I'm lucky enough to have a dentist who's good at pain control, and I'm used to the place and the procedures, so I don't go through much anxiety, although it's there, because while in the chair I can feel my muscles tightening up and I have to make a conscious effort to relax. The only time I've ever had more than a local anaesthetic was for a tricky wisdom tooth - he gave me a cup of green liquid to drink. I felt quite normal but I noticed the extraction seemed to be over very quickly, and I didn't feel any discomfort.
The main anxiety I get while in the chair is a sensory thing, I can feel small amounts of liquid collecting at the back of my throat, and I daren't swallow it because I don't know what it is, so I sit there hoping it'll be done soon before I start retching or something. He uses a suction tube to remove liquid, but I'm never sure that he's got it all. I also used to worry that keeping my jaws open and still for so long would make them lock, so I started to move them slightly every time he stopped working to get another drill or whatever, and that helped.
I don't like the cleaning either, but it's tolerable. Most of the trouble is that I expect it to suddenly hurt like mad if he hits a sensitive spot, but he hasn't done, so far.
Not surprising that most people fear dental surgery, when you think about what they do. I guess I'm more afraid of the consequences of not going though.
25 Dec 2014, 9:10 am
