The Dentist

[Diamonds of Frost]

How are you all with going to the dentist? Does it cost you no thought, fill you with fear or a necessary evil?

I was there today for a 'routine' clean. I usually require IV sedation but today thought no I can do this it's only a clean. Mother of all that is unholy The hygienist gave me a local anaesthetic and I actually screamed with the pain and thought I'd have to leave. So she only managed a few bottom teeth.

She said that because my gums are a little inflamed in parts that it will be sensitive and if I get them right then the whole thing will be 'a breeze'. It has never been a breeze.

The thing is though the reason I don't like the dentist is because it hurts. Like really hurts. It isn't an irrational fear at all. So I wonder if there is something amiss here? Why is it so damn excruciating for me to have a bit of an injection in to the gums?

How do the rest of you manage?

[kadman]

Funny you should mention the dentist. I was there today for my routine yearly....or in the case of the pandemic...3 yearly visit.
I inquired about a top denture, which she said she would need to take a couple of x rays, which she did,

She then informed me that I had infection in 3 teeth which need to be xtracted before any denture work. I was shocked because I never suffered any pain at all. Then she asked me would i want my teeth cleaned. I said No, and she asked why. I said my past cleaning episode was the most excrutiating dental pain I had ever endured, above and beyond a tooth extraction with a broken route.

But I must confess....that for a second I was tempted by her beautiful eyes staring into mine above her mask.............................and then reality came flooding back. The last Taliban dental technician inflicted so much pain that I would have confessed to assassinating the Ayatollah himself........twice.

[Diamonds of Frost]

Do you live in Afghanistan? *scratches head*

[765489]

The cleaning is painful for me, have no problems with root canal or fillings. Probably the biggest pain for me is the price. I've to spend a couple of thousand to get bridges and crowns. So I left the dentist for a while and used covid as an excuse

Will have to go back soon as I'll end up like oul fella - toothless.

When I'm in the dentist's chair I imagine I'm going throught an X Files type female alien abduction scene where I'm on a space craft. Seems to kill the boredom.

[knownunknown]

I remember a dentist telling me I shouldn’t feel pain as there are no nerves there. He went on and said some of his previous patients didn’t need anaesthetic at all and that the pain is all in your head.

Never went back to the crackpot.

[Diamonds of Frost]

The cleaning is painful for me, have no problems with root canal or fillings. Probably the biggest pain for me is the price. I've to spend a couple of thousand to get bridges and crowns. So I left the dentist for a while and used covid as an excuse

Will have to go back soon as I'll end up like oul fella - toothless.

When I'm in the dentist's chair I imagine I'm going throught an X Files type female alien abduction scene where I'm on a space craft. Seems to kill the boredom.

When I stop shaking I imagine the rooms of my house looking the way they would if I won the lotto

[kadman]

Do you live in Afghanistan? *scratches head*

No I live in Westmeath

But...
I have some inkling that the last Taliban dentist was too cruel for them, so he was thrown out of afghanistan, and ended up here as my dentist.
Nearly as bad as the dentist who pulled me all around the surgery by the tooth, and then said he couldn,t pull it when it was half out...and sent me home after pushing it back in

I ended up on anti biotics with a bio organism infection in my jaw. I dont like'em ever since. I think of them as evil bastards with a syringe.

But I must admit, I waivered for a brief moment when she fluttered her eyelids at me this morning. I did for sure But then remembered what pain she could inflict. Run Forest, run.

[Diamonds of Frost]

A county that has a special place in my heart

You know some people do like pain......maybe the lady dentist thought you were one of them? What with the eyelash flutter and all

[kadman]

A county that has a special place in my heart

You know some people do like pain......maybe the lady dentist thought you were one of them? What with the eyelash flutter and all

I regret to say that I took better care of my classic VW's down through the years, than my teeth. Probably because there was less pain involved compared to dental work.I have had painfree visits at the dentists for sure, but that particular dentist has retired............blast him. He was also a classic car enthusiast, and perhaps was reluctant to administer a painful outcome when I called.

His replacement, Miss eyelashes was a bit too keen on my first visit to start pulling teeth. She is gonna have to get to know me first, before any pain is part of the visit.
The only female with pain on the menu, is the missus, and i'm a wee bit too sprightly to be caught by her yet.

[kadman]

Is it safe.

[nlgbbbblth]

I had a broken tooth earlier this year which got sorted. Dentist said it was time for a teeth clean but said she would do it "the next time" and warned that it would take two visits.

Given that any previous cleaning episodes have been terrifying & painful, I still haven't gone back.

[Cobham]

Made a special plea before work commences that you need an extra dose of pain numbing gel.... and prob not a good idea to neglect cleaning for so long, that auld tartar just builds up and probably a limit to how much they can shift in one session.

[Diamonds of Frost]

The hygienist (I didn't actually see the dentist but same idea) sprayed a numbing agent all around but perhaps more was needed alright.

That's exactly what happens. The less you go the more painful a clean will be. It should be fairly routine and an anaesthetic not needed. My gums have always been temperamental and sensitive. Now I'm stuck in a pain loop of it being sore in parts when I floss so not flossing there, but that just means harder for the dentist to clean.

[Diamonds of Frost]

I had a broken tooth earlier this year which got sorted. Dentist said it was time for a teeth clean but said she would do it "the next time" and warned that it would take two visits.

Given that any previous cleaning episodes have been terrifying & painful, I still haven't gone back.

Did you get your previous cleaning done in one visit nlg?

[nlgbbbblth]

Did you get your previous cleaning done in one visit nlg?

No - last cleaning in early 2020 was done in two sessions, albeit the first session had other work to be done at the start so it wasn't a full go.

I know if I went every six months it would be easy - leaving it to every 2 or 3 years means hassle and pain. It's a hard cycle to break. Covid didn't help as I naturally stayed away.

I have some time off in September so will go then but even thinking about it is putting me in a bad mood.

[Diamonds of Frost]

No - last cleaning in early 2020 was done in two sessions, albeit the first session had other work to be done at the start so it wasn't a full go.

I know if I went every six months it would be easy - leaving it to every 2 or 3 years means hassle and pain. It's a hard cycle to break. Covid didn't help as I naturally stayed away.

I have some time off in September so will go then but even thinking about it is putting me in a bad mood.

I was almost "cured" of my dentist anxiety. A good number of years back I had the most wonderful dentist. He was patient and most importantly calm. I felt safe and in control. He performed a root canal on me and it didn't hurt. Unfortunately he moved on to do specialised work. A few more years passed and I was back, this time with a different dentist. Another lovely man with such a great manner.

So I was back on track. Then tooth and extraction issues happened and I was back a few more steps. That particular dentist also left the practice. I started over with my third one in my time as their patient. Praise be I struck gold again. Only to be met with a rather matter of fact hygienist yesterday. She was very nice but I wasn't comfortable and I felt like an eejit.

What's my point. If you're in any way nervous then I think your dentist's personality is just as important as their competency. There is great awareness today about the fear that a lot of people have when faced with dental work. For me it's compounded by the fact that (apart from the root canal) every visit without sedation is incredibly painful.

It might also be worth considering IV sedation if you can afford it. There's also good old valium which can help with the nerves.

[nlgbbbblth]

Cleaning booked for 14 September... will try to put it out of mind until then.

[765489]

I had the experience of a very clumsy dentist once. She was standing in for my regular dentist who was off on maternity leave. Rough as a bag of cats, she actually had me in what felt like a head lock. Also she was putting in a clamp and some how managed to catch the side of my lip in it. After that I felt that if she was clumsy enough to do that what the feck was going on in my mouth.

I nearly ran out of the place. Never been back for fear she would be standing in again.

Butcher.

[Diamonds of Frost]

Were you a young fella at the time Nc? I remember the HSE or Health Boards as they were back then and dentists in them were medieval torturers. It's where kids went to for free dental treatment. Shudder.

[765489]

Were you a young fella at the time Nc? I remember the HSE or Health Boards as they were back then and dentists in them were medieval torturers. It's where kids went to for free dental treatment. Shudder.

Exciue me Persepoly I'm still a young fella. I resemble that remark!

Nah twas about 9 or 10 years ago D. She seemed to be distracted all the time, mind not on the job.

[Diamonds of Frost]

Younger! I meant younger!

It's really not the kind of job to be distracted on

[nlgbbbblth]

Cleaning booked for 14 September... will try to put it out of mind until then.

This was tough
Top worse than bottom
But I told her to keep going & it all got done in the one visit.

Was told to come back in 3 months "to avoid slippage into bad habits" so booked appointment there and then.
All going well, the next clean "will be about one tenth of the pain level of this one"

[Diamonds of Frost]

This was tough
Top worse than bottom
But I told her to keep going & it all got done in the one visit.

Was told to come back in 3 months "to avoid slippage into bad habits" so booked appointment there and then.
All going well, the next clean "will be about one tenth of the pain level of this one"

Fair play to you nlg. I've yet to make a second appointment. Did you get a local anaesthetic to help with the pain?

[nlgbbbblth]

Fair play to you nlg. I've yet to make a second appointment. Did you get a local anaesthetic to help with the pain?

I was offered it but said no. I didn’t want to be numbed up for the evening. One thing that helped was the dentist commenting every so often on how she was progressing & how many teeth were left to do.

[Diamonds of Frost]

Yes I think the manner of the dentist counts for an awful lot. My bottom lip was all blown up after the anaesthetic so I looked like one of those silly women who have fake lips