dental phobia

[elastic band]

hi folks -is there anyone out there who has help with a dental phobia -the missus is now really scared to go to the dentist and needs treatment but just can't face it -the thought of it makes her feel ill. She used to go to Mr Erridge and although she knows he's good she just can't face the idea of it without help /sedation -i don't know what really. (Nothing he did wrong it was just when we moved away she had several bad experiences with dentists down south) and now i just cant get her to the door of the dentist. She's not afraid of pain as such but is embarassed by the condition of two of her teeth and thats not helping -

anyone been through similar

[A_Usher]

I see patients for phobiea, and have treated dental phobias also.
I have a 3 week waiting list at the moment, but if you want some suggestions you can drop me an email.

Andrew

[porshiepoo]

hi folks -is there anyone out there who has help with a dental phobia -the missus is now really scared to go to the dentist and needs treatment but just can't face it -the thought of it makes her feel ill. She used to go to Mr Erridge and although she knows he's good she just can't face the idea of it without help /sedation -i don't know what really. (Nothing he did wrong it was just when we moved away she had several bad experiences with dentists down south) and now i just cant get her to the door of the dentist. She's not afraid of pain as such but is embarassed by the condition of two of her teeth and thats not helping -

anyone been through similar


I really do sympathise with your wife. I am terriffied of the dentist and to be honest the dentist I visited up here did nothing for me except make the fear worse, if that was possible.
I take extremely good care of my teeth due to this fear (I've had since childhood) but I had to have a temporary filling a few years ago. I managed to keep it in till a month or two ago but I'm damned if I'm going to the dentist until the pain is beyond belief. That way the fear of the dentist won't seem as bad - hopefully.

If your wife manages to get seen - ring the NHS emergency and she will - make sure you inform the dental nurse and the dentist himself at every opportunity that your wife is phobic. If you don't like their reaction to that, seriously, walk away. Also mention it to the person on the NHS helpline and tyake their advice. One wrong word or attitude from these guys will set your wife even further back.
I don't remember the name of the dentist I saw but it was an older male at the dentist in Wick (Bridge st?) and he was baaaaaaaad. Told me to go away and get psychotherapy before I come back AND he slammed his tools down (shudder).

Good luck to your wife, I really hope she finds the treatment she needs.

[A_Usher]

If you drop me an email i can send some info you can try to get you over this, or i could have a chat on the phone about this, i deal with this type of thing all the time, and it will be a free call.

Andrew.

[A_Usher]

I should also add we cover how to deal with phobias at our free self hypnosis and NLP workshops. The next one will be available soon.

[ciderally]

hi my son had the same problem, and with a lot of shouting i managed to get him done thru the health service dentist on special treatment they gave him dont know the proper name for it but i was told ..laughing gas.. and he ended up having a lot of treatments, and he thought it was great, dont know if it was the hit he was getting but it certainly relaxed him before a visit and during the treatment, i know how terrified he was so i can relate to your wifes fears ..dont take no for an answer, i was on the phone to everyone relating to dentists in the health service for months...it can be done easy with private treatment but costs..anyway good luck xx

[kriklah]

i would definitly recommend looking into the NPL for help. my OH had a major problem with needles, to the point where he refused dental treatment for years (until the Navy threatend to chuck him out if he didnt get the teeth done, in the end he had the work done with no anesthetic just to get it over with)

a few years back, while pregnant i had antiboddies detected and the Dr/widwife wanted to get a blood sample from OH. after an appointment with m/w where by hed had a double dose of valium to try and get him to cooperate, to no avail!!!!!! he picked up the NLP book wed had for years. two weeks later he not only went to give the sample but watched m/w do it!!! and couple of days later went and gave blood at the legion. so NLP really does work and well worth giving it a go

[twiglet]

I have a phobia about dentists and get through it by meditating before and using self hypnosis. Make sure that the dentist knows about your wife's phobia before seeing her. Like her I have had bad experiences down south so sympathise.

Don't do the Valium thing. I had a patient who took more than the recommended dose before coming to see me for a blood test. She passed out before I could even sit her in the chair. After having her checked out by a gp we had to leave her to sleep it off before her next of kin came to collect her.

[elastic band]

thanks so much to everyone who has replied so far -all i have to do is get my missus to read the replies -slo and steady and to those that offered help -i'm very grateful and will be in touch when she feels able

very grateful and much appreciated

[carasmam]

Maybe Helen Wilson from Lyth could help.
http://www.caithness-business.co.uk/business.php?id=415

[A_Usher]

Due to a lot of emails i have received in regard to this thread, and as I do a lot of private work in the area of treating phobias I have decided if there is enough interest ill do a free hypnosis and NLP workshop on treating phobias.

I will mention that I am a member of the Association of Professional Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists, international tutor, former clinical psychologist and regularly teach both medical and non medical people clinical hypnosis.

So, if you have a phobia and want a free workshop on this area, we can hold one at Dunbeath Surgery, and ill even provide free refreshments.

[orkneylass]

Don't dismiss the idea of valium administered correctly by your doctor. It can be a huge help as it relaxes you and also induces partial amnesia. I have used it for an unpleasant procedure involving tubes down my throat and it is a huge help.

[psyberyeti]

I suffered from dental phobia for many years. I would pass out in the dentists chair even during just a routine dental check up - oh boy was I scared. Passing out is embarrassing and it is really horrible as you go through the red the black and then the white phases, and that horrible hissing (white noise?).
About 5 years ago I decided I was fed-up with being scared to go to the dentist. I got the answer, and it works a treat, even during a long procedure to do a root fill.

The answer is..... vallium. It's excellent. It mostly stops the fear and the worry, and dulls the pain a little. You only need to take it for a very short period of time. I would recommend vallium to anyone with a dental phobia and don't let anyone put you off giving it a try. It has changed me from a complete jelly to something not quite like a jelly.

You can try the tree hugging stuff but vallium works everytime.:cool:

[whitewitch]

i know how your wife feels, i am the same, i am pertified of the dentist, i used to go to andrews and i didnt like him, he was so rough and rude, i now go to marek in lochshell and he is really nice, i need alot of work done on my teeth, i have left it until i had to go which i was wrong but i am now going to get a check up every 3 months so i get used to it, i cant sleep at night, looking at the clock all the time then in the morning my tummy is in knots and my legs are like jelly then when i am in the waiting room i start to tremble, it is horrible, i am the same not scared of getting the work done, it is just the dentist. how do you go about getting the valium?? i think that would be handy, i have to take the diaclam just now to settle my stomach. one thing i do do is make my apointments for first thing as then i havent got to wait all day.

[Tilter]

Good luck all you Dental Phobes. I'm not at all keen on the dentist either - but you've inspired me. I'm off to start a new thread on my No. 1 Phobia.

[Dusty]

For me this thread typifies what the Org is normally like.

Messages of sympathy, understanding, offers of support and positive help.

Tales of peoples own experiences with the matter to reinforce their empathy.

Bloody well done again orgers. :cool:

I hope that all turns out well with your missus elastic band. I know that phobias can be quite debilitating.

[poppett]

Horrible memories of dentistry under valium many years ago. Dentist insisted on using it, I didn`t see the need......it was just a wee filling and I did not want any needles either in my arm or in my gum.

He won saying no valium no filling, but he suffered for it afterwards. I have no idea if he gave me too much or I had a bad reaction with it, but they couldn`t wake me up......the dental nurse smacked my cheeks to try to revive me and I left hooked her into a glass cabinet of instruments and split her head open.

I am not proud of my actions and in my defence I was not in control of the situation through no fault of my own.

I was gobsmacked when I was struck off the dentist`s list and it was seven years before I could persuade a dentist to treat me without anaesthetic.

However I must be doing something right as the only treatment I needed after seven years was to replace the filling the previous dentist had done, which fell out when I fell down the steps at his surgery leaving! Oh and to add insult to injury the dentist had the cheek to charge me for the valium!

Andrew`s idea sounds perfect.....hope it works for all who are able to attend.