this after they put me in a full-body restraint. Naw...kidding...it went okay. Don't worry. All will be well.

Sundrop said:

My only experience with a dentist was when I had all four wisdom teeth removed in 1993. They were impacted and causing migraines, so they had to come out. The oral surgeon had a long conversation with me describing the procedure, and what to expect afterward. At the end of the conversation, I asked him what kind of drugs would be used to sedate me for the surgery. He said 'Oh, you can be awake for the entire procedure, if you like'. I replied that if he wanted to live, he would knock me out.....He gave me some kind of concoction that he called "twilight".....I don't remember anything else. They had my mother take me out the back door after the procedure, though.....apparently, I was high on that stuff for hours

Click to expand...

Did you see any sparkly vampires while you were under, @Sundrop?

Neesy said:

Did you see any sparkly vampires while you were under, @Sundrop?

Click to expand...

Haha! Thankfully, NO!! That was back when vampires were mean and didn't sparkle

I guess I am in the minority. I love going to the dentist! I actually look forward to going twice a year to "catch up" with him. I've been seeing my dentist since he started his practice about 25 years ago, so it is like seeing an old friend when I go for my twice-yearly visit. I have had many things done to my teeth (bridgework, root canals, extractions fillings, etc.) and I still don't mind going to the dentist. In the end it all comes down to your trust in him/her, his/her chair-side manner and your threshold for pain.