Tooth Fairy
March 14, 2009
I have a pretty well-known fear (at least amongst my friends) of the dentist. I’m not really sure why as nothing traumatic ever happened. I used to be okay with the dentist. The usual dislike of them was there, but not a fear. Not this anxiety that sends me in to each cleaning white knuckled and breathing a little more shallow than I’d like to be breathing.
I let that fear get in the way of my dental hygiene for far too long and a few months ago I decided that I just needed to get over it and get my teeth repaired so I could start fresh and maintain regular appointments.
I went in last month and, sure enough, was told I had lots of work and appointments ahead of me. I just shrugged and said to myself that, well, it had to be done and it was the price I was paying for slacking off all those years. I went in for two appointments after that for hygienist cleaning and they penciled me in for March 14th for my biggest fear. Wisdom tooth removal.
For the last five weeks I have been dreading today. Whining about today. Hoping today would never come. I knew they’d be giving me good drugs, but I also know that my body doesn’t really react strongly to pain meds or other medicines. I showed up for my appointment an hour early as they asked me to and they gave me valium. That totally makes me laugh. I was on VALIUM. Also Demerol. They told me in about an hour I’d be nice and loopy. Except not so much. My head felt a tiny bit heavy when I sat still, but I was nowhere near loopy and the anxiety that they promised the valium would cure? Was SO much still there that I cried when I sat down in the chair. That’s right, people, I’m a total mess when it comes to heavy duty dental work.
The good news is that I made it out alive and the actual procedure wasn’t excruciating. It was decidedly uncomfortable and I’m not looking forward to round two when they do the left side of my mouth and the last two wisdom teeth, but at least I’m not looking to that appointment with as much dread as this one.
That said, the entire right side of my face is just burning now. It throbs all the way up to my eyeballs. Wow, am I ever uncomfortable. Fortunately I’m loaded up with some codeine enhanced Tylenol (which actually seems to be working more than the Demerol did) and now I’m going to plant myself in front of the television with my mashed potatoes, my pills and some Buffy the Vampire Slayer, aka The Best Show On Earth.
Is anybody else this irrationally afraid of the dentist? I CRY, PEOPLE. Pathetic.
I cry virtually every time. I hate the dentist. The first time I ever had a cavity, I freaked out so bad that they sent me home with a new appointment and a valium prescription so I could come back.
March 14th, 2009 at 7:45 pmOh, gah! The dentist. I hate it- been avoiding the dentist much longer than I care to admit. Is it worse than the gyno? Yes, even worse than that.
I had my wisdom teeth out a few years ago-after avoiding it as LONG as possible- and I stayed f’d up on painkillers for 2 weeks! Ha! It was so weird. I felt like there was a hole in my jaws forever. Now I’m better.
Hope you’re feeling better soon. You’ll get through it!
March 14th, 2009 at 8:11 pmOuch. I hated getting my wisdom teeth and I didn’t have any majorly empacted. So it was a relatively easy procedure. Did they advice you to not get all done at once? Because I have never heard spreading it out like that. Both my husband and I got them all out at once and I believe that is much better. Nothing left to think about.
Hope you feel better soon. Mashed Potatoes and milkshakes are the way to go!
March 15th, 2009 at 3:28 pmI, um, love the dentist. I KNOW. I’m not sure what my problem is. But I think it has something to do with years of braces and retainers and head gear (ohmygodheadgear) so now going to the dentist is just a simple teeth cleaning. In any case…feel better!
March 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pmI had mine all done at once and they put me under for it so I didn’t know what was going on. I cannot imagine having it done over 2 or 3 proceudres. I HATE the dentist as well, I pretty much cry when I have to go. Patheric, I know.
March 16th, 2009 at 8:34 amOh yikes! I dread the day that I need to get my wisdom teeth done. Enjoy your show and I hope that you feel better.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:00 pmI have had the good fortune to have had very little work done; braces, 2 teeth pulled when younger, and that’s about it. No cavities, no wisdoms pulled. So I don’t fear them as much as some, but I still hate it anyway. I never feel right with someone rooting around in my mouth.
March 17th, 2009 at 1:22 pmI had lots of cavities filled when I was young, then they all had to be refilled by a different dentist due to decay under all of them! So, yes, total dental anxiety with me. We had switched to a pediadontist when I was almost a teen (the one that fixed them all). He was so great that he almost totally cured my anxieties. I still take my lil ones to see him (over an hour and half away).
March 17th, 2009 at 3:17 pmHope your mouth feels better. Don’t let the tylenol with codeine wear off!
I don’t think ANYONE likes going to the dentist. Good for you for doing it, though!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 8:26 amI hate the dentist, too, but I was scarred at a young age by an evil dentist who used to wear clown wigs and such. His office had doors with the knobs really high up so kids couldn’t escape. Ugh. Just thinking about him gives me the willies, and to this day I hate everything about it.
March 20th, 2009 at 6:56 amOh my gosh, yes. I HATE the dentist. I got one of my wisdom teeth pulled and it took HOURS. Yes, HOURS. And the recovery was horrible. I was on pain meds for about three weeks just to tolerate it. It was not good. After that I told the dentist I’d have to be convinced to do any of the other ones. It was just too “traumatic” for me.
Also, I love Buffy, too.
March 21st, 2009 at 10:18 amI never used to be scared of the dentist, but now I have a new one. He’s kind of… violent. He stabbed me in the gum a few times with his poking-around-in-your-mouth stick.
March 21st, 2009 at 1:25 pmI hope you’re feeling better by now. Getting wisdom teeth out is NOT fun. I haven’t been to the dentist in ages, and I know I need to go, but somehow I just keep conveniently forgetting to schedule that crucial appointment until after they’re closed each day…
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:34 pmI hate the dentist, too! I’ve had some really bad experiences, including braces for way too many years when I was younger. HATE the dentist. Avoiding it way too long.
April 6th, 2009 at 9:06 pm