fear of the dentist in The AnswerBank: Body & Soul

Try to get to an emergency dentist if you can, if you get an infection it can be very painful and take longer to sort out.
You should try to find a dentist, if not NHS then many private dentists operate insurance schemes whereby you pay so much each month which covers most treatments. Dentists now are also much better with nervous patients. Good luck and I do hope you get the bad tooth sorted soon

WhiteBear

Question Author

thanks bensmum,

i really want to get it fixed if not removed but im petrified ;'(

but will really need to find a dentist!!

bensmum

I can relate to that - I used to be petrified of dentists but then I found a lovely guy who has been my dentist for many years and I trust him completely. I hope you find one like it.

samuelcat

apart from your fear , the longer you leave it the more it will cost.
if you tell the dentist your fears they can prescribe a tablet to take before you go for the treatment to help calm you. my mate had the same problem and with the tablet she just kept giggling through the whole thing.
good luck

saxy_jag

It's worth asking around locally. People are usually happy to recommend a good dentist. If you're in the Leicester area, I can give you the name of a good one.

poltergeist

My dad used to tie a piece of string around the tooth and the other side round a door. Then slammed the door. Worked every time. have you considered this?

poltergeist

or do you have any ice skating shoes about anywhere

bednobs

you will probably find depending on where you are there is not an "emergency dentist hospital" even if you did find an nhs emergency dentist, they would only do the emergency stuff, then expect you to find another dentist for the more routine stuff. i think your estimate of 100's is wrong - from what you are saying it's more likely to be 1000's.

First and foremost, you need to find an NHS dentist. To so this you can either call your local PALS service at your local pct. They keep lists of the nearest dentists accepting NHS patients. No matter what you need in one course of treatment, you will never (currently) pay more than �198. You will find the PALS number in your phonebook or on your pct website (if, for example you live in norfolk put "norfolk pct" into a search engine. Or you could go to NHS choices webpage, put in you postcode and click on dentists. Click on each individual dentist to see if they are accepting new nhs patients.

secondly, are you on a low income or income related benefits? If so you may be entitled to free nhs dental care any way. See here to check for entitlements http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1558.aspx

lastly, you might be able to find a dentist who offers sedation (injection in hand) for procedures. You are sort of awake but remember nothing. You cant drive afterwards. In my local town the sedation clinic is just called "the reading dental sedation clinic" You may have one where you are. In Reading if you get free nhs treatment, you can also get free sedation, otherwise you have to pay.

Good luck

bednobs

you will probably find depending on where you are there is not an "emergency dentist hospital" even if you did find an nhs emergency dentist, they would only do the emergency stuff, then expect you to find another dentist for the more routine stuff. i think your estimate of 100's is wrong - from what you are saying it's more likely to be 1000's.

First and foremost, you need to find an NHS dentist. To so this you can either call your local PALS service at your local pct. They keep lists of the nearest dentists accepting NHS patients. No matter what you need in one course of treatment, you will never (currently) pay more than �198. You will find the PALS number in your phonebook or on your pct website (if, for example you live in norfolk put "norfolk pct" into a search engine. Or you could go to NHS choices webpage, put in you postcode and click on dentists. Click on each individual dentist to see if they are accepting new nhs patients.

secondly, are you on a low income or income related benefits? If so you may be entitled to free nhs dental care any way. See here to check for entitlements http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1558.aspx

lastly, you might be able to find a dentist who offers sedation (injection in hand) for procedures. You are sort of awake but remember nothing. You cant drive afterwards. In my local town the sedation clinic is just called "the reading dental sedation clinic" You may have one where you are. In Reading if you get free nhs treatment, you can also get free sedation, otherwise you have to pay.

Good luck

bednobs

meant to say my answer applies to england only

jno

bad news is you will need a dentist unless you want to go the door handle route. Good news they are much better than they used to be; most stuff is pain free these days. I'm not mad on needles but you're lying more or less flat when it happens, which feels better. Or you may find someone doing sedation as bednobs suggests. I also went years without seeing a dentist, for the same reason as you. Result: lots of pain (from the teeth, not the dentistry), lots of expense. Please don't make my mistakes; get it seen to asap and you'll save yourself a lot of grief in the future.

Postdog

I'm 50 odd.

20 years ago I was like you, petrified - last time I saw a dentist was when I was a kid.

I needed to go, so I (pardon the pun) bit the bullet.

My first few visits I was anxious, shaking, etc, etc, but in a very short time dentist visits were second nature. Honestly, nothing to be afraid of.

WhiteBear

Question Author

thanks for the info bednobs they are great! i will check them out, yes you are right it would cost me �1,000' for all the treatments i just felt too ashamed.

bensmum, yes its the trust with the dentist boost the confidences too. i had a fantastic dentist long time ago, but it just cost me too much!

saxy; i wish i was in Leicester, but im in Leeds, but im sure there some great one in Leeds.

jno thanks for giving me more confident, if you can do it, so can i!!!!!

Sam; wow, you can talk tablets before the treatment to calm me down?? nice one! still fear of pain, and the noise.

Thanks for the great Advice everyone =) x i wil let you guys updated when i find a NHS Dentist! or if i win the lottery this saturday i'll go private and get it done straight away.!!!!

jno

I used to be the world's worst, WhiteBear. I went to a dentist who wasn't very good but did sedation, which I had every time - it works really well but you need someone to take me home, which got to be too much trouble. So then one day I just stopped, found a dentist through a friend who was really good (don't be afraid to ask everyone you know for advice) and forced myself to relax. And sure enough, there's almost never any pain at all.

But I bottled out of a blood test today at the hospital - still scared of those!

lorri24601

explain your fears to the dentist, and ask if you would be able to use an i pod to listen to music while you have treatment to help block the noise,i, like you hate the dentist and i found a really good one a couple of years ago and it was him that made the i pod suggestion to me, unfortunately he has retired now,but i found another one just as good,so they are out there.Remember they are not like doctors,you can register with any dentist and are under no obligation to stay with them,so you can just keep looking till you find one you are happy and feel relaxed and confident with .aslo nhs has a very straight forward price structure now with only 3 charges,�16.20 for check ups and simple quick work, �40 something (not sure exactly) for fillings ect and �198 for extensive work, so you know in advance how much it will cost, where i go they break it down as the work is done,so you pay for each stage as its done. Good luck, hope you can overcome your fears, i did and im a total wimp :-) lol xx
:-)

WhiteBear

Question Author

hey juno thanks for that, im fine with hospitals etc.. just bl00dy dentist which i hate!!!

lorri, what a great idea with the i-pod thing!! :-) what i need to do is find an NHS dentist!!xxx

andy-hughes

What you need is 5mg of Diazipam an hour before you go for your first appointment. When you find a dentist, ask him if he prescribes, some do. If not, have a word with your GP.

I was so frightened of the dentist i couldn't even get through the front door, never mind up the stairs, into the surgery and into the chair. When I made myself get there, as my dentist leaned over me to start my check-up, I would faint with fear, so I do know how bad you feel.

The Diazipam will calm you right down and you will be fine, but take someone with you to get you there and back safely. It goes without saying that you can'd drive. Afterwards, go home and go to bed, and sleep it off.

Good luck..

bednobs

the dental enquiry line for nhs dentists for leeds is Dental enquiries: 0800 298 5787
Or out of hours is 0113 220 6583

fear of the dentist

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