I have a tooth infection. Truthfully, it’s probably because I have been avoiding my dentist. Not only am I an anxious patient, but he makes me feel foolish. At my last appointment, he told me that I was acting like a child because I was shaking in the chair. But, honestly, I can’t control fear. I know I need to get this infection under control but the idea of sitting in his dental chair again has me ready to throw up. Is there anything you’ve heard of to help someone like me?
Jessie
Dear Jessie,
I am so glad you wrote. First, I am going to tell you that you are not with the best dentist for your situation. When you have dental anxiety, you need a compassionate, non-judgmental dentist who understands the fear you are experiencing. It sounds like your current dentist is the absolute opposite.
You have a dental emergency on your hands with a tooth infection, which can’t be put off. These are serious and people still die every year from untreated tooth infections.
I am going to recommend that you do an internet search of all the sedation dentists in your area, then call around and tell them what is going on. I’m sure one of them will be able to get you in quickly.
What Can Dental Sedation Do?
A sedation dentist can give you a medication that can completely relax you. For severe dental anxiety, I recommend oral conscious sedation (OCS). This is administered to you by a pill. However, it is strong. So strong, in fact, that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
The good news is that you will be so comfortable that you could even sleep through your appointment if you wanted to. Plus, my guess is that you have a lot of dental work that you need to catch up on because of the way you were treated. Using oral conscious sedation allows the dentist to get more work done at each session. You will be caught up on your oral health before you know it.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. James Williams.