And some are mental,
But the one that is both
Is dental.
~Ogden Nash
Having dental work done never really bothered me until recently. For whatever the reason, I have panic attacks whenever I’m in the dentist’s chair. I’m guessing it stems from being claustrophobic, which has escalated in recent years. I keep telling myself that it is irrational, that it is no big deal, but the minute I sat down in that chair this morning and his assistant strapped that bib around my neck, I started to break out in a cold sweat, my heart started to pound, and I could feel myself starting to fade away. Talking to and laughing with the assistant helped some. The doc had to fill in a couple of places where spaces had developed between teeth and gums, and then I had to have new night guards made ~ one for top, one for bottom ~ cause I’m a grinder and have broken three night guards already ~ so I get two this time. No big deal. No big deal. I can do this. Dental work is always tedious, so I try to go someplace else in my head ~ anywhere but the dentist chair. An hour later, it is over. I survived it without totally freaking out [or passing out which might not be a bad thing]. My dentist is very kind and understanding and well aware of my neurosis and I’m thankful for that. In the meantime, my goal is to take really good care of my teeth so I never have to sit in that chair again. Smile, y’all, and have a nice day.
4 comments:
Have you ever thought about asking for the "happy gas"? You won't care what they do to you! :) Sorry about your panic attacks. Hope you don't have to go back to the dentist for a while!
If I ever have any major dental work done ~ like a root canal or a crown or something like that ~ then I'd definitely go for sedation. What I had done today was such a small thing and I kept telling myself I could handle it but it was a constant battle the whole time just to get through it. I'm a sad case, I guess, but they tell me I'm not the only one who goes through the panic attacks in the dentist's chair. I've never had laughing gas. Next time, I'll have to insist on it.
I can sympathize with you. Panic attacks suck! I've had them for years, but never knew what they were until I was diagnosed when Dad was sick. Sorry you had to go through that! Hopefully you won't have to go back to the dentist for a long time.
Get the gas. It'll help. Although it does make you feel really weird. You might not like that either. But it's the lesser of two evils.
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