I am 40 years old. I have alot of dental work that needs to be done (including a current toothache in an upper molar) yet I am terrified of going to the dentist. I always have been. Novicaine doesn't work very well (a dentist said it was because of the shape of my jaw bone) and I am chemically dependent in recovery for 4 years and cannot have gas. I have dental insurance and would be willing to pay any extra out of pocket to be put to sleep to have the major work done. I don't know if any dentists will do that. The ones I have contacted said no. I know I will lose my teeth if it's not too late already. Please, I need some help. I don't know where to turn and I'm terribly scared.

I am not at all clear on why you cannot have nitrous oxide (gas) if you are a recovering addict. I can see avoiding IV sedation (Versed/Valium/Demerol) but not nitrous. Did you get this info from your dentist or your addiction counselor?

I am just as scared as you are of the dentist, I have not been since I was twelve, and now Im 20. I have thre cavities, and I need my wisdom teeth pulled, and I have a tooth where the filling has cracked out. There are dentists that will put you to sleep. I have called several. Good luck

I was absolutely TERRIFIED of the dentist.

I always hated the dentist, and I mean, HATED it. I once had a cavity done and the dentist sort of didn't freeze my mouth and I felt every bit of pain. Let's just say I didn't go near the dentist for quite a while.

I HAD to go to a new dentist earlier this year because because of an infected wisdom tooth. I ended up liking the dentist.

My teeth are a complete mess, too. Broken teeth, cavities, holes--I have it all. However, slowly, I am getting them all fixed.

My first visit to the dentist was a real joy for both him and me. I was acting like he was torturing me, and he was trying to deal with me. He took the time to explain each step that he was doing and why. It took about four visits, but now I actually trust him and don't cause too much trouble.

I realize that you are scared and want to be put out, but why not try to get over your fear first? Find a compassionate dentist and at least talk to him. Let him know that you are afraid and why. Perhaps once you get a good look at all of his little "tools", you won't be so afraid.

If the idea of going to the dentist still frightens you, keep calling. Dentists must be aware that some people are totally freaked out and must be willing to put some under.

Know what got me to go back to the dentist? Knowing the fact that dentists have the highest rate of suicide. I can believe that. If the person is freaking out, I wonder how the dentist must deal with it. That information alone made me quit my whining and let the dentist do his job.

Shauna

[This message has been edited by Shauna_M (edited 01-14-2001).]

Originally posted by Jane82860:
I am 40 years old. I have alot of dental work that needs to be done (including a current toothache in an upper molar) yet I am terrified of going to the dentist. I always have been. Novicaine doesn't work very well (a dentist said it was because of the shape of my jaw bone) and I am chemically dependent in recovery for 4 years and cannot have gas. I have dental insurance and would be willing to pay any extra out of pocket to be put to sleep to have the major work done. I don't know if any dentists will do that. The ones I have contacted said no. I know I will lose my teeth if it's not too late already. Please, I need some help. I don't know where to turn and I'm terribly scared.

Your situation is a rather common one I'm afraid. Many people have a phobia (irrational fear) of the dentist. Typically this will stem from a bad dental experience as a child. It sounds like its been some time since you've had any dental care. The cornerstone of dental health is regular checkups, not just to fix the problems you have now but also to prevent or reduce future problems. Having said that I realize I haven't solved your problem. I'm not aware of what addictions you're dealing with but many dentists won't use nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or IV sedation (valium,demerol,etc.) on recovering addicts. There is some literature that suggests that the "euphoria" associated with these agents may cause the patient to relapse to their dependecy. I'm not sure of this logic but dentists are very careful of any medicolegal situations. Few dentists that I'm aware of take patients into the Operating Room for routine dental work under general anesthesia. This is a very expensive proposition for the patient takes up far too much of the dentist's time to be productive (the holy grail of dentistry). Therefore I'd advise you to do this: 1) Shop around and find a dentist that you can establish a comfortable rapport with, 2) if you have a dental school in your area try to find out if they have a program for behavior management patients, or 3) seek profession psychiatric/psychological help for your phobia. Good Luck! Originally posted by Jane82860:
I am 40 years old. I have alot of dental work that needs to be done (including a current toothache in an upper molar) yet I am terrified of going to the dentist. I always have been. Novicaine doesn't work very well (a dentist said it was because of the shape of my jaw bone) and I am chemically dependent in recovery for 4 years and cannot have gas. I have dental insurance and would be willing to pay any extra out of pocket to be put to sleep to have the major work done. I don't know if any dentists will do that. The ones I have contacted said no. I know I will lose my teeth if it's not too late already. Please, I need some help. I don't know where to turn and I'm terribly scared.

I recommend that you try going to a pediatric dentist. In my experience they are much better at handling patients with dental phobias. They may also be able to give you further options regarding sedation. I would also see if there is some type of over the counter sedative you might could take instead of nitrous. Although, I'm not sure if that's much different than using the nitrous. Call around and don't be afraid to express all your concerns. I'm sure some one will be able to help you.