My 13 year old daughter frightened to have teeth fillings!

DigForVictory

Talk to the dentist.
If you can, get the dentist to talk her through what's planned before anything is done, and as soon as she's more-or-less happy, get straight on with it.
(Waiting is Horrible.)
Lend her your MP3 gadget as a distraction/treat?

Errata

Good advice in the many posts above. If you need to convince her she really needs to have her fillings done come hell or high water, show her some pictures on the internet of the rotten mouths belonging to people who didn't fancy having a filling;)

Cash-Cows

I find that scale and polish being the most painful thing at the dentist. If she's had one of those then a filling will not hurt as much. In fact I've never had pain during a filling only hours later and that's more of an ache in my jaw and not pain as such.

Skint_yet_Again

... and if you can I would suggest you hold her hands whilst the dentist injects her - my son was aged about 8 when he needed a filling and it was so painful that he automatically made a grab for the needle and in the struggle the dentist stabbed him in the hand

... he's never needed a filling since and he's now 19 !

Gloomendoom

Flyonthewall wrote: »

I've had fillings done without being numbed. It felt a bit odd/uncomfortable but that was all really.

I don't like the feeling of being numb, it just feels odd even afterwards and it can last a little while, which makes it harder to eat/drink. Still, you don't feel pain when they do it it is just uncomfortable/an odd feeling. You can just close your eyes, think about other things and just let them do what they need to. Worst part for pain is probably when they're making it numb, but it doesn't take long.

I don't like being numb so I once tried having a filling without a local anaesthetic. Never again.

I have a high pain threshold but the pain was off the scale. I kept expecting the dentist to ask me if it was safe.

FBaby

I thought it was over the top that my kids had appointments to the dentist every 6 months (that last about 5 minutes each if that), however, it has done one great thing and that is to put them totally at ease. Neither mind going at all. Considering that like many, I avoided going to the dentist until I had to face reality, I am very relieved that they see it as normal routine.

brook2jack

It is quite normal to feel apprehensive before dental treatment as people revel in telling frightening stories.

The main thing is to be truthful in what will happen and not to make a big thing about it as even at 13 she will pick up on a lot the anxieties around her even if people think they are not giving anything away.

The dentist should explain things as they go along and normally along these sort of lines

I am going to put a spray/ gel on your gum which will make it feel tingly then thick and cotton wooly.

You will then feel a small scratch in your gum (injection).

Your mouth won't look different but will feel big and thick and you will have to be careful not to chew your cheek, tongue.

When your mouth is numb we will clean your tooth using a drill that spits out water and makes a high sound. The nurse will use a little vacuum cleaner to suck the water up. If you need to stop just raise your hand. (For very nervous patients the dentist may drill up to say a count of ten then stop).

We then puff the gunk out with a little puffer, then clean your teeth with a drill that doesn't spit out water but vibrates a bit. When the tooth is clean we then rest and shape the filling in etc etc.

The important thing is not to say it won't hurt as a) it starts her thinking why is mum saying that and b) even with gel in certain places most people will feel a small scratch with an injection.

Most dentists will have tons of experience with nervous people of all ages and if a child of four can have injections to have a tooth out a thirteen year old should be able to cope ok.

The final point is indeed for her to make the changes in diet and oral care to keep her from needing fillings again. Thirteen is a difficult age as teens start to make their own choices about diet and personal care. Unfortunately her adult teeth have only been in her mouth between one and seven years and need to last a lifetime so she needs to start making wise choices now.

bagpussbear

What is your daughter scared of exactly, is it the needle?

I'm a terrible needle phobic so have had all my fillings (3) without anaesthetic. Doesn't hurt, as long as they aren't too deep. Which is why its important to go every 6 months, so holes are picked up quickly and easily remedied.

But definitely speak to the dentist, and I am sure the best way forward will be found for your daughter one way or another.

May I ask a question here of those that have had the gel put onto their gums please - does that really help lessen the pain of the needle? My dentist has never suggested it so I didn't know that was an option really.

TBagpuss

I agree that it is important to let the dentist know your daughter is nervous.
Also reassure your daughter that she will be able to let the dentist know (usually by raising a hand) if she is at all uncomfortable or needs a breather.

I would not tell her that it won't hurt at all - this may not be true - the injection may hurt a little, and some people do find that the anesthetic is not very effective

dancingfairy

I had a filling relatively recently and I was pretty nervous. I'd had some when I was a teenager but I couldn't remember them. To be honest, it wasn't that bad, it wasn't great but it was just odd/uncomfortable rather than any pain.
The worst pain was the small sharp scratch for the injection to be honest, after that the anaesthetic kicked in and I couldn't feel anything. I didn't much like the drill noise and the vibrations but it wasn't that bad really, much better than tooth ache.
Can you go with her?
If you've got a good dentist they should be able to talk her through it at every step and give her a signal to use if she is unhappy.
Is there something you could do afterwards as a treat at the weekend (not straight afterwards though)? maybe go shopping for a new top or go to the cinema or something? Bribery isn't great but if she has something to look forward to it might help.
After the injection my mouth felt numb for a few hours and trying to eat/drink was bit of a challenge and I felt like I had pins and needles, it was quite strange.
For me, the anticipation and the fear it was going to hurt was the worst, but it didn't hurt at all (except for the tiny scratch).
df