The Dreaded Dentists

[All Seeing Eye]

I've not been to the dentists in about 8 years and unfortunately i'm paying the price. I have a build up of plaque behind my bottom front teeth and it's started rotting and spreading around the rest of my teeth so I have no choice but to go to the dentist. I just signed up yesterday and got an appointment in 2 weeks and i'm scared. I hate the dentists with a passion, the thought of having them drill my teeth to put fillings in sends me into a panic attack. If they tell me I need fillings when they come to put them in i'll probably go ballistic .

Anybody else fear the dentists? well that's probably a retarded question, i'm sure everybody does.
When was the last time you visited?
Did you need fillings? Did it hurt?
How would you rate your teeth?

My teeth aren't bent of mishaped or even discolured, my only problem is the plaque build up at the bottom and the fact it's started to rot and spread, it's not too bad at the mo I suppose, i've seen worse but if I leave it the eventual outcome won't be pretty.
I probably should have gone a few months ago, now I fear I will pay the price.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I've mentioned this before, but I loved my dentist at University. Sure, I had to have two wisdom teeth taken out, but it was done with no fuss at all, both on the same day, with a cute antipodean lady beside me assisting the dentist, and with absolutely no complications. It was the bright spot in an otherwise terrible year.

 

[Darth_Pinche]

Do you floss and brush regularly? That can make all the difference especially if you do not go often. but don't beat yourself up too hard if you don't, genetics can have abig impact on dental health/problems.
Going to the dentist can hurt, but there is a huge range. Find one that you like and that you have good feedback about from family and friends. It is so much about their technique and the fact is some dentists are ham handed while others are amazing. I recommend a female dentist, they seems to have a more sensitive demeanor in my experience. I also think smaller hands only makes things better when they are jamming steel hooks into your gums.
Fillings are more disconcerting than anything else, My dentist has tv screen on the ceiling with headsets so you can just tune out what is going on. bring a DVD and tyr to relax.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Yes, I live in constant fear of it. I take care of my teeth but have very bad genetics when it comes to them, so I've had dozens of fillings done and each one was very painful. They are collectively some of the worst experiences of my life. So now that my parents can't force me to go I haven't gone to the dentist in a while. I had to have a root canal about two years ago. Around the same time the dentist told me my teeth, especially the front ones, are all rotting and I will need dental crowns on all of them. I never set up the appointment to do it and at this point I don't care. I'm only 23 and several of my teeth are dead so I have no hope for saving them at this point. I just enjoy the time I have left with them until I get my crowns or dentures at some point in the future. Going to the dentist feels like a useless waste of time when they can't do anything to help me and it just causes pain and panic attacks. So once it gets really bad I'll go in and get it all done at once (well, not in one visit, you know what I mean).

Luckily I have no pain in my mouth. No tooth aches or anything like that.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Actually, I kind of like going to the dentist. They are always kind, nice always make me feel comfortable. I go every six months or so for a check up, and my teeth are in great health. Why anyone could go without a check for eight years is beyond me. The only way to make sure that they doesn't need to drill your teeth is to make sure to take care of them.

Besides, the assistants are incredibly cute, which is always a plus. (seriously, I actually wondered if they deliberately hire them pretty to distract the patients...)

 

[All Seeing Eye]

My problem is that i've only ever brushed my teeth once a day on a morning when I get up and it's always been a quick brush.
Since my teeth have started rotting around the plaque i've invested in a good toothbrush, i've bought Aquafresh Iso active (which is the best toothpaste i've come across after testing MANY) which I use twice a day now and i've bought some Colgate mouthwash.

But the rotting has already taken effect, so i'm hoping the dentist can clean all the plaque off and perhaps clean the rest up enough so I can at least keep my teeth for a few decades more if I now take care of them better.

 

[Pingfah]

I didn't go to the dentists for 10 years, and when I did it was all totally fine and I didn't need any fillings. So I figure I just saved myself a hell of a lot of needless expense and effort.

I do go every six months now though, I'm early 30s and I figure I have to be more vigilant now.

 

[nevermore]

I didn't think the British had dentists.

 

[Pingfah]

They are all Polish actually.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

They are all Polish actually.

Funnily enough the dental clinic i've signed up to is the same one my mother uses and her dentist is a polish woman. The Dentist i'm seeing also has a foreign name which looks remarkably Polish looking.

 

[Darth_Pinche]

I use Sonicare toothbrushes and they are very good. They also automatically shut off after 2 minutes with little beeps reminding you to move to a different part of the mouth. Sounds silly but it ensures that you do a better job brushing. I walk around do other stuff while brushing since it does most of the work.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

IMO toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouth wash should all be free on the NHS to all UK citizens. It might cost less money doing that than what it costs to repair peoples teeth.

BTW, just before posting my last post I went and brushed my teeth.

 

[JustKate]

I went after 15 years' absence...

I know, I know, I know - no excuses, I grew up going to the dentist and I know how important it is, but I just got out of the habit. But I finally went and...no problems at all. I mean, my teeth needed cleaning, of course, and I've had to use this special stuff on my gums (they look so much healthier now!) and I now have a special "tooth cleaning system," but no cavities, no major problems. I was told, however, that I have a "remarkable" resistance to tooth decay, so YMMV.

Your use of the term "rotting" has me a little concerned. Heavy plaque isn't the same thing as "rotting," although it can lead to it, of course. Plaque isn't good, but it's quite curable; rotting is bad, no doubt about it.

 

[Geckothan]

I didn't take care of my teeth properly (1-2 quick, careless brushes a day) or goto the dentist for years, and eventually I ended up with a giant abcess at the back of my mouth which had to be surgically removed along with 3 teeth. Never neglect dental hygiene. I don't particularily like having someone poking around in my mouth for an hour but it's more fun than being in constant pain.

 

[Mallory]

I've not been to the dentists in about 8 years and unfortunately i'm paying the price. I have a build up of plaque behind my bottom front teeth and it's started rotting and spreading around the rest of my teeth so I have no choice but to go to the dentist.

Five words: Extra Strength Oil of Oregano.

The last time I went to the dentist (other than just an exam/cleaning) I had to have three molars and all my wisdom teeth pulled in one visit. That was a requirement for my transplant.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Be careful, they know about you and will use one of these...

 

[JimCasy]

I just had half a filling fall out Monday morning so had to go in on Wednesday and get it all taken out and replaced. Since I don't have insurance, it set me back $136, which is a whole lot of money when you're making minimum wage.

But apart from the cost, I've never had a huge problem going to the dentist. Even without insurance, I go at least once a year, but my teeth are pretty terrible. All of my molars are mostly fillings, and I had to have a root canal in one of them.

If you're worried about freaking out, you could probably ask for gas instead of novocaine.

 

[T'Baio]

My dentist is super hot and she's got a great rack that hangs right in front of my face when she's working.

I love my dentist.

Literally.

 

[Captain Ice]

They are all Polish actually.

Funnily enough the dental clinic i've signed up to is the same one my mother uses and her dentist is a polish woman.

I went about 8 years without going to a dentist. Finally broke down about 4 years ago and went to one that was recommended by my Dad. I was in the process of being picked up for new dental insurance, and had figured it would take a couple of trips to get it all done, so I timed it so that I paid for the first cleaning at $160 and the insurance paid for the second.

Oh, and there is a difference between cleaning types. The more expensive one I selected was an pick with a waterjet installed in it. This method is more effective and less painful than the traditional method.

I use Sonicare toothbrushes and they are very good. They also automatically shut off after 2 minutes with little beeps reminding you to move to a different part of the mouth. Sounds silly but it ensures that you do a better job brushing. I walk around do other stuff while brushing since it does most of the work.

I got one of these about 2 years ago. Almost makes it fun to brush your teeth. Not all soniccare toothbrushes have the 2 minute timer. Make sure that you buy one that does. You'd be surprised at how long that two minutes can feel.

Oh, and while mine has the timer, it does not periodically beep to tell me to move to a different part of the mouth. This feature is only in the more expensive models.

Best toothbrush I have ever owned.

 

[K-Star]

I went some time late February after having not seen a dentist in 7 years. My gums were swollen and irritated in one particular spot on the front of my bottom teeth. They examined me and scheduled a debridement (deep cleaning). Had that done early March. Wasn't too bad after they used the topical anesthetic. Had to get pretty deep though and I THINK they might have given me an injection, but when I asked the specialist they brought in after I suspected he'd injected me he's like "What makes you think I gave you a shot? Don't shots hurt?" I didn't feel a damn thing... whatever he did. The scraping sensations weren't very pleasant, though.

Afterwards, they scheduled an official "new patient visit" for me a few weeks later. Went to that, got checked out, and I didn't have a single freakin cavity anywhere, which is a miracle considering how often I remember to brush and how long it'd been since I'd last seen a dentist.

So yeah. Not really that afraid anymore.