Is anyone else afraid of going to the dentist?

[nicolezoie]

I have my first dental appointment in about 10 years on Friday. *cringing*

This all came up because Fiancé wants me to have pretty teeth for our wedding in a little less than a year, and things need to be fixed anyways. Even if we weren't planning a wedding, getting things fixed is LONG overdue. I'm just scared because I know that I haven't exactly been good to my teeth.

The worst thing I've done to them is barely using any toothpaste for about 5 years because I developed an overwhelming disgust of the taste and nausea from the sticky foamy aftertaste. Fiancé convinced me to start using toothpaste again, and we went through the painstaking process of finding one I could stand, so at least I'm doing THAT again. And, I hate flossing. I have one of those stupid wires that they used to cement into your bottom teeth after having braces, and the thing is darned near impossible to get a floss threader (or floss for that matter) under. I do floss the rest about once a week though.

But, the thing I am most nerveous about is my two front teeth. I have some old dental work that was never finished, and they have gone gray. In addition to having gone gray, one has a crack up the center of it from tip to gum. And, I will have to get crowns (caps?, veneers?, a denture?) to fix that.

I know that they won't be doing EVERYTHING all at once, but I know it's going to be a long, and probably painful process. I'm just dreading starting. :(

[LisaJaney]

You know, it doesn't necessarily have to be painful. I'd share your fears with your doctor before he even beGINS, so he knows to be gentle and let you know in advance what he's going to be doing. Things like "OK, now you'll feel a little pressure here..." or "This will pinch your gum a little, but shouldn't be painful. Let me know if it's really bothersome and we can numb that area." I find that if he's aware of my apprehension, then he's looking out for me and also watching for signs of my discomfort and will be quick to respond and alleviate any pain.

Also, tell yourself the TRUTH about what's happening. Things like "This is going to KILL me!" or "This hurts worse than that time I broke my leg" are not true. Sometimes I've had a few things at the dentist that were a bit painful, but I made the proper noises (one time it was a bit of a yelp, I admit) and he IMMEDIATELY got me a bit more novacaine and the problem was fixed. Tell yourself the truth about what you're feeling. Maybe you will say "this is a bit uncomfortable" or "I don't care for this feeling, but it's not going to kill me, and it's just a temporary inconvenience to endure this and it will be over soon" or "this can be occasionally uncomfortable but when I mention it to the doctor, he will fix it." Frankly, I do Lamaze deep-chest breathing when they're doing the shots. I use a focal point, I divert my mind and think on something pleasant, and I breathe deeply and calmly and FORCE my muscles to relax. Breathe deeply and calmly while you're in the waitingroom, too. It does something inside you (presses on certain nerves) that elicit a feeling of calm and wellbeing. Say the truth. You are strong, you can do this!

If you tell them that you're really worried about the shot and can they go extra slow and gentle with you, I've found that they are more than willing to accomodate you on that. There are LOTS of people who are afraid of the dentist, so it's not like you're going to be the ONE person who has ever said this to them, and they are USED TO dealing with people and their fears, and a GOOD doctor will help you to overcome those fears by treating you gently and helping you through it. Think of it: if YOU were the dentist, it would be in your best interest (future income) to get this person to be okay with what you do, and to not hurt them. Nobody squawks as loudly as someone who was not treated well and then had to PAY for that poor treatment. It's REALLY bad PR to have a patient badmouthing you, if it's within your power to make them happy. So, I really and honestly believe they will try to make you very comfy and keep any discomfort to a minimum.

Now, about that cracked tooth: I have one that's cracked like that, just a hairline fracture, and they've never done a thing to it. Evidently, it depends on the crack. If it's in danger of splitting or something, then they may wish to crown it, but that's not so bad (I have two gold molar crowns, and watched them do a crown on my middle-child's upper-center tooth. That was fascinating, and he didn't feel a THING) They numb you well for it, and it's really not bad. If it is a crown you need, they will do a temporary (most likely) on it until your REAL crown is made. At that time, they remove the temp and put on the normal one. My last crown, I could tell it was going to be sensitive when they took off the temp, so I had them numb me before they touched it to put on the permanent-crown. I am glad they did, and they didn't balk at all to do that for me.

Come tell us how you've done with this, NicoleZ; I'll be thinking of you on Friday. I am confident you will do well with this. The first visit will probably just be a look-see and maybe one or two smallish things that they can do quickly for you, and set you up for other things later. So, don't dread Friday -- it'll be okay!

[Love My Cop]

10 years is a very long time to wait, before seeing a dentist. I go once a year, just for routine visit, xrays and cleaning. You say you went 5 years without using toothpaste, did you just not brush at all? Depending on how bad your front teeth are, underneath the unfinished job, they may have to pull them out. Hopefully not. If your lucky, they might be able to finish the work, and crown them. I don't really care for the taste of toothpaste either, but I just could'nt even think of going without brushing them, not even for a day. I want them to last me a lifetime, if possible.

Good Luck, and I hope everything goes well at the dentist. It might be a good idea to start researching, and find a good dentist that will understands your concerns. :flower;

[SilverDeb]

I understand your fears. I myself would rather have a mamogram, and
a pap smear.:purplex: But, I do have a good dentist and find that once Im there and sitting in the chair, half the fear dissipates. Its the "going" to the dentist
thats the hardest. I think my fear comes from having a terrible dentist as
a child/teen. He was nasty! Hope all turns out well, Im sure it will! Let
us know.

Deb

[LisaJaney]

I'm sure she brushed her teeth in all that time, just probably with something other than toothpaste (like water? I've been known to do that and call it "doing a dry-run", when I'm in a real rush and can grab a stick of gum on the way out the door). Oh, about the toothpaste-aversion: a person can brush with baking-soda. It's like using a scouring-powder on your teeth, they'll feel absolutely POLISHED when you're done! No bubbles, it's great! (tastes a little bit oddly-salty, but that's it!)

[nicolezoie]

I'm sure she brushed her teeth in all that time, just probably with something other than toothpaste (like water? I've been known to do that and call it "doing a dry-run", when I'm in a real rush and can grab a stick of gum on the way out the door). Oh, about the toothpaste-aversion: a person can brush with baking-soda. It's like using a scouring-powder on your teeth, they'll feel absolutely POLISHED when you're done! No bubbles, it's great! (tastes a little bit oddly-salty, but that's it!)

2-3 times a day actually, with water, sometimes followed by Listerine. And, I'd use toothpaste about once a week. I tried using baking soda but the saltyness got to me rather quickly.

I did try using alternative toothpastes like Toms and Jason, but those ended up doing the same thing that Crest did. I hope I don't get screwy over Colgate (which is what I'm using now).

[LisaJaney]

My husband is a die-hard Crest fan. Me, not so much. Give me Ultrabrite. That stuff will put hair on your chest, it's so strong...

Honestly, if you were brushing twice-thrice a day AND using Listerine, you are probably FINE. I'll be really interested to hear what the dentist says on Friday, NZ. I'm looking forward to a GOOD report from you, that you did amazingly well! :hugs:

[Love My Cop]

I've used baking soda in the past, works really well, and does leave your teeth sparkly clean. My gramma use to clean and floss her teeth with Sugar Cane. I guess there are many alternatives people use. I sincerly wish you the best of luck nicolezoie, and im sure you will look beautiful on your wedding day, Congrats ! :happy: :

[enitsirk]

Just a quick comment...if you have a bad gag reflex- tell the dentist. Warn him about it so if he is doing something in the back of your mouth and you start making gestures and your eyes start tearing (my eyes tear when I gag) he might have some idea of what is going on.

It'll be fine though, try not to worry. Parts will likely be uncomfortable but nothing near unbearable.

On the flossing note- I used to hate flossing my bottom front teeth because it was so hard to do and the floss would get stuck and then end up coming out or just getting undone quickly and jammed into gums making them bleed :purplex:
Turns out the problem was I had tons of calculus built up since I hadn't been to a dentist in at least 10 years (I'm only 20 but my parents had no insurance and couldn't afford it) so no cleanings. Now flossing is nice and easy and no big deal :whoohoo:

[LisaJaney]

Sugar cane, huh? Isn't that somethin'! Funny what all folks have used on their teeth through time. I can remember my cousin saying she used COMET (yeah, that scouring powder for your sink and tub) on her teeth. I cannot imagine that tasted good at ALL! Yuck! And heaven help ya if you swallowed some!

A friend used to say she would use hydrogen-peroxide as a mouth-rinse and her teeth were CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN (dentist told her that her teeth were the cleanest he'd ever seen). I tried it and hated the way it bubbled in there and the TASTE in all the crevices of my mouth...it was yucky. Supposed to be really GOOD, but tasted yucky. Of course, that's just ME and I admitted I like the SUPER MINTY ultrabrite. ;)

[Amber]

Yeah, I'm scared of the dentist too. :)

I haven't been to a dentist in years. I figure there's no point putting myself through the trauma if my teeth aren't hurting! I take pretty good care of my teeth, though - brushing daily, drinking fluoride water, using mouthwash, not eating too many sweets or refined carbs.

Nicolezoie, I found lemon flavoured toothpaste at a healthfood store once - perhaps you would tolerate that better than regular mint toothpaste? Plus, if you use mouthwash immediately after brushing, it immediately takes the foamy toothpaste aftertaste right away. I know you can get orange flavoured mouthwash, if mint's not your style.

Good luck with the wedding preparation! :flower:

[enitsirk]

Yeah, I'm scared of the dentist too. :)

I haven't been to a dentist in years. I figure there's no point putting myself through the trauma if my teeth aren't hurting! I take pretty good care of my teeth, though - brushing daily, drinking fluoride water, using mouthwash, not eating too many sweets or refined carbs.

Nicolezoie, I found lemon flavoured toothpaste at a healthfood store once - perhaps you would tolerate that better than regular mint toothpaste? Plus, if you use mouthwash immediately after brushing, it immediately takes the foamy toothpaste aftertaste right away. I know you can get orange flavoured mouthwash, if mint's not your style.

Good luck with the wedding preparation! :flower:

Quite the contrary:

Regular cleanings and check ups would have much less trauma than ANYTHING you'd go through if your teeth started hurting you. And if the proding bugs you, you can usually request novacaine for even a cleaning/check up.

Most of the time a plain cavity won't hurt, and by the time it's bugging you enough to drop by the dentist you are in need of a root canal (as far as I know)

IMO it's better to find a way to face the fear and make sure you are healthy than wait and pray/hope that nothing goes wrong..financially too. Cleanings/check ups=not that costly. Anything else= super expensive (well, fillings aren't bad)

Really not meaning to offend and I hope your teeth serve you many more happy years :gurn:

[Love My Cop]

Sugar cane, huh? Isn't that somethin'! Funny what all folks have used on their teeth through time. I can remember my cousin saying she used COMET (yeah, that scouring powder for your sink and tub) on her teeth. I cannot imagine that tasted good at ALL! Yuck! And heaven help ya if you swallowed some!

A friend used to say she would use hydrogen-peroxide as a mouth-rinse and her teeth were CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN (dentist told her that her teeth were the cleanest he'd ever seen). I tried it and hated the way it bubbled in there and the TASTE in all the crevices of my mouth...it was yucky. Supposed to be really GOOD, but tasted yucky. Of course, that's just ME and I admitted I like the SUPER MINTY ultrabrite. ;)

I've heard of people using hydrogen-peroxide too, but never Comet, don't think I would be blod enough to try it either. lol I use boring Colgate myself. Would be interesting to know what people around the world use to brush their teeth. May have to google it one day. :grinhappy:

[eiyela]

You know, I used to be really scared of dentists before I got braces. Now that I've had to go in every six weeks for two years, I think it's kinda fun. Some stuff involving braces hurts a lot, more so than fixing a hole in your tooth, but I always get this rush when it's over. I feel great when it's over, because I managed to get through it! And all the things that you think are going to hurt really bad usually don't. I had three wisdom teeth removed, and apart from the stitches getting itchy and a bit of swelling, it wasn't too bad at all.

[Bonnie]

I've had a ton of dental work done. You get used to the needles and everything, the worst part was having sore muscles from keeping my mouth open and not being able to play trumpet afterwards until the numbness went away.

I've got to have at least one wisdom tooth out later this summer. It should be interesting!! My mom keeps reminding me we have a nice blender now so I won't starve. lol.

Bonnie

[enitsirk]

I've had a ton of dental work done. You get used to the needles and everything, the worst part was having sore muscles from keeping my mouth open and not being able to play trumpet afterwards until the numbness went away.

I've got to have at least one wisdom tooth out later this summer. It should be interesting!! My mom keeps reminding me we have a nice blender now so I won't starve. lol.

Bonnie

Wisdom teeth removal doesn't have to be bad.

I had one tooth (non wisdom) taken out by one dental student and he was...crappy and I had issues with eating for ~ a week or so.

Then I got 3 wisdom teeth removed at once and was able to eat soft things immediately and managed a pbj the second day I think. In any case it depends on your dentist I suppose, and how bad it is (are yours impacted to where they'd have to cut a lot of the gum or..what?) the less it's like a 'regular' tooth extraction the more likely to have problems/starve I suppose..lol

But it doesn't last that long and ..hey..excuse to eat tons of pudding and ice cream :whoohoo:

[eiyela]

Do get some listerine or similar to rinse your mouth with, though. It's gonna be hard to brush, and you want to make sure the stitches don't get infected. I got a bottle of hexident for mine, but I don't know if they have that over there. And if they take only teeth on one side, you can still chew on the other.

[Daneille]

I once waited about fifteen years before going to the dentist. I was a single parent raising two kids and just couldn't afford to go. When I finally went to my daughters dentist it turned out pretty bad. I needed five crowns, two root canals and several fillings. It drained my savings account and yeah I cried at the dentist office. It was so embarrassing. I now go to him twice a year for cleanings and a checkup. I hope never to be in the situation I was in ever again. I always feel as though I am taking a test when I go in. Very stressful, but necessary. The waiting so long was the wrong thing to do in my case. I hope things turn out well for you. I think it should be done for general well being, and a healthy mouth though and not just for the wedding.
Daneille

[Dulci]

nicoleZ, you've gotten some excellent advice here. I know what you mean about the taste of most toothpastes, minty toothpastes ALWAYS make me gag and heave. I finally discovered cheapest plain Pepsodent, which is wintergreen flavored (I think). :hugs:

[saracuda]

I have no problems with the dentist, but I'm scared to death to get my teeth cleaned! A hygienist hurt me so bad during a cleaning that I swore I'd never do that again, and I haven't. I know that's so bad, but...

[nicolezoie]

This is the first time I've had to peek in here since I posted last night. Yes, thank you everyone. :)

I have had 2 root canals, temporary crowns, braces, and impacted wisdom teeth extracted, so I know what to expect, but most of that was done close to 20 years ago.

I will let you all know what the dentist has to say after my appointment tomorrow.

[jennysdreaming]

I went about 10 years without seeing a dentist also and when I finally mustered up the courage to go I needed a lot of work done but my dentist was an absolute ANGEL! Seriously! He was very calming, and considerate, and never berated me for the reason I was there. He constantly asked how I was doing and would give me all the novicaine I wanted and then some so I never felt a thing. The last dentist I had gone to previously was horrible, rude, and very unfriendly which is why so much time had passed between. I mistakenly thought that all dentists where that way. My best advice is if you don't feel comfortable with the dentist you see tommorow then find another one. The dentist makes all the difference in the world.

As far as the toothpaste have you tried the new Crest flavors? Orange, lemon, and cinnamon? I don't care for mint myself so I like these a lot better.

Also a side note to Bonnie...when you get the wisdom teeth done, don't forget to do the hot salt water rinses religiously! It makes the healing process so much better and quicker. As a matter of fact I guess that goes for any dental work (cleaning etc.) that can leave your mouth and gums sore. Takes the soreness out.

[enitsirk]

My best advice is if you don't feel comfortable with the dentist you see tommorow then find another one. The dentist makes all the difference in the world.

I completely agree with that.

My dentistry experience was so wonderful because of my student.

And everybody was talking about how brave I was for going to a dental school instead of a 'real' dentist..well. The dental school is bunches cheaper so that'd be why (..for instance I got 3 wisdom teeth removed at 40 dollars each. 2 were erupted and the other under the gums but none of them had any actual issues (impacted or anything) which helped but..still..40 bucks each!!)

My dental student was much like you describe your dentist and I swear I'm going to have to find out where he goes to practice and hunt him down so he can be my dentist for life.

[Love My Cop]

This is the first time I've had to peek in here since I posted last night. Yes, thank you everyone. :)

I have had 2 root canals, temporary crowns, braces, and impacted wisdom teeth extracted, so I know what to expect, but most of that was done close to 20 years ago.

I will let you all know what the dentist has to say after my appointment tomorrow.

Hi nicolezoie, Best of luck tommorow at your appointment. I hope all goes well, and please keep us posted ! :flower: :happy:

[LadyHeather]

NIcoleZ, I am terrified of the dentist. I used to see a guy who treated my whole family, and I hated him. He made me feel like an idiot for being scared, and so did my mother. Then it came out that my dad was scared of dentists, too, but he really trusted the guy we all saw. I still didnt and when I moved to Coventry two years ago I went through the yellow pages phone book to find a new one.

My current dentist has the phrase "Caters specifically for nervous adult patients and offers different sedation options" on his advert, which made me choose him. He always tells me what he is going to do and will put me under full sedation if I ask him to, even for a cavity filling.

I'd suggest looking for someone who knows how to deal with scared adults.

Good luck with your appointment.

[LisaJaney]

The dentist I use now has "Gentle Dentristy" as their sub-title on the sign out front. Another dentist in Spokane I used to see had "Caters to Cowards" on their ad in the phonebook, and had a picture of a man HIDING behind the dentist-chair. It was so cute. I figured they must have a sense of humor and be patient with their patients, and would UNDERSTAND people who are afraid; I was right! They were really good!

The only bad experience I've ever had was getting my teeth cleaned at a dental school. It was cheap, but that young girl really had a time of things and my gums felt like hamburger (on my lower front teeth only) afterward. I didn't have another cleaning for a decade after that. I finally went in for a cleaning a year or so ago and it was fine (at my Gentle Dentistry place here in Idaho) but I was afraid for a long time because of that soreness after the student-cleaning. None of the other student-performed services were like that (we used them a lot, there for awhile) but that cleaning? Oy! I think she was a really NEW student, maybe her first cleaning... ;)

[nicolezoie]

The outcome:

Simple, easy to fix stuff: three "superficial" cavities. These were related to gritting my teeth, which caused my gums to recede a bit, which is where the cavities are located. And, I will be getting a night-time mouth guard to help prevent more cavities from that. The bill for this part is reasonable, after insurance. My appointment for that stuff is in 2 weeks.

The complicated stuff: My two front teeth have to be specially crowned because I waited too long to get that work finished. "Normal" crowning isn't possible because a) they're front teeth, and b) as my gums recede a little bit as I grow older, with typical crowns, you would be able to see my original tooth, and it would look really bad with gray crescent moons at the tops. The first step in doing the crowns is having the rest of my teeth whitened (and he said that they really needed whitening), then he will match the "final" color of my whitened teeth to the crown material. And, of course, dental insurance considers all these actions to be cosmetic, and aren't covered by my dental insurance. :pissed:

While I could argue that the crowns are medically necessary (the ancient temporary crowns are starting to fall apart), they would argue right back that I also didn't have to wait THIS LONG to proceed. :purplex:

Nonetheless, this needs to be done, so this is what I have to do. Dentist said that it will take 2-3 months to complete everything. I didn't ask about payment plans, but I probably should. Trying to afford $3000 worth of work in that short of a time period will be the painful part. But, I will end up with a pretty smile again.

[LisaJaney]

Three caries, a whitening/cleaning and two front-crowns? After a decade? That's not so bad now, is it! I'm so glad your appointment went well (I consider that a good appointment -- Heck, in MY mind, anytime they don't say "root canal" and/or "extraction", it's a good day at the dentist! :chicken: ) I've not had any rootcanals (come close, though) and have two molar-crowns (both gold, egads I look like "Steve the Pirate", according to my oldest boy. They're way back there, though, so they're not readily visible) But that's it. Oh, and a BUTTLOAD of fillings. Nothing superficial for ME! My molars are nearly ALL filled front-to-back. WHat a moron, me and the Oreos and candy! (she says as she eats a piece of caramel for dessert) :shrugs:

Oh I'm so happy for you, though, NicoleZ. Three grand is quite a hunk of change, though, and that hurts. BUT! You are gonna be TOTALLY HOT for your wedding, with that brand-new smile and all! Woot!

[enitsirk]

Oooh!! I'm glad it went well and I'm glad you went through with it :whoohoo:

And it's really not bad at all work wise.

I went in at dental school from january to march and..*trying to remember* I know I had at least 2 major cavities that were close to being root canals, and then there were probably 4 more than had to get filled. All back molars of course :whyme:
And I'm only twenty

and what sparked it all was a tooth that broke and I couldn't afford to do anything about it..lived in pain for 3-4 months and then ended up having to get it pulled :purplex:

You really sound like you've done a great job on your teeth..and whilst 3000 is a lot of money, you'll have a fantastic smile for a long long time ..that's worth it, right? :grinhappy:

LJ- on the cleaning note, my cleaning with my super awesome student was probably one of the more painful experiences but it wasn't anything really bad..I think it only really started being a problem because I had so much calculus on my front teeth and he was really nice and apologized and said he should have given me novacaine, asked if I wanted it, and I said I'd suck it up..as it really wasn't all that bad :gurn: But I'm sort of dreading the appointment that'll come pretty soon for just a cleaning there..because it'll just be some random other dental student instead of 'my' student and I'll bet they throw students in to do cleanings first. :afraid: I wouldn't be surprised to have a visit like yours!

And on the oreo note..hey- better to live happy and let the dentists fix your mistakes than to stay away from those delicious yummy oreos :drool: right?

[Ursula]

I like going to the dentist. For an ordinary cleaning, it is like a spa treatment, a chance to lie back and let someone take care of you, pampering you with attention to your physical attractiveness and well-being. Like a deep massage at a spa, it isn't comfortable for every minute, but it is comforting and relaxing nonetheless.

I have had several fillings, without Novocaine, and it was no bigger deal than an ordinary cleaning. Since I had cleanings and checkups every six months, cavities were found and treated well before they could be deep enough to get anywhere near the root and nerve system. I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed at once, with Novocaine, one of which was impacted. It wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but I took my codeine on schedule for 48 hours after, and it wasn't anywhere near "very bad." Just an "oh well, I'm glad this is over and done with." The biggest problem was that I bled on and ruined a nice blouse. If you have a tooth pulled, wear old cothes that day.

As with so many things in life, it is a matter of attitude. People pay a lot of money to lie back and let someone take care of them at the spa, so why not enjoy the same caring attention from the dentist, and have it paid for by insurance? :lafhard:

[Love My Cop]

nicolezoie, Happy to hear that everything went well at your appointment. I know it going to cost you a little chunk of change, but the smile on your face will be priceless on your wedding day!! :happy:

[nicolezoie]

Thanks for the support :)

Next quesiton: I know it sounds utterly (insert adjective) but I'm almost 30 and don't have a credit card. I'm considering getting one so I may be able to pay off this dental work over time. The smaller stuff I can pay out of pocket for, no biggie. But, if I put it the big stuff on the card, that way I'll be able to make payments on it until it's paid off, which should take about a year.

Since I don't have *any* real credit, this seems to be a good way of beginning to develop some.

Any opinions on this?

[naj]

I wish there was a huge CRY, SHIVER, RATTLE TEETH Icon here. I would post it. Thats what im feeling right now.
I too got my dentist's appointment after 4-5 yrs and im dying of fear! OH lord.I have had 4 root canal treatments done 5 yrs back. I hated the experience and i have to go again, maybe to get a cavity filled, put a crown and get braces.
Ohlord!Torture.
I actually missed my last appointmet because i was soooo chicken to go. Now tomorrow is my DEATH day...and im dying....
Sorry, i couldnthelp you with your situation.
Butim feeling soooooooooooooo sacred.(sorry for so much ranting):whyme:
Naj

[Serendipity]

I just glanced at this thread and I haven't read it yet, but I get the impression that your visit went well, nicolezoie -- hurrah! :whoohoo:

I have an impending appointment on the 29th which I'm ambivalent about. On one hand, I'm looking forward to it because I was referred to this particular dentist by my chiropractor (the same one who's been working on my back and who recently discovered I have TMJ). This dentist has a stellar reputation in town (I did some checking) and he's coincidentally the same one that my BF's academic advisor recommended to my BF Chris, since Chris is here on an international student visa and needs a local dentist. My chiropractor already told this dentist about my TMJ and basically gave him a heads-up on my condition. So I'm going to my appointment with him already knowing quite a lot about me from my chiropractor, plus Chris's advisor has been going to this dentist for years and recommended him highly as well. I'm pretty confident in this dentist's professional ability as a result and from what I hear, he's very personable and a nice guy to boot.

On the other hand, I haven't been to a dentist in WAAAAYYY too long and I know that TMJ can be a difficult condition to treat. In addition, I have all four wisdom teeth still in my mouth that never fully crowned and I'm not entirely sure what he's going to recommend I do with them. They don't hurt me at all, but they aren't exactly presenting in a favourable manner. In fact, if they were to keep growing, they'd be sideways. But as far as I know they've just simply stopped growing. So I have no idea if they're causing problems or what. I greatly fear him telling me that he'll have to extract all four! :boggle::stress:

So I have no idea what to expect from my appointment. This could either be a breeze or it could be a nightmare. Noooo idea. I get to be the guinea pig though, because my appointment is a few days before Chris's (his isn't until the first week of July). Guess I'll just have to wait and see. :purplex:

[Ursula]

Thanks for the support :)

Next quesiton: I know it sounds utterly (insert adjective) but I'm almost 30 and don't have a credit card. I'm considering getting one so I may be able to pay off this dental work over time. The smaller stuff I can pay out of pocket for, no biggie. But, if I put it the big stuff on the card, that way I'll be able to make payments on it until it's paid off, which should take about a year.

Since I don't have *any* real credit, this seems to be a good way of beginning to develop some.

Any opinions on this?
If you truely can't afford the dental care, then that would make sense. If you can afford to pay it off then do so, because credit cards have rather high interest rates, and you don't want to pay the interest if you don't have to.

To establish credit, get a credit card, but only use it for things you can afford immediately, and pay off the balence in full every single month, on time. Then maybe get a low interest car loan for your next car. Pay that on time, or faster. Those two things should establish your credit well enough to get a home mortgage, which would definately be "good" credit on your record.

[jennysdreaming]

Have you asked your dentist about setting up a payment plan? This would be a better option than paying with a credit card if you could. I'm sure there would still be finance charges involved with your dentist carrying the balance for your but it would still be cheaper than most credit card interest. When I had my work done my dentist didn't do payment plans himself but he pointed me in the direction of a company that offers lower interest loans for medical and dental bills that insurance won't cover. This could be another option for you. I'm sorry but I don't remember the name of it myself. If you do have to put it on a credit card make sure you read all the fine print before you apply for any card. Some charge a lot of yearly fees even if your don't use it. Find one with no yearly fees and the lowest interest rate you can. Then make sure you pay more than just the minimum due each month. On a $3000 dollar balance you could be racking up more in interest charges than what your minimum payment is.

Whatever you do good luck and hang tough through your appointments. My work came to about $5000 and took a time span of 6 months to completely finish. It could've gone quicker but I had wisdom teeth removed in addition to crowns and a root canal and my dentist wanted each procedure to heal completely between so we weren't just stacking discomforts on top of each other. I still look back at it as the best investment I ever made in myself. It's amazing what a pretty smile does to boost your self confidence.

[peripheralvisionary]

2-3 times a day actually, with water, sometimes followed by Listerine. And, I'd use toothpaste about once a week. I tried using baking soda but the saltyness got to me rather quickly.

I did try using alternative toothpastes like Toms and Jason, but those ended up doing the same thing that Crest did. I hope I don't get screwy over Colgate (which is what I'm using now).
My dentist actually recommends brushing with water only, followed by either mouthwash or a fluoride rinse if necessary. For years I was told I was brushing my teeth too hard because there is a groove worn on all my teeth right at the gum line (which I've since had to have all of them filled), but I knew I wasn't, and I have always used an extra-soft child's toothbrush anyway. Most commercial toothpastes have SLS in them, which I think was the culprit.

I wish they still made Pepsodent tooth powder, which I used to use at my grandma's house when I was a little girl, I loved that stuff!

[Alley Cat]

I too haven't been to the dentist for years and years I am not sure when I last went . I have a major phobia about the dentist which I developed as an adult not a child. In fact as a child I had years and years of orthidontal work , braces , butterfly bands.
Maybe I just got overloaded.
So I share your fear...Hubby hasn't been for a few years either ... we are both such a good role model for our children.:ooh:

[Stephanie]

I haven't been in over 7 years, but I really never minded going as long as I could go straight to sleep afterwards if I had novacaine (is that weird?). I just haven't been able to afford it and I know it's going to be expensive when I do finally go. I need to just set up a good cleaning right now and see what needs to be done, but for some reason, I just keep putting it off.

Anyway, I'm glad you're getting this done! You'll be smiling so big at your wedding and you'll be so proud of your new smile! For 10 years without a dentists aide, you're doing really well! I'm impressed! :D

Please keep us updated! :D And remember to breathe deep!

[nicolezoie]

I had the fillings done, the retainer removed, and a cleaning done today. Other than having Rubbermouth for several hours, things went fine. Dentist even remarked that my teeth are in good condition considering how long it had been since I'd last seen a dentist. I can only chalk that up to genetics and good dental care as a kid.

I was a good patient - held still, opened my mouth wide enough, didn't squirm unless it really HURT. And when it did really hurt, they stopped and gave me another shot of novacaine. I didn't even have to ask. 3 novacaine shots and 4 hours later, my gums are a little sore, but nothing at all unusual.

I'm still getting used to not having the wire in my bottom teeth. I can finally floss properly!

I decided to hold off on making an appointment for the rest of the stuff that needs to be done until I can change my dental insurance to PPO coverage. That covers significantly more than HMO does, and open enrollment is in August. So, it's not like I have that long to wait.

Even still, this "cheap" appointment cost $214.

[Stephanie]

Good!!! :D Actually, this is inspiring me to get my butt in there. Take care of any damage before it's really, REALLY bad.

I'm so excited for you! :happy:

[Dulci]

That's excellent nicoleZ, you must be so proud of yourself! :clapclapclap:

[enitsirk]

Good!!! :D Actually, this is inspiring me to get my butt in there. Take care of any damage before it's really, REALLY bad.

I'm so excited for you! :happy:

*nods*

Please do :grinhappy:

I'm trying to convince my boyfriend (who is 25 and I dunno how long it's been since he's gone to a dentist. I know it hasn't been as long as it was for me (the 10 year thing) but I'm pretty sure he hasn't gone since I've been with him (not that I remember at least) and we've been together for about 3 years) to go...he complains about his teeth sometimes but then refuses to go to the dentist :huh:

And I worry that he'll need to get something really big/expensive/bad done when he eventually does go.

I think the worst thing I found out at the dentist is that I either need to get jaw surgery (teeth very much not lined up properly) or when I get that last wisdom tooth out, the perfectly healthy tooth above it will also have to be removed. And that the jaw surgery, all in all, would cost at least 10 grand :rain: Not happening any time soon :gurn:

But I managed to escape with just fillings..no root canals (:whoohoo:) but 2 teeth were very close to being root canals and I was told that had I waited..even another 6 months they surely would have been root canals & crowns. And that I could not quite afford without getting student loans. So...very very glad I went.

And if you get a clean bill of health? That's great to know, right? =p

[SmallVoice]

Look for a dentist that "caters to cowards". I love my dentist. I'd refer you to him in a heartbeat if you were local.

It's amazing the difference between a crappy dentist and a good one. I got very lucky when I found mine. I'll be lost when he retires.

[nicolezoie]

I know this is going to sound silly, but I was able to floss for the first time today since I had the fillings & the wire removed. It'd been more than 15 years since I could floss my bottom front teeth properly, and it was so delightful to be able to do it in a matter of seconds! Yaay! :gurn:

[Stephanie]

I know this is going to sound silly, but I was able to floss for the first time today since I had the fillings & the wire removed. It'd been more than 15 years since I could floss my bottom front teeth properly, and it was so delightful to be able to do it in a matter of seconds! Yaay! :gurn:
THAT is a good feeling, I'd imagine! :D Yay for flossing! :lol: