HI all,

Right, i'm terrified of dentists (there i've said it, *breath out*)

I mean, i'm a 30yr old woman, who's gone thru childbirth, but seriously, I can't go in a dentists (I think it stems from having alot of work done when I was little, and it being incredibly painful) I do actually cry :( and feel sick thinking about it. I have an illness called Fibromyalgia too, which means I have a very low pain threshold, so i'm laid there in tears, jumping at every bit he tries to do, and the dentist usually ends up calling me a 'baby' or 'stupid' which ends in me not going back.

Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone knew of a really Good Dentist in Sheffield, who deals with people who are, well, like me?

I can't even cope with them poking around (god I feel sick just typing this) at a check-up, in a perfect world i'd like to have a general anesthetic ( I know the risks) it's just finding one that will understand

if you know of one please let me know, i've recently lost half of one of my back teeth and although it's not causing me any pain, i'd like to try and find a dentist suitable now rather than when i'm in agony.

As a kid I was terrified of the dentist. I used to almost pass out every time. I used to hope that any work needed on my teeth would require a general anesthetic (but not gas...wot a nightmare). Any dental work was a major event for me. I have been going to the same dentists surgery all my life. Even now I get worried but I am good at hiding my fear ;) My dentist is very nice, she has dealt with me since I was a wee babbie.Try them, you have nothing to lose (apart from some teeth). Look in the book for Pawsons dental surgery. Good Luck :D

I know exactly what you mean about hoping that it will require gen asthetic! I don't even mind gas (as long as it knocks you out) but in order to get tot hat part you have to go in for a check-up at least.

I must sound really babylike, but honestly i'm the last person you'd expect this type of behaviour from, i'm usually extremly confident and have more of an assertive personality than most, I guess this is my achilles heel :cry:

I could pull em out for you:) I have some pliers. It wont hurt honest:D

You could try looking for the recommended ones on this site (and even reading some of the rest of it too):

www.beyondfear.org

Unfortunately the closest one I could spot on there is in Chesterfield.

Abbeydale Road practice - the receptionists are bitches but the dentist is ok - if you can understand him - and they like treating phobic patients???

I also used to be afraid of the dentist but the actual fear is worse than the reality - it is not as bad as you think.

If your fear is that bad perhaps going to a hypnotherapist would help. Look in the yellow pages.

Its alright being recommended a good dentist but the chances of getting on their books are pretty slim!

My Mum has never been to the dentist through her fear and her breath could stop traffic - you don't want to end up like her believe me!

Good Luck

Get an appointment as early as you can. The body is more resistent to pain the closer to when you wake.

Thanks for all your replies,

Luckily I dont think I pong yet :D I do look after my teeth, i've even considered one of those emergency dental kits you can buy, to give yourself a filling etc if your like, up a mountain lol.
I will have a look on that site, and thanks for that tip alch, that kinda makes sense, cuz you do feel numb in a morning, or at least I do :)

This thread might be of some help http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32280&highlight=dentist :)

Hi beansforyou

I totally understand where you are coming from as I am absolutly petrified of the dentist. I had a bad experience almost 18months ago and it took up till about a month ago to even let my mum drive past the dentist i was that bad!

She used to tell me she would just take me one day and even the thought of it had me in tears. I eventually went as i had not slept in 3 days through pain in my mouth and i could no longer function properly.

My dentist now has me sort of back on track. I am still scared of them but i can now make it up the stairs of the surgery without breaking out into a cold sweat/fainting/having a panic attack or bursting into tears. (all that comes later! :D) It is a slow process but he is gradually getting my confidence back about going. He showed my how everything worked and exactly what he was going to do. He even let me stop the drill with my fingers to show that it wouldn't hurt me!

If you like i will PM you the details. He is a very busy dentist but he is also the best. I would never go to anyone else now. By the way this is a private dentist, i am not sure if it takes NHS or not.

im a woman of 51 ,and petrified of the dentists,my gp gave me some diazipan to get me through it ,it calmed me ,i was ok ,but still hate dentists:(

I was so afaid in the dentist my knees used to knock.
I realised that when I didn't have an injection I wasn't afraid.
Mr Cole the dentist found out I had a bad reaction to adrenalin which is given in the dose of painkiller. There are 3 ingredients in the injection and now I only have 2 or no injection and I am much better.
The extra adrenalin was giving me extra fear.
Hope this is some help as thru fear of dentists I had a Traumaticly ( very amusing to others ) ) time at the CHarles Clifford'
hazel

I sympathize with you cos my missus is exactly the same although she has had a real bad experience which I wont go into for fear of having you throw up on me...lol...Anyway, I shouldn't really comment cos I love going to the dentist...

My motto is: Don't go now and have a little pain, wait a few years till the infection or whatever it is spreads and then you'll need several teeth out and that will hurt...for weeks and weeks...

Other than that you should have a husband like me who just books you an appointment behind your back and tricks you in...I know, i'm a horrid person..he he he

I didn't go for 20 years, but I lost half a tooth and had pain in another. After weeks of disrupted sleep i asked friends where they went. I plumped for Pickering Dental Services, Abbydale Rd, 2588549. they are NHS and said they could see me in a couple of days. I hardly slept the night before and on the walk there I was numb with fear. I was sure all my teeth would have to come out due to neglect, but I needed just two fillings.
The high i got from finding my teeth were in reasonable condition was incredible.
Having the fillings was passable, local anesthetic is vital, don't think about having fillings without it. It was all done very quickly too, I told the dentist I was scared and he was very nice about it.
My stratergy for next time is go early in the day, take a couple of painkillers before I go, have somthing to occupy me in the waiting room like TXTing someone or my favourite magazine.
All the best!

Hi beansforyou!

OK I hate the dentist and hadnt been for about 10 years, I knew there was something pretty horrid going on in my mouth so eventually made myself join one. And I'm pleased to say its been completely different from my previous experiences. I would really recomend The Porta Brook dental centre (near Waitros on the Sharrow side of Sheff) dont know if this is near you? They take NHS clients, seem to have lots of female dentists and staff (which I think is good, as its pretty weird having someone you dont know that close to your face!) They explain exactly what they're doing and monitor the pain, they keep checking to see if you need more anisthetic, and they tell you were you may have been going wrong in the first place!

I promise I dont work for them! But its been good to discover there are some nice dentists out there! Maybe if my last one hadnt found drilling my fillings out so hilarious I wouldnt have had this problem!

Originally posted by alchresearch
Get an appointment as early as you can. The body is more resistent to pain the closer to when you wake.


Do you have the research to back this statement up? I'd be interested to read it!

I was scared of the dentist once, but then he gave me laughing gas and it was ok

Hey you found a REALLY popylar subject!

I also fear dentistry and tend to bite, puke and squeal. I can cope but only if the chair is fairly upright and the pain minimal. Same prob, had a nazi dentist as a child, he filled every tooth I had and claimed the fee from the NHS, my family must have been a gold mine for him, 8 children and my mum never questioned his reasoning.

I last went to Burngreave Dental Practise and Alan Moffat did my teeth for several years, very patiently and kindly. He has a really confident and settling manner is very reassuring. I had some really horrid stuff done when I got abcesses in my jaw and he got me thru it in one piece.

I do think the key to it is the dentist - you need to know they understand and also that they can take control and you can trust them and just let it happen. You could try having a check up, then get them cleaned, then have the littlest thing done first. Every time you go and its not too bad you can build up your confidence and knock down your fear. Its worth going for checkups as often as possible too, each good experience notched up will help.

The drills the scary thing, but with pain relief its only associated memories that you have to fear. I think Alan is good because he chats with you while he works and it stops you remembering. Fear memories are the most potent behaviour moderators apparently and last longest, so it takes a lot of effort to over-ride them with positive stuff. Once you've done it it lasts forever though.

Hope it goes ok in the end. Recommend big-time comfort and lavish gratification afterwards. at the very least big hugs and hot baths and maybe cocoa and jaffa cakes once you can eat.

Blimey don't I rabbit on, time for bed I think.

Oh you can look on the NHS direct website and get local dentists taking on new nhs patients , but you may find it hard to get registered for a while as most are on waiting lists. think its nhsdirect.gov.uk or something similar. find it on google.

today, I filed my own tooth down with an electric nail file (bit like a Dremel) as it had broken last week, and was a little ragged and was making my tongue sore as it rubbed against it.

I don't have a problem doing it myself, as I can stop when it hurts, the major problem for me is actually getting other people to understand how low my pain threshold is, I don't blame them, how can you understand someones illness/pain if there is no outward signs or you've not experienced it yourself.

Eventually I know I will get to a stage where I Have to go to a dentist, and I know it will probalby be sooner rather than later, and I will make a list of the ones noted on here, thankyou for all your replies, keep them coming, its good to know your not alone one way or another :)