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Thread: Dental Hypochondria

  1. #1
    Yekhefah
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    Thumbs down Dental Hypochondria

    I fucking hate the dentist, which is a shame as I have to see them so damn often. My teeth are HORRIBLE and cause me no end of grief. Two weeks ago, a dead wisdom tooth abcessed and I had an infection so bad that half my face and neck was swollen. They pulled the tooth and said my X-rays didn't look good. So I got back to L.A. and today I went to another dentist. This crown that's been uncomfortable for a couple of years has pulled away from the root and is badly decayed. I have a couple other cavities, too. Today they cleaned my teeth and I'll go back in a few days for a new $600 crown. *sigh*

    Anyway, lately I tend to freak out at the dentist because I'm terrified of infection. I can't stop thinking about all that bacteria in my mouth and all the open, injured gums that result from the dental work. I always bleed at the dentist, especially when I had the wisdom teeth pulled, and I keep thinking about all the nasty bacteria getting into my bloodstream and infecting my heart or brain and killing me. Consquently, after I go to the dentist, I go home and have panic attacks, which causes chest pain, which leads me to think "heart infection!" - which makes the panic attack worse, and so on.

    Y'all please tell me I am being a dumbass.

  2. #2
    God/dess PleasureVictim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I've been there. A few years ago I never had a problem with the dentist. Until one day I wasn't numbed enough and he started to work on my tooth. I was miserable after that because I felt everything that day.

    Last November I had an infection like yourself Yekhefah- my face swole and I was in so much pain I began screaming and woke everyone in the house up...after that went away (a week) I got a filling and I have to get a crown- which I DON'T have the cash to pay for. Recently my filling fell out now I have a gaping hole in my mouth (hey can someone recommend how to clean it other than brushing? I brush after EVERY meal but I don't want to have to go throw that pain again of it getting infected)

    I can't really offer much advice- I've put it off long enough and I have to go back to get that tooth filled before I have another issue.

    I'm just embarrassed because I can't afford the crown and I cancelled the appointment scheduled to do that. I think I may just find a new dentist to go to.
    :-(

  3. #3
    Featured Member Hello_Kitty27's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    You're being a dumbass.

    OK, seriously speaking here, I know how you feel. I think about the same things when I leavethe dentist after getting work done. My answer to this is Listerine. It stings like a motherf*cker but that doesn't stop me from using it a million times a day for about 2 days after getting work done. Then I go back to me normal mouth-rinsing routine of just 2x a day.

    I have had some major dental issues (as far as a bad dentist goes), so I am always afraid something will go wrong and I will get infected or they will do bad work, but I've recently found a good dentist and have had no problems for the past 1.5 yrs. Hopefully you have the same luck as well. Good luck with the panic attacks too.....maybe you can plan in advance and have something calming waiting for you when you get home.






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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    Call tomorrow and ask them if you can have some valium before your next appointment?


  5. #5
    madmaxine
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    Some good news- you got a deal on the crown. I paid $800 for mine!

    If it makes you feel any better, I knew someone who had a severe case of rotten teeth (the least of her problems, actually) & she kept living. The average young healthy person can survive a dental abcess.

    I have constant dental hyper-awareness, due to several fillings needing a switchout & complications from having braces...Someday my smile will be worth $10,000.

    Hey at least you care about your teeth. Most people don't.

    PS The proper care for cracked or decayed teeth until you can get work done is (like Hello Kitty27 said) Listerine rinses, packing cotton soaked in clove oil into the tooth, and brushing often to keep the bacteria & food particles down.

  6. #6
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    Thanks, y'all... it's not the dental problems that have me worried, it's the aftermath of getting the work done. All I had today was a cleaning, and I'm getting panicky. I keep thinking how stupid it will be if my obituary says "killed by a dental cleaning."

    It's pretty stupid, I know. Tomorrow I will have another panic attack when I start freaking out about how I'm going to pay for that crown. I already have to come up with over a grand this week, which doesn't sound like a big deal but things have been so slow lately!

  7. #7
    God/dess fancygirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    have you made your dentist aware of how you feel? He or she can discuss with you the logical sides of your fears-- why the nasty bacteria has a really tiny chance of killing you. They're the ones that can show you that your fears are for the most part unfounded (especially with a really good dentist you can trust, which, if you don't have one of those, you need to find yourself one fast.)

  8. #8
    God/dess Emily's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I have the same issues about getting my nails done. I'm convinced that I'm getting dirty tools.

    If it's any consolation, I have never met a person my age that has more dental issues than me. I'm German too. I should have good teeth! I seriously think there is more lab created materials than actual enamel in my mouth right now. Anyway, I have never had an infection that killed me.

  9. #9
    Veteran Member KennedyWinters's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I like to see the dentist. Kind of a sweet surrender. they tickle and prod and sometimes hurt, vibrate, jar the senses a bit. I just think of sexy Steve martin in that musical about the blood sucking plant. It is vageuly sexual to me. I get turned on, male or female, can't help it. Pity I have no insurance.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I had a panick attack just from reading this thread lol . But I do hate dentists really I do . I am sure they must tighten the armrests after I leave the office .

  11. #11
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    Quote Originally Posted by KennedyWinters
    I like to see the dentist. Kind of a sweet surrender. they tickle and prod and sometimes hurt, vibrate, jar the senses a bit. I just think of sexy Steve martin in that musical about the blood sucking plant. It is vageuly sexual to me. I get turned on, male or female, can't help it.
    Sounds like the Bill Murray character in the same movie. "I think I need a root canal. I think I need a long... slow... root canal. Oh yes."

    I never used to mind the dentist, but the combination of pain and expense works out to some pretty bad anxiety these days. It's probably got something to do with the installment of this crown which is now, again, the source of an expensive problem. When I first got it five years ago, the whole thing was done with no anaesthetic. He injected the numbing stuff, then left and didn't come back until it wore off. So he put in some more, and then that wore off before he came back. I had to get to work so I just held on and got through it. Little bits of blood and tissue were spattered all over my glasses and the pain was like nothing I've ever been through. It was not a happy experience.

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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I'm looking at a $4500 dental implant procedure. This is one freaking tooth!! I refuse to have it done. I'd rather have it pulled and secure a chiclet in place of it (it is a front tooth). I just can't justify $4500 when it's not guaranteed.

  13. #13
    Veteran Member stripperMBA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    I hate going to the dentist too. I need to go to the dentist as well. My fear comes from the days when I went to the dentists for a the poor kids in the area. the shots to numb a person have never, never worked on me. They would ingore my request for extra pain medications. The last time I went the dentist got my shirt all wet and refused to give anything too dull the pain. She was just cleaning my teeth but she could have atleast been sympatetic. But she was like "you need to come every six months!!!". I never went back to that office after that. They kept my braces on my teeth for FIVE YEARS just to get the medicare money I hate going to the dentist. I brush and mouthwash three times a day. I floss twice. I am planning to go to the dentist soon my sister found one that will give enough pain medication. Strangely enough the male dentist I use to see as a child never liked to wear gloves. I saw him all the way into my teens. A few years after I stopped seeing him he died of AIDS. Yes, I have been tested negative. This was also like ten years ago before someof the stricter cleaning standards went into place.
    "Can we read it on the Smoking Gun? "

  14. #14
    God/dess whirlerz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dental Hypochondria

    Well, I just had 6 crowns installed, (3 on ea. side). Some filings were old & had decay under them. He said any time on either side, the teeth could shatter, & I would then need a root canal. Thanks to my lousy non-insurance that I thought would partially cover it, I now have a 3200.00 bill. The last one was escpecially horrendous, but, he did give me valium for both sessions, & much novicane so it really helped. I also had an infection, I was on 2000 mg of pencillin a day for a week. Please, I was so terrified, not to mention this was my first work done in 5 yrs. I was practically on the ceiling from just having the cleaning done.


    MANY MEN WANTED TO LAY ME DOWN, BUT FEW WANTED TO LIFT ME UP

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