Dentist Woes!

[AmateisGal]

I hate going to the dentist. No, hate is not strong enough. I loathe and despise going to the dentist with the heat of a thousand nuclear warheads. I would rather go to the gynecologist once a month for a year rather than a dentist once.

I have a cavity and need to go get it taken care of tomorrow. I'm sure they will have to inject me three or four times with novacaine because for some reason, I have issues with the numbing stuff not working well (dentist explained it to me but I was too doped up to understand). I always leave with a splitting headache and a huge hole in my bank account.

I think tomorrow I'm going to use the nitrous oxide. My daughter does this and she says it's so relaxing, you really don't care what they're doing.

I inherited my mother's bad teeth, so I've had two root canals and several cavities and teeth even breaking throughout my lifetime. My dad is going to be getting dentures (though I think that's more related to a med he is on for diabetes).

Anyone else have a dentist phobia?

 

[Turnip]

Uuuuuh, poor thing! I hated going to the dentist too, until i found the right one for me, what took some decades.
Don’t they offer/use Propofol at your end? That‘s what is often used here in case of phobic patients and similar.

You take a nice nap and will have only a light hangover afterwards.

I take that chance for the gastro- and coloscopies i have to run once a year. Less because fear, more because pain.

Good luck anyway! Hope the best for you and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[tonyb]

No matter how you loathe dental care, it still beats the hell out of losing teeth.

I now have a partial denture, which fills the gaps left by three lost teeth on the upper right rear and one on the upper left. Had I availed myself of more frequent dental care over the decades I wouldn’t have lost those teeth.

 

[Harp]

I hate going to the dentist.

I inherited my mother's bad teeth, so I've had two root canals and several cavities and teeth even breaking throughout my lifetime.

Anyone else have a dentist phobia?

Get this done, and it is over. Then you can order an Irish sausage pizza and celebrate.

Irish pizza is a routine Italian pie, with French fries-thick and heat baked, never fried.
Roll a piece of pizza with the fry inside. Lancers Portuguese vin rose vino; diet Coke, Coke Zero.

 

[AmateisGal]

No matter how you loathe dental care, it still beats the hell out of losing teeth.

I now have a partial denture, which fills the gaps left by three lost teeth on the upper right rear and one on the upper left. Had I availed myself of more frequent dental care over the decades I wouldn’t have lost those teeth.

This is true. I don't want to lose teeth. I've heard it's a nightmare to get them all yanked and have dentures. Ugh. So I will go, but very grudgingly. LOL

 

[Tiki Tom]

Agreed. I also Hate going to the dentist. Nonetheless, I learned the hard way that an annual checkup and cleaning ultimately spared me some pain and heartache. Good luck!

speaking of dentists, didn’t we read a few years ago that “within a few years” science would gift us with a lifelong ability to regrow teeth? I’m sure I read that. I wonder how that’s coming along.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Yeah, my mother had lost all her teeth by the time she was 40, so as much as I hate going to the dentist, I go. Except this past year, given the pandemic. And that makes it all the more phobic because they end up finding all kinds of things wrong after a layoff like that.

I lost a front tooth in an accident when I was eighteen, and ended up having an abscess in the tooth next to it, related to that accident, nearly thirty years later, and the result was a $1000 root canal. So getting things taken care of -- completely -- as soon as you can is extremely important.

 

[Nobert]

An ex-girlfriend's mother had a weird condition wherein novocaine had no effect on one side of her face. When she was a child, no one believed this and she grew up with a paralyzing fear of dentists. She lost all her teeth quite young.

I guess I've been lucky, the truth is I haven't seen a dentist in probably thirty years, and have had no major issues. I do occasionally have dreams about my teeth falling out, though.

 

[Turnip]

...

I have a cavity and need to go get it taken care of tomorrow.

...

Anyone else have a dentist phobia?

How did things work out?

 

[crawlinkingsnake]

Haven't been to a dentist since pre-COVID and got no plans to go back until vaccinated.

 

[Turnip]

I have a date for prof. cleaning and half year checkup beginning next month. Visiting the dentist on half yearly base also generates some bonus percentage points at SHI here when dentures should become necessary.
Costs for cleaning are covered by SHI, costs for dentistry anyway.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

...I've had two root canals...

Root canals are not as bad as they used to be if your dentist sends you to a specialist who does them (forget what that dentist is called). Still you should plan on spending just about 2 hrs flat on your back down low just off the floor, with an electron microscope hanging in your face while you wear deep purple shaded glasses. They generally don't allow you a break because it's too much trouble to move everything & sit up. Anytime I go to any dentist I take a lumbar support pillow for the small of my back & that helps.

 

[AmateisGal]

How did things work out?

UGH.

I have never had good teeth. I blame my mom who has had a TON of dental work done during her lifetime.

Probably a combination of that and not going to the dentist for a few years culminated in some bad news today: I have to have four teeth extracted. Two already had crowns on them and root canals which is super frustrating and one is from a root canal/crown that broke and there's no tooth left to save. So I'll be getting all of them taken out at once, and be getting two implants. Thankfully, the oral surgeon will knock me out completely to get it all taken care of. That's what I want. I do not want to be awake for it.

I hate how much this is going to cost, but it's going to get done. I had myself so worked up this morning that I almost canceled my appointment. I guess tooth pain is on a whole other level for me. I can handle about any other kind of pain just fine - I mean, I gave birth without drugs! - but oral pain...nope. I can't do it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Make sure you give yourself time to recover. When my wisdom teeth had to come out, I didn't. And I paid for it.

 

[CatsCan]

I had bad teeth as a child and in my youth. The dentists earned a lot of money. A Dentist was considered a real doctor who only wanted my best. Later I recognized the freelancing craftsman in need to pay his Porsche and started to question every diagnosis. My luck was, that one of my closest friends was and still is a dentist. I changed my diet, not because of my teeth, but for general health benefits. Reduced carbs, increased quality fatty acids, protein rich foods, low starch*, a lot of marine food, green food and less acidy fruits. This had a great impact on my system. I have the habit to brush my teeth with the softest and finest brush I can find, exchange them on a weekly basis. I use Xylitol-Water sollution to rinse. I never ever brush my teeth after a meal! When I feel I have to clean my mouth after a meal I use plain tab water and rinse. The biggest impact had my decision to quit simple sugars altogether. Xylitol-Erithrith-Stevia compositions worked well as substitute after my brain forgot how sugar tastes. I did this for more than one year (solved my Neurodermitis problems bye the way).
THIS eliminated my teeth problems completely since more than 15 years now.

BUT: I have a Dentist who is not working because of the money. He is earning money because he is working.

The only bit that the dentist had to do in all those years was to brush over one tooth for just one quick second with a grinder. It had become too long due to changes in my jaw geometry. This had caused a pain sensation because of irritated fibres surrounding the tooth's socket. After two days the pain was gone. MANY other dentists would have told me a major surgery was neccessary just because of the higher bill he could send to the insurance.

So, healthy food, healthy drinks, and a really trustful dentist are so important.

Last but not least: Until you found a trustful dentist, always ask a second dentist and a third... before you make a decision. Second and third opinions or diagnosis can differ greatly. Just try, it will surprise you! Avoid a dentist with a Porsche.

* a way to reduce starch in potatoes is to boil them a day before, swap the water for fresh one and let them cool down. Put them in the fridge. The next day you can heat them again in water or fry them in coconut oil and you have delicious low starch potatoes. My grandmother always boiled potatoes for several days in advance. This also reduced cooking time for many dishes. Same applies for any pasta.

Edit: The correct explanation is that it is not really reducing the amount of starch in potatoes and pasta, or reducing carbohydrates, but it transforms the starch into resitsant starch, which is digested by some beneficial gut bacteria and help improving our health.

 

[AmateisGal]

Make sure you give yourself time to recover. When my wisdom teeth had to come out, I didn't. And I paid for it.

Will definitely do that. I had my wisdom teeth taken out in college and it wasn't fun!

 

[ChiTownScion]

Root canals are not as bad as they used to be if your dentist sends you to a specialist who does them (forget what that dentist is called). /QUOTE]

Endodontist.

Had one that my general dentist used to send me to several times and he was excellent. State of the art electronic equipment assured a painless procedure every time.

Went to one however, who my wife chose because he was "in plan" and cheaper. A real butcher whose work quality (or lack thereof rather) upset my GP. As in most fields: avoid old men who have been doing it so long that they think that they have nothing new to learn. And I say that being an old man myself.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

State of the art electronic equipment assured a painless procedure every time.

That electron microscope helps to make sure nothing is missed & left behind in the canal to pose problems in the future.

Now if they could only come up with a more comfortable chair that fits a taller person better!

 

[AmateisGal]

Made my consultation appointment with the oral surgeon. My dentist referred me to two - he said he would only refer me to those he absolutely trusted (there are several here in town) so I feel confident. I looked at both of their websites and really like the one I chose. They have RNs on staff which I appreciate to help with the sedation and everything else. I'm going to get four teeth pulled at once, and then two implants, all done on the same day. Better to get it done in one shot.

 

[Turnip]

Wow, sounds like a tough job! Hope things will turn to the best for you! Keep us updated please.
Best wishes
Turnip