Dental Calming

jollyanna

Does anyone know where/if it's possible to buy some self-help c.d. or similar to assist my dentist phobia. I'm not afraid of pain, it's the claustrophobic, choked up, suffocation thing that causes me such distress. I've got a couple of hypnotherapy c.d.'s which I apply for relaxation and they are a help, however I've had a look round for sometning dentist specific without luck.

Toothsmith

If you're not afraid to actually go to the practice and see the dentist, then go and discuss all this with the dentist.

I'm sure you'll find him/her accomodating.

If not - then you're not at the right practice for you.

If you don't have a dentist, then visit a few practices and explain the situation. Again, if they seem concerned and helpful, then you'll probably be fine when you get into the surgery for your first appointment.

dollop

jollyanna wrote: »

Does anyone know where/if it's possible to buy some self-help c.d. or similar to assist my dentist phobia. I'm not afraid of pain, it's the claustrophobic, choked up, suffocation thing that causes me such distress. I've got a couple of hypnotherapy c.d.'s which I apply for relaxation and they are a help, however I've had a look round for sometning dentist specific without luck.

hi i feel for you,i have a dental phobia too,only time i go dentist is when i have an abcess which is not healthy,even when i go with the kids for there appointments i get paplitiations and feel like fainting,i had a bad experince with gas when i was a kid,as soon as i get in that chair my heart hammers so much so it feels like its going to burst and feel like im going to pass out its horrible,i havent been for about 2 years now and ive just had baby and my teeth are rotten,peices of my teeth come out with food so i do need to start going,the way i deal with it is to just get on with it as harsh as it sounds,and go to your dentist and explain how your feeling,i done this with my last dentist and he said i could be reffered for sedation wich is think is valuim,i had this when i had my widom teeth out and had had an abcess and no sleep for 3 nights even when i got to the place even though i was in so much agony i cried and said i diddnt want it done,and they virtually said its your choice but the pain wont go,tell you what i fell asleep while they done it cause i was so exhausted and i woke up they done all my teeth and fillings ect, and i vividly remeber the nuse giving my mate all these instructions saying i wouldnt remeber and i did lol,but it was the best thing since sliced bread,i suggest you look into sedation and get all the work doing at once,so then all youll need is check ups its fantastic,and youll have built up your confidence with the dentist too,im a bit nervy at the oment cause i know i need to go,but i will get there in the end,i remeber one going to a dentist years ago he gave the anthestic told me to wait outside for 5 mins for it to take affect and i legged it lol sounds sad but i couldnt do it,anyway hope others come up with tips for you,hope some of this helps,good luck xxxx

jollyanna

Dollop, you are me! Well, nearly. You're such a brave, brave person and I'm inspired by you. I feel I could cope with the treatment if they came and did it at my house, or even if they'd let me stand outside and do my fillings through the surgery window! I think I may be amongst the very worst dentalphobes in the UK. I know I'll have to go soon and wonder if I'll die first.

Charis

jollyanna wrote: »

Does anyone know where/if it's possible to buy some self-help c.d. or similar to assist my dentist phobia. I'm not afraid of pain, it's the claustrophobic, choked up, suffocation thing that causes me such distress.

Have you thought about going to your GP for help? I had to have an MRI scan last year for heart probs and I am claustrophobic. I asked the consultant's sidekick for a sedative and he gave me one tablet, to be taken half an hour before I went in for the appointment. I would not, in normal circumstances, have lasted more than a minute in that scanner before yelling at them to let me out but I was in there for over an hour (timed by my friend who accompanied me) and I was so cosy I could have stayed even longer. I was fully conscious, just not at all nervous. Wonderful stuff. I don't think I can give the name of the substance, as it might constitute medical advice All I can say is that it began with a D. Your doc will know what it was. You might need someone with you to make sure you get home all right, as judgment about crossing the road might be impaired. However I didn't feel woozy at all and it had no after effects.

Terrylw1

Your GP may give you something like Buspirone which is like Diazapem. Your GP wouldn't give you many though as they can be habit forming.

Have you thought about seeking help from a hypnotherapist as phobias are supposed to be one of those things that they have a lot of success with in a short period of time? I've seen Paul McKenna deal with them on his programmes.

I know that the CD's are good to a point but they are not tailored to the individual so their succes can be limited. I've used them myself for work stress and they lose their ability to help if you hit a peak.

jollyanna

I think I'll have to try and get something from the doc. The nearest well-qualified hypnotherapist is over an hour away and not really practical at the mo. Wish I could be anaesthetised completey and sleep through all my fillings!

Alexandria

I have just started hypnotherapy for my severe dental phobia. I have had one session and already feel so much better, I have another 2 yet to go. I have to do homework every night to reinforce the triggers etc put to help my mind reformat its views of the dentist.
This week (2 days after the session) I was able to hold a dental pick which normally I can't stand to even look at them. Yesterday I scraped one of my teeth with it and used it to remove a stuck piece of apple. My dh was stunned by this as he knows how bad I am, I even let him tap my tooth to show how ok I am.
I would definately recommend trying hypnosis, its not cheap but for me in the long run it is as I normally have to pay out for intravenal sedation and even then I am sweating, shaking and crying in the waiting room.

Alexandria

Sorry forgot to add you can't get dental ones as your phobia will be specific and the hypnotist needs to find what your triggers are in terms of visual, sound and feel. So for me its the sight of a pick (worse if dentist has hairy hands too!), the sound of the pick squeeking and scraping against teeth and the feel of anything touching my teeth (even the back of the mirror!)

Terrylw1

Hi Alexandria - thats great news, very pleased for you. I remember seeing Paul McKenna doing something very similiar with a former hospital doctor who couldn't be in the same room as a hypodermic needle after pricking herself once and having to have HIV tests that scared her to death.

He did similiar things to what you have explained so it seems a common method. Glad it worked for you.

Alexandria

Just thought I would report back for anyone following this, had session 2 yesterday and I am now ready to go and register with a dentist (despite having had over a year of free dental I could not even bring myself to register with one!). SO thats my task for this week I am going to go in to one, register and make an appointment and shockingly that seems perfectly acceptable. I can't seem to grasp why that was so terrifying before.