I will be the first to say this is all my fault, as I got scared at some point in my younger years and have not been to a dentist since I was 17. (I'm 42 now). So I know I have bad teeth. Here is my problem... I have had severe facial pain off and on all winter, I go to the doctor and they tell me I have a sinus infection and treat me with antibiotics, it works for a while but then the pain comes back. I know I sleep all tensed up for some reason, I don't think I grind my teeth but often when I wake up, I can tell my jaw was tensed. Now since Thursday of last week, my back teeth (before my wisdom teeth area) have been too sore to bite with, so I chew on the right side. This is the same side where my jaw hurts. I put myself on a soft diet, which is not making the pain go away, Ibuprofin is not working, Excedrin migraine is not working. So I have made a dentist appointment for next Tuesday. But now I am noticing my throat on the left side feels funny, almost like tense muscles, and hurts if I try to swallow food. And this morning my fingers are tingly and I am very shaky. It could be all in my head since people are trying to scare me into going to the dentist, telling me that I have a tooth infection that is moving into my brain and stuff like that. So anyway, all this looooong explanation to ask, what should I expect for my first dental visit? They said I would just see a hygenist. Thank you for any help you can give me. Thanks!! :D

I just called the dentist and they want me to come in this morning. Now I am really scared:confused:

when i was a little kid, i used to be so afraid of dentists (my dad was the 1 who pulled my baby teeth). anyway, now that im older, im not afraid anymore, but somehow, im getting this feeling of uneasiness around dentists, thinking that they might have the wrong diagnosis and jst pull out my teeh... my teeth are a bit achy. it's less now but some sensations occur then goes away, then comes back. yeah i understand how you feel... coz sometimes i think that the pain was just made up by the chemicals on my brain.. it's frustrating... frustration and pain.. bad combination... i pray that your teeth will feel fine soon..

I went, and couldn't even do the xrays because I gagged too much. But they took two xrays of the side that is so bad, and then a panaramic xray. They have two remove several of my teeth. Yippeeeeeee!

Your symptoms sound like tmj and be may the result of malocculsion, clenching during sleep or jaw derangement or mis-positioningyour jaw. Your facial, neck and jaw muscles are all related and connected so when one set gets tensed or overworked they all become affected. Usually signs of the above are apparent when examining the teeth for flattened or rounded edges or bone erosion or teeth sensitivity w/o justification or evidence to support it. So hopefully your dentist will do a thorough examination but to be honest I doubt a hygenist will be able to do much other than clean your teeth and check for any infections.

I went, and couldn't even do the xrays because I gagged too much. But they took two xrays of the side that is so bad, and then a panaramic xray. They have two remove several of my teeth. Yippeeeeeee!

hi beaming...going to the dentist also scares me...so I can understand your fear. Please discuss your fears beforehand with your dentist and hopefully, he or she will do whatever they can to help calm you. Since this is the first time back to a dentist after many years, you are sure to have questions about the different procedures. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Maybe you can ask your dentist to allot a few more minutes of time for your appointments for awhile so he/she doesn't have to be rushed and can take the time needed to get you through the first few visits. I doubt that everything has to be done at once...although some people say that is the way to do it. To just get it overwith.

What did they say was the reason that several of your teeth need to be pulled? Did you have an infection?