i survived!

[emtw12]

I survived at dentist was a bit scared to go in but all was ok.. I have an abcess a cracked dead tooth and I need a filling. been given antibiotics for now..do they actually work??? I need a root canal on weds and the tooth out !!! anyone no anything about root canal??? he says it's not as bad as it seems.

[emtw12]

I could feel my heart going mad and I didn't wanna go into the dentist but I pushed myself even tho i felt shaky it's a half hour appt on we'd arghh!!

[jessed03]

I could feel my heart going mad and I didn't wanna go into the dentist but I pushed myself even tho i felt shaky it's a half hour appt on we'd arghh!!

Good to see you're still alive. The place would be quiet without you ;)

Dentists have so many painkilling options these days, a lot of the time all you feel is little bits of pressure on your tooth.

I get this way with blood tests. I hate them, soooooooo much lol. It's great you pushed yourself through.

Reward yourself! You deserve it! I always do something I enjoy after having blood taken. Encourages me to keep trucking!

And yes, anti-biotics do indeed work, dear!

[manz82]

Here's a little story of what happened to me before I even started having panic attacks -
I needed a root canal on a capped tooth that had got infected and I have always been petrified of dentists AND of needles! So I asked the dentist if a root canal would be possible without the needle to numb it. He said it was possible but not advisable as I could feel some pain. I opted for the pain. Guess what? I didn't even feel anything! And I mean nothing!!!
The drilling was the worst part and even that didn't hurt.
I'm still petrified of the dentist but now with panic attacks thrown in the mix, I tend to chicken out of going. So you're braver than me - I've not been in over a year. Well done you!
P.s root canals are nothing! Take it from a genuine chicken! X

[sweetypie]

I talked about more what a root canal is like for you in the other thread you asked about, so read that.

If you're afraid of pain, it's not supposed to hurt to get a root canal. If it starts hurting, tell them, and they'll give you more novacaine. For me, getting root canals really disturbs me, but that's only because I hate the numbing sensation, and the junk that gets in my mouth, and I still have some agoraphobia that makes me scared of being trapped getting a procedure of any kind.

Bring someone who will comfort you, too, during it. That's what I always do. They hold my hand and tell me I'm doing a good job and that helps me get through it.

[tailspin]

Great you made it through your dentist's appointment today emtw!! I hate the dentist so much and dental visits are a huge trigger for my anxiety.

I agree with what the others have said, a root canal procedure does not hurt. You are really numbed up and you won't feel any pain. For me, as sweetypie says above, it's everything that goes with it that is very difficult to handle. For example, the anesthetic make me feel very nauseated and being trapped in the chair for a long period of time makes me panic. However, I can honestly say, that there is no actual pain involved.

PS: manz82, that is incredible you were able to tolerate a root canal with no anesthetic!!!! Though I suppose, if the nerve was dead, then maybe there wouldn't be any pain. But still, that is really brave!!!!!!

[sweetypie]

You guys are helping me out by the way by making these threads. I need five root canals and probably more work than that done on my teeth right now, but I've been letting my teeth rot and suffering the pain over visiting the dentist because it triggers such extreme anxiety in me. (My dentist actually prescribed me valium to get through it, but I'm too scared to take the valium.) With all the other anxiety I've already been dealing with, it's hard for me to want to face SOMETHING ELSE on top of it, so this has been really scary and hard on me.

[tailspin]

You guys are helping me out by the way by making these threads. I need five root canals and probably more work than that done on my teeth right now, but I've been letting my teeth rot and suffering the pain over visiting the dentist because it triggers such extreme anxiety in me. (My dentist actually prescribed me valium to get through it, but I'm too scared to take the valium.) With all the other anxiety I've already been dealing with, it's hard for me to want to face SOMETHING ELSE on top of it, so this has been really scary and hard on me.

Sorry you are dealing with this sweetypie. I can definitely relate to your extreme fear of dental procedures. Have you ever tried Valium before? A medication like that can definitely help a bit. Most likely it will make you drowsy, so you'd need someone to drive you to and from the dentist. My dentist actually told me last week when I was there that she often has patients who fall asleep during their root canals because the medication makes them so relaxed!! :confused: Honestly, I cannot imagine that I would ever fall asleep during a root canal, but I am planning on taking something to relax me next time because I just work myself up into a horrible state otherwise. It might be worth giving Valium a go (or perhaps something a bit faster acting, such as Ativan or Xanax).

Wishing you the best!

[emtw12]

Thanks everyone :) xx