Q.

Hi Dr. I have a really extreme phobia of the dentist. I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t been to the dentist in about 12 years. Even just booking an appointment makes me panic really bad, I cry at times as I get that scared, also the silver equipment the dentist’s use have an affect on my teeth, my whole mouth/teeth end up really hurting due to them being really over sensitive (I think) and I just can’t go through with it as I end up passing out. I want to get my mouth sorted though as I’ve had a few teeth crumble and fade away in my mouth and got other bad symptoms going on. I’m only 25 and I find this phobia really affecting my life. Is there any chance of some serious help? I’ve asked some local practice’s if they can ‘knock me out’ but they all said they need to inspect my mouth before hand which I can’t go through. Please help? Thanks 

Q.

Hi, after years of being frightened to go to the dentist, I finally built up the courage to go and see one, the problem I have is, I have seen four different dentist in the last year for dentures that repeatedy have been made wrong, however since Feb this year I have been to the dentist every eleven days to have a full top set of dentures made and again im having problems with the dentist, as after 55 days I still dont have properly fitted dentures, they dont fit my gums, they look absolutely horrendous and fall out whenever I open my mouth, I have been told by friends and family that I need to seek help as this just cant be right, everytime I have mentioned to the dentist that these are wrong, are to big in fitting and size, she tells me its because I am NHS and not private, she told me to wear them and use fixodent as there is nothing else she can do. I now find I dont want to face people, I’m so upset that it keeps me awake at night and feel I need help to have this rectified. If I sent you a photo of the teeth she has given me, you would im sure, fall off your chair with shock. I dont know if you can help me, but information on what i can do, would help

Q.

Hello I need help as this has gone on too long. I had a bad childhood and as a result i hate having things in my mouth even a tooth. Just the thought turns my stomach. I’m only 24 and as a result of my fear my teeth are falling out and really bad and I’m always in a lot of pain due to this. I too ashamed to go to the dentist and scared. Its ruining my life and my children s life. I want to be able to smile again and have a social life but my fear is taking over. Please do you have any advise or help.

Q.

Hi,

I hope you can help. I have fairly bad dental phobia due to trauma as a young child during a routine filling. I’ve recently managed to overcome my inability to walk through the door at the dental clinic and managed to have 7 extractions completed under sedation.

Unfortunately my dentist has advised that he won’t be able to sedate me again as I was severely distressed even whilst under sedation.

I need to have a deep clean and a front tooth removed, either with a bridge or implant replacement.

I don’t know what else to do as I can’t sit in the chair knowing that something other than a finger will be going in my mouth. To be frank it scares me so badly just the thought is making me cry.

I’ve been referred to St Thomas & St Guys but haven’t heard anything from them in nearly 3 months after the initial consultation and when I call I’m told that I’m still on the list.

I know I need the treatment or risk losing all my teeth but I don’t know which way to turn, going private isn’t really an option as I don’t have the money available for it.

Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

Catherine

Q.

Hi,
My 24 year old daughter has Aspergers and suffers from extreme anxiety.
She needs 4 wisdom teeth extracting and is getting abscesses. She has had an assessment appointment at The Eastman Dental Hospital for possible extraction under general anaesthetic, which was incredibly hard for her to manage,but we got help from a sympathetic nurse. Unfortunately she was too crippled by anxiety to even attend the follow up consultation at UCH today. She has excellent teeth
and has not needed any dental treatment before, and has attended regular appointments with her trusted dentist. She is now suffering pain. All my efforts to assist her to attend are not working.Is there any way that I can get some help and support to overcome her fear and attend a future appointment?

Q.

I am only 15 and haven’t been to the dentist in many years as I am terrified, however I have been experiencing pain in one of my upper back teeth for a day or so now and am so scared to go the dentist. Is there any advice or help you could give me?

Q.

Hello
I hope you are able to advise me – I have an overwhelming fear of gagging/pain during dental treatment, and as such have not visited a dentist for several years. This is really embarrassing – I dental nursed for over 20 years, and was an oral health educator. I know how utterly ridiculous this is. Potentially it started the last time I had treatment, I had several ID blocks and was not entirely numb, the dentist continued with treatment despite me being in obvious pain. She then gave me several intraligamentary injections but I was still not totally numb. I know several local dental surgeons, and count them amongst my friends, but I am so terribly embarrassed. I now have toothache, having never had it before, and don’t know where to turn. I am taking pain killers, and really fear RCT, I simply don’t think I could tolerate even simple treatments without gagging/choking, let alone the use of rubber dam. I think the amalgam is leaking in a large DO filling that I have had for many many years. I know this needs sorting. This is the tooth that caused me pain during my last treatment. Can you recommend a dentist in my area (Gosport, Hampshire) that specialises in this type of phobia and who perhaps uses sedation?

Thank you so much in advance for your help

Kind regards,

Q.

How can I find a dentist who can deal with my phobia .My teeth are really bad last time I was there I passed out. Then I thought I had a stroke the dentist said i had gone into shock i have a real fear but have lost all of my confidence through my bad teeth i am desperate to have them done .I would be so thankful for any help you could give me,
Many thanks

Q.

Hi Jennifer

Around a year ago I got my tongue pierced. I had to remove it after around 5 months as my teeth were chipping one by one whilst I was eating and biting accidentally on it or even just fiddling with it in my mouth. I had exams at the same time which I used as my excuse to not visit the dentist as I’m petrified of being told off or seen as unhygienic. I brush my teeth morning and night which has contributed to my chipped teeth to chip further and start to crumble. I except I have a problem yet I can’t bring myself to go to my dentist. It has gotten to the point when 3 of my front teeth are badly decayed, one tooth literally only has the front surface remaining, one tooth, my very front one has chipped at the side and is decaying inwards and the other has literally cracked into two pieces, only the front remains. I’m too scared to go to my dentist as I should have gone sooner and things have really deteriorated… I can’t even look at the dentist as I drive past as I feel physically sick with embarrassment and shakey with anxiety. Even if people speak about the dentist around me I find myself shutting off and thinking about something else. I really want to get it sorted but I just can’t face it! What do you suggest?

Q.

I am due to get put to sleep (general anaesthetic) to have all of my bottom teeth extracted because they are so damaged due to numerous health conditions including osteoporosis.
I am especially worried about the pain afterwards and the lower denture. I am petrified of the dentist and have to have the procedure done in the day unit of a hospital because I can’t be sedated anymore due to my heart rate going through the roof and my entire body going into a seizure-like state so I am also petrified of being in hospital because last time I was in hospital for tooth extractions I was sick for 3 days afterwards and passed out 4 times before they would let me leave.
I need some reassurance about the denture not making me gag and staying in so I can actually eat.