Dentist

[cjsmith]

Went for my regular cleaning this morning. The substitute dentist says I have a cavity. It abuts my one and only filling, put in ages ago for a spot that "wasn't really a cavity but would probably become one some day and we could just do this now" sort of thing. Apparently that spot got worse. Blech.

According to my dentist I have deep crevasses in the mashing surfaces of those rear molars. It's probably amazing that I haven't had far worse cavities in there already. In fact, I know I've been very VERY lucky when it comes to teeth. (Except for size and placement, that is.) In my entire life I've only had that one proto-cavity. (And eight teeth pulled for lack of room, and some gum tissue dug out because I was chewing on it.)

I have an appointment to go have it drilled. They wanted to do it soon, I wanted to skip the time my guest is here. Hopefully January 30 will be fine.

I insisted on my regular dentist. He was willing to do the proto-cavity filling without any anaesthetic. I HATE NEEDLES! Now y'all know how much I hate them! The drilling was probably deeper than you'd think because it was in the bottom of one of those deep crevasses, but I'm still very glad the thing hadn't opened out into a real cavity before he caught it. A cavity that starts well inside the tooth to begin with wouldn't be any fun.

Maybe he'll let me go through this one with no needle, too. I hope I hope I hope. Everyone please beam some "let her do it!" energy at Dr. Frost of Palo Alto on January 30. :-)

Comments

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

You're willing to have your teeth drilled without a shot??

CJ, you're nuts. And a little scary ;-)

[platypus]

I hate needles, but I hate dental pain even more. If I squinch my eyes shut, the shots aren't too bad. The only dentist who's ever accidentally let me *see* the needle is the annoying endodontist I won't be returning to.

I once had a fabulously skilled dental assistant who gave genuinely painless shots. Unfortunately, the dentist she assisted was Evil Dentist, who fucked up tooth #29 beyond repair and cost me about $5000. Tough, that.

[thatwesguy.livejournal.com]

Pain over needles?

Okay, free country and all.

But... wow.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Well, to make sense of that you'd need to know that

a) things most people consider pain don't TOUCH the pain I've lived with since menarche
b) I HATE NEEDLES! HATE HATE HATE AIIIIIEEEEEE.

Plus, I suspect that first cavity wasn't THAT deep. Oh, I felt it. No question about that. But it wasn't PAIN pain, if that makes sense. (Maybe it doesn't.)

So, um, yeah. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Well, to make sense of that you'd need to know that

a) things most people consider pain don't TOUCH the pain I've lived with since menarche (diagnosed at age 36, this turned out to be nerve compression, perhaps even a bit like tooth drilling now that I think of it)
b) I HATE NEEDLES! HATE HATE HATE AIIIIIEEEEEE.

Plus, I suspect that first cavity wasn't THAT deep. Oh, I felt it; no question about that. But it was pain with no capital letters. It wasn't PAIN in all caps. (I don't know if that makes any sense.) So it's quite possible that if this one is deeper, I won't get through this one without bailing out and submitting to the NEEDLE AIIIIEEEEEE.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I had one painless shot once. It was the contrast agent for my second MRI. I was stunned. I couldn't feel it! WOW!

But for me, it isn't the pain of needles. I have this THING about needles. I faint and all. No fun :-(

YEOWCH I'm really glad you're not ever going back to Evil Dentist. That's awful.

[thatwesguy.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a completely awful way to get de-sensitized to pain. I'm so sorry!

[ambar.livejournal.com]

If it's any comfort, my periodontist's anaesthesiologist (she used to teach at UCSF's dental school) insists that there is NO NEED for ANYTHING to hurt. So she swabs a numbing agent onto the gum while I hum "tra la la, no needles, tra la la" and I keep my eyes closed and nothing happens at all. I recommend it. Assuming, of course, it's necessary. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

It's under control now, and has been for over a year. Maybe my super-studly anti-pain armor has faded away. That wouldn't be so bad, I guess! A good trade! :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

For me, it's the idea of the needle, or even (one physician type mentioned this once) the physical presence of the needle, causing basically shock. I don't care that the needle stings. It's that it's a NEEEEEEEDLE.

Oddly enough, pins are okay. I don't get woozy and fall down if someone offers to (or does, heck, I did this in grade school) stick me with a pin. But a NEEEEEEEDLE... yeah, I'll be on the floor over here *thud*.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

It does make sense. I've had one needle at mine in four - five years. That was this May - June, when I had seven fillings (that is, all of them) replaced in one sitting. With that much cleaning of exposed tooth structure, a needle (or acupuncture) was definitely in order. Average age 12 years. Not bad mileage. *grin*

I agree with you. For a proto-cavity like that, get the surface done quickly, no needles.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Super-studly anti-pain armor never fades. It becomes less flexible, so each new pain is VERY different. But the pains you built it for? Hah! Take that!

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Maybe some reconditioning is in order. It's just a hollow pin, right?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I suspect something of the sort might work. It would have to be something more than just "thinking the problem away", 'cause I've tried that. Maybe hypnosis.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what I figure: as long as it's not too awful, just get it done.

I've had a needle in my gums once. My dentist cut away a bunch of gum tissue to make a path for my wisdom tooth. That tooth had come in so far back that it was partially buried and chewing on my jaw hinge, so they just carved out all the stuff over and around it. I strongly suspect the needle was worth it then.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! PERMANENT super-studly anti-pain armor!

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Strongly suspect

Are you sure you're not English. A gift for understatement, indeed.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

You could carry around an empty needle, and poke yourself. I can see it now.

(FYI: very unusual energy today; read my post about my boss. *grin*)

[oddhack.livejournal.com]

Not necessarily "just a hollow tube". There can be a physiological reaction to needles resulting in blood pressure drops. I fainted once while having blood drawn, have become nauseous and close to passing out a couple of other times, and caused a great deal of excitement and solicitousness among the lab techs by explaining this might happen so I'd like to lie down first, ThankYouVeryMuch, on most other occasions involving injections or bloodwork.

Interestingly this problem doesn't happen with dental needles though, just in the arm. For me.

I avoided dentists for many years after traumatic childhood experiences with Dr. Mengele^H^H^H^H^H^H^HYaros, so when I finally went back was relieved to learn that they use topical anaesthetics on the gum now, making the injection itself literally painless.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

There can be a physiological reaction to needles resulting in blood pressure drops.

This must be what that one doctor of mine mentioned. I, too, have the nausea and the close-to-passing-out and have on occasion fainted. Like you, I now ask to lie down first. Most lab techs are very happy to have me lie down BEFORE passing out. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that one. Did you actually say that reply of yours??

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They used some kind of electrocauterization. I have no idea what that would have felt like.

[oddhack.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I even get free apple juice afterwards!

[airporter.livejournal.com]

I did.

The worst part of it is that I don't expect him to be at all considerate or respectful of others.

What's changed? I simply don't have the energy to put out explaining why he's an ass to him anymore, so I just let him know as politely as I can, and walk away.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

I loathe needles. They make me squirm and be extra super uncomfortable. I told my dentist this and she did some surface numbing. It worked. She kept the needle out of my line of sight the entire time and I closed my eyes. It didn't bug me!

It's good to have a great dentist. I hope yours is as nice!

needles, pins, etc.

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

1. acupuncture needles are very pinlike, in that they
are very SKINNY. Like a long skinny piece of wire.

2. {would not in any way want to contribute to fear
factors, but} I would recommend that you AVOID
"old school" acupunturists. There is a
tendency there to think that a bit of pain is
not a bad thing. (I am against pain so I
also avoid this particular thoughtform, mostly.)
{As I understand it, there is more of a tendency
toward "some pain is helpful" among people
actually trained in China--- although why
doesn't esp matter} -- My point is mostly to
assure you that views DIFFER.

Personal commentary: when getting blood drawn from an
arm, or any "unknown"-potentially-painful procedure,
I warn the people doing the poking (or whatever) that
I may scream (I have on occassion). Not a major scream,
I'm just noisy. I figure it is better to tell them
ahead of time. My dentist gives shots really really
well. This is important. Some people who I have told
this (about my dentist) do not seem to understand why
this is IMPORTANT, and worth note.

Dental wimp, that's me

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I react to dentists and nearly all things dentistry-related in a similar manner to your squickiness about needles. G'head, open up my neck to my spine, bore holes in my vertebrae, and please show me the pix afterward (wish I had video) -- or cut moles off my back or chest while I relax -- or draw blood or vaccinate me while I observe your needle-inserting technique.

But don't get me near a dentist's office! The smell of a dentist's office is the smell of fear! Wow, we're so opposite about these things. It's fascinating the idiosyncrasies we have about what scares us and what's easy without even needing to summon bravery -- which is reversed in someone else.

I once had a dental hygienist suggest to me that I try tooth cleaning with the help of nitrous, to mellow me out. No luck, the nitrous freaked me out worse. It was a bad enough freakout that the dentistry after she removed the mask from my face was a bit less scary. Damn, I'm such a dramatic dental wimp!

Your dental plans TERRIFY me! But I do hope you get what you hope for, 'cause it's your choice, of course. *hopes*

Ohhhh, ickkkk, ughhhhhhh, *quiver*... I oughtta add a dental visit to my list of resolutions! It's been so-long-I-won't-admit-it since my last dental visit. Ohhhh, *frisson-of-fear*

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

My dentist is OK -- I inherited him in a sort of sidewise substitution while going to the same office & hygienist since 1982 -- but he has a maddening tendency to reassure me kindly about things that aren't the problem. Like telling me how nice & pain-free the crown work will be while he's THRUSTING FOREIGN MATERIAL INTO MY BODY TISSUE WITH A POINTY METAL THING. I'm with CJ on the inherent evilness of needles and will gladly dispense with needle-borne anesthesia for small jobs.

Got major points once at a blood draw for saying "Oh no, I have nothing against phlebotomists; I just hate needles."

No more nitrous for me, mother. It didn't mellow me out at all, left me just as pained and anxious BUT too loopy to raise my hand and complain. Ick.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Anything else would, as you imply, be a waste of your energy -- after all, he's not going to learn.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! I'm glad the numbing works for you. I'm not sure it would for me -- it isn't the sting that's the problem, it's the NEEEEEEEDLE AIIIEEEEE -- but hey, maybe it would!

Re: needles, pins, etc.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pins aren't so bad for me for some arcane reason. Isn't that puzzline? As you can probably guess from my willingness to get drilled without numbing, pain isn't the biggest issue with needles for me either. It's the whole concept of needle. Physiological reaction? Don't know. I really think at least part of it is mental, but that doesn't necessarily make it any easier to overcome. :-)

Re: needles, pins, etc.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

er, puzzlinG. puzzlinG.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Down with the evil needle empire!

That nitrous experience sounds truly awful. Yuck and double-yuck. Glad THAT'S over.

Re: Dental wimp, that's me

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh my. Wow. I know people who are terrified of dentistry because it FREAKING HURTS, and that makes sense to me. I don't share the overwhelming fear in that case, but at least I could nod with understanding if someone tried to explain it. Somehow I'd guess that would make the fear a little more worrisome. After all, you can't talk yourself out of a fear that makes some sense.

Needles, of course, I can't even explain. Half the time when I try people respond about ways to make them hurt less. That isn't the problem! But... eh, I can't talk myself out of that one either.

Re: needles, pins, etc.

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it could be about injectibles? On the one occassion that I had IV anesthesia I got some real creppy feelings about it -- ya know, people putting stuff direct into my viens and all. Those needles have injectible goo attached....... Of course, this may not be your issue, but, well, it did make sense to me when I got a bit creeped about it.

Then again, if you feel the same way about needles used for blood draws, then injectible gunk is not the problem. (Those are also "hollow" but the direction is reversed....)

Needles also LOOK scary....

Re: needles, pins, etc.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think it has a lot to do with the fact that needles take stuff out or put stuff in. Intellectually I have no problem with that, but for some reason I wind up falling down anyway!