Comments on: 7 Tips for Overcoming Fear of the Dentist http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/ Famous Among Dozens Sun, 19 May 2013 22:47:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Becky http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219787 Becky Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:23:13 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219787 I can't talk or hear talk about the dentist without bursting into tears. However, it's not exactly the fears you address. I fear that (since I haven't been to see anyone in many years) that A. It will cost me more money than I can ever afford; and B. They will tell me that the neglect is so bad that's it's not fixable -- that they'll have to pull teeth and shake their heads sadly, while telling me IF I HAD ONLY GONE to the dentist, I could have prevented it all. Just typing this makes me shake. So I DON'T GO. I can’t talk or hear talk about the dentist without bursting into tears. However, it’s not exactly the fears you address. I fear that (since I haven’t been to see anyone in many years) that A. It will cost me more money than I can ever afford; and B. They will tell me that the neglect is so bad that’s it’s not fixable — that they’ll have to pull teeth and shake their heads sadly, while telling me IF I HAD ONLY GONE to the dentist, I could have prevented it all. Just typing this makes me shake. So I DON’T GO.

]]> By: katie http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219720 katie Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:34:10 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219720 de-lurking to give you this link! as a fellow redhead, I've had problems with Novocaine, as in, hell YES I can feel that! ow. Now my dentist knows to give me more than he would give other patients and, if it's a long procedure, I may need a second shot halfway through. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/the-pain-of-being-a-redhead/ de-lurking to give you this link!
as a fellow redhead, I’ve had problems with Novocaine, as in, hell YES I can feel that! ow. Now my dentist knows to give me more than he would give other patients and, if it’s a long procedure, I may need a second shot halfway through.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/the-pain-of-being-a-redhead/

]]> By: Cindy D. http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219706 Cindy D. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:59:02 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219706 Ask for referrals from friends if you don't like your dentists and SWITCH! As a child I had a horrible dentist who was rough and made every filling a nightmare. My parents thought I was being dramatic and of course,the dentist isn't supposed to be pleasant. Flash forward - I didn't see a dentist for close to 10 years as an adult! It took a few tries, but I got lucky and found 2 amazing, gentle, professional, really lovely dentists in my town and never hesitate to refer people to them. An abcessed tooth, 2 crowns and all my required cleanings later and I have NO anxiety about the dentist anymore. Ask for referrals from friends if you don’t like your dentists and SWITCH! As a child I had a horrible dentist who was rough and made every filling a nightmare. My parents thought I was being dramatic and of course,the dentist isn’t supposed to be pleasant. Flash forward – I didn’t see a dentist for close to 10 years as an adult! It took a few tries, but I got lucky and found 2 amazing, gentle, professional, really lovely dentists in my town and never hesitate to refer people to them. An abcessed tooth, 2 crowns and all my required cleanings later and I have NO anxiety about the dentist anymore.

]]> By: jen http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219701 jen Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:58:08 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219701 BANANAS!! no joke. i have always had to have novocaine administered repeatedly to get sufficiently numb. a dentist friend remarked that sometimes this is due to a person's PH balance being acidic (i.e. more acidic, rather than alkaline, systems tend to be more resistant to the numbing agent). he said eat banana(s) the day before to shift my PH to be more alkaline. i figured nothing to lose, and ate one banana the day before my appt. the novocaine worked its magic with just one shot, and no need for multiples. may just be a coincidence, but you bet i'm eating bananas before every appt in the future! BANANAS!! no joke. i have always had to have novocaine administered repeatedly to get sufficiently numb. a dentist friend remarked that sometimes this is due to a person’s PH balance being acidic (i.e. more acidic, rather than alkaline, systems tend to be more resistant to the numbing agent). he said eat banana(s) the day before to shift my PH to be more alkaline. i figured nothing to lose, and ate one banana the day before my appt. the novocaine worked its magic with just one shot, and no need for multiples. may just be a coincidence, but you bet i’m eating bananas before every appt in the future!

]]> By: Paula http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219698 Paula Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:06:38 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219698 Nitrous Oxide all the way, baby! I too was having panic attacks just thinking about the possibility of seeing a dentist. I knew I had work to be done and the idea of going made me think I would surely die. I asked for Nitrous Oxide and found out it was only $30 out of pocket. WAY worth it. It didn't knock me out (which would have been nice) but it relaxed me and made it bearable. Just remember to keep breathing through your nose so you get that wonderful gas. Nitrous Oxide all the way, baby!
I too was having panic attacks just thinking about the possibility of seeing a dentist. I knew I had work to be done and the idea of going made me think I would surely die.
I asked for Nitrous Oxide and found out it was only $30 out of pocket. WAY worth it. It didn’t knock me out (which would have been nice) but it relaxed me and made it bearable. Just remember to keep breathing through your nose so you get that wonderful gas.

]]> By: kathryn http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219693 kathryn Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:31:26 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219693 i always take the first available dental appointment of the day. the office is quiet and calm and on schedule, and i don't have to spend the whole morning dreading the afternoon. i also sometimes buy myself a reward after a dental cleaning, for being so brave. i always take the first available dental appointment of the day. the office is quiet and calm and on schedule, and i don’t have to spend the whole morning dreading the afternoon.

i also sometimes buy myself a reward after a dental cleaning, for being so brave.

]]> By: Sheri Bheri http://mightygirl.com/2011/01/07/overcoming-fear-of-the-dentist/#comment-1219691 Sheri Bheri Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:28:36 +0000 http://mightygirl.com/?p=13635#comment-1219691 I'm one of the lucky ones, I don't have issues with the dentist (FTR my Mom made sure we had an AWESOME dentist growing up). But a dental dam really does make a difference. Also, they have a block that they can put in your mouth to help you hold it open. I find it less tiring to be able to rest my jaw on this block, instead of forcing my mouth open. One more thing, my Mom is allergic to the standard anesthetic Dentists use. She would have a panic attack in the chair, it would hardly numb her / take a huge amount to get her numb. A new (smarter / savvier) dentist spoke with her and they changed the anesthetic and it was a totally different experience for her. Please don't wait until you're in your fifties to figure this out! I’m one of the lucky ones, I don’t have issues with the dentist (FTR my Mom made sure we had an AWESOME dentist growing up).

But a dental dam really does make a difference.

Also, they have a block that they can put in your mouth to help you hold it open. I find it less tiring to be able to rest my jaw on this block, instead of forcing my mouth open.

One more thing, my Mom is allergic to the standard anesthetic Dentists use. She would have a panic attack in the chair, it would hardly numb her / take a huge amount to get her numb. A new (smarter / savvier) dentist spoke with her and they changed the anesthetic and it was a totally different experience for her. Please don’t wait until you’re in your fifties to figure this out!

]]>