Going to the Dentist

[Malc]

I've recently experienced toothache which is really annoying. I had an appointment today, the dentist took some x-rays but couldn't find anything that would be causing the pain. He booked me in for another appointment in 10 days, but I can't wait that long as I'm going out this weekend and I need something done to ease the discomfort. So i'm going to book another appointment before the weekend hopefully.

I hate the dentist, last time I went the injection caused a massive pain in my lower right jaw area that's put me off their local anasthetics. It's hard as I need treatment but find it difficult to get past the fear of going and having that injection. The rest of the work is a breeze once I get past that first part.

I just hope the anticipation is worse than the treatment.

Anyone else had to go to the dentist recently, or overdue for that checkup?

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

Over the last couple of months I've had:

1 wisdom tooth out
2 fillings
1 other extraction

Mainly because I didn't go to the dentist for 7 years.

Got another wisdom tooth coming out on the 10th.

Personally I was dreading it, but once I manned up and faced my fear of needles, it was a piece of cake.

[abigsmurf]

if the needle hits the bone it hurts a lot but most injections are quite mild, you don't so much feel it breaking the flesh as the needle actually being in (if that makes any sense). I need some extensive dental work, crowns and veneers and stuff, suffered from major tooth erosion (always had soft teeth, had to see a specialist as a child).

Most pain I've ever had wasn't the dental work itself or the tooth ache, it was dry socket. Basically, it's when you have a tooth out and the scab falls out. You have a wide, open wound that goes all the way to the jawbone and it hurts like hell for about a week.

If you have a tooth out, listen to the dentist when he says not to use straws.

[Stormtec]

I keep meaning to register to a dentist, as I've not been since I was a kid.

The central area of one of my back teeth seems to have worn away and is beginning to hurt when food gets stuck in there and pressure is applied. So I should probably do it soon XD

Thing is, my uncle is having a bad experience with the dentist that's nearby. He's had about 3 or 4 crowns put in on the same tooth because they keep falling out a month or two later. Anyone know how to search for a decent dentist? XD

[ChrisF]

I went to the dentists recently and had a filling. To be honest I was already dreading the injection, but after some prodding around he said "all done!". He did the filling without an injection. It did tingle at one point but he said the pain I felt would have been the same with our without the injection. Odd!

[charlesr]

You can avoid fillings by not going to the dentist. Works a treat.

I keep meaning to go for a checkup, but 17 years later and I've still not gotten around to it. We don't go to the doctor for checkups do we? We do we feel we should go to the dentist regularly?

[ChrisF]

We don't go to the doctor for checkups do we?

Yes, a lot of people go to Well Man, and Well Woman check ups.

[Malc]

Chris, you were lucky there. I've never been able to have a filling without an injection. Didn't he have to drill the tooth at all, or was it just minor decay on the very surface of the tooth?

It's kind of comforting to know i'm not the only one who doesn't like a dental injection. I guess it's a common fear, but the injection itself is also common, I really should just brave it and go as i've had tons of previous injections which were fine, and only the last one which hurt quite a bit and put me off for the last nine months. It's only a filling I need as well.

[Malc]

You can avoid fillings by not going to the dentist. Works a treat.

I keep meaning to go for a checkup, but 17 years later and I've still not gotten around to it. We don't go to the doctor for checkups do we? We do we feel we should go to the dentist regularly?

I try to avoid them, but in the end a toothache brings me back to the dentist. I can't see how you've gotten away for that long without seeing a dentist, surely you've had a toothache some time in your life and had to get it sorted?

[ChrisF]

Chris, you were lucky there. I've never been able to have a filling without an injection. Didn't he have to drill the tooth at all, or was it just minor decay on the very surface of the tooth?

I wish I knew. I can't understand a word he says unfortunately. Nor can my wife who also goes there. We usually have to ask the assistant what he has done etc...

I suspect it may well have been on the surface, as that's the only time I've ever escaped the needle.

[charlesr]

Yes, a lot of people go to Well Man, and Well Woman check ups.

Googled those thanks. Didn't know they existed. MOT for the body

[ChrisF]

Googled those thanks. Didn't know they existed. MOT for the body

I think they're more BUPA type things though? Could be wrong. I see what you (may?) be hinting at though... in that it seems to be a bit of a waste of money? Or at least just a bit of a scam to generate more money for dentists / doctors etc...?

[charlesr]

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2378.aspx?CategoryID=61&SubCategoryID=61

"Often run by GPs".

I think I'm just lucky in that nothing ever goes wrong with my teeth (yet). But it does seem to smack of exploitation that when I went to the dentist nearby they wouldn't let me just do a checkup - I had to join a "plan" i.e. quarterly direct debit and commit to going a certain number of times a year. Screw that.

[Malc]

I think I'm just lucky in that nothing ever goes wrong with my teeth (yet). But it does seem to smack of exploitation that when I went to the dentist nearby they wouldn't let me just do a checkup - I had to join a "plan" i.e. quarterly direct debit and commit to going a certain number of times a year. Screw that.

I'm sure if you search around in your area you can find a good dentist. For example the one I go to called 'Notley dentist' in Godalming, surrey are very good. They were an NHS, but turned private like a lot of them. The good thing though, is that you can only go for a check up, you only have to pay after the treatment (which can be paid out over a long period if you're tight for money) and they only ask you to come back for a check up when you haven't been for 3 years (something I did ages ago).

It's probably important to get your teeth checked after that period of time. Just look around. Don't you even get a slight twinge in your tooth if you eat chocolate? Normally that highlights some tooth decay.

[Flabio]

I went something like 7 years without going.

Trust me, the pain you get if you end up with a root cavity that then gets infected absolutely dwarfs the mild discomfort of a needle or two. (I'm told by a GP friend that the only thing more painful than an infected tooth root is childbirth, not that that's something I can compare to myself)

Had three extractions, two crowns and a filling done. I feel an awful lot better now, it can be amazing how much low-grade constant pain you're able to just ignore but now it's all fixed I've realised just how bad it had been.

The reason they recommend regular dental checkups is that you can catch thnigs very early compared to other branches of medicine. And the treatments for something if it's caught early are far cheaper and less painful than those for if you wait.

Given that each of my crowns cost me £500, and regular checkups might well've just mitigated that down to a couple of £40 fillings, I'm now keeping up with my checkups...