I’ve been terrified of dentists since childhood… the discomfort and the smell of the rubber mask, if gas was to be used… yuck and double yuck… and I was always sick after a visit.
Anyway… to cut a long story short… I have recently discovered a wonderful dentist (no, I’m not saying where)…kind, calm and so understanding… and, as a result, I have actually enjoyed my first visit in 20 years.
OH was slightly miffed/surprised to find that I only needed a general clean…and I was so relieved… that I managed to force myself to relax and breathe throughout the procedure. I even made a return appointment for a check-up in 6 months… phew… feeling as if I have climbed Everest and am waving from the summit.
Someone had told me that Dental Hygienists do not exist in France… and I now realize that this is something the Dentist takes on board… so my new Dentist is now my friend for life… (hope she does not move away.)
Am I the only one who is such a baby… when it comes to Dental-Doings… ??
No Stella. I’ve been terrified of them forever. In the past I often seemed to get an abscess on the same tooth. Ok the first time as the dentist prescribed antibiotics. But he told me if it happened again it would have to be extracted. So the next time I waited till the evening when he was closed, went to the emergency dentist, got more antibiotics and promised to go back to my dentist ASAP. I didn’t of course. I’ve often arrived for appointments a couple of hours in advance and walked a few miles to try and calm down. Finally 1 year before we moved here I found a dentist and hygienist that I felt comfortable with and after several appointments was able to look like a passable version of a relaxed patient…
Now we are here, I’m back to square one, without a dentist, but with the same old fear. I truly envy those that find it no more disturbing than visiting their hairdresser.
I watched the Dentist deal with OH on several occasions and was struck by her gentleness.
I explained my problem/fears… as well as the fact that I hate lying absolutely flat…convinced I am going to choke on my tongue (another childhood drama).
She is a treasure … a youngster by my reckoning…from Spain… newly set up… with all the mod cons and futuristic paraphernalia… thanks to her I shall have shiny teeth for evermore… … but if I lose her… it will probably be another 20 years before I pluck up the courage…
I’m done with explaining my problems/fears etc. I’m a man after all and it’s about time i manned up (very unlikely). If they could just hit me over the head with a weighty mallet it would be so much easier!
I have just undergone the first half of some dental work here in France. Basically the removal of about 12 teeth or what was left of teeth that should have been done years before when in the UK. To be fair, I hadn’t really intended to have it done but I saw her with a tooth abcess and the next thing I knew I had a number of appointment for the other work! It was all done with just injections over 4 weeks. And she was very good. And nor did I know the French for “I’d rather you didn’t bother”.
Perhaps if the teeth are through, they can be extracted relatively easily…with local anaesthetic…but in my case the 4 teeth were all over the place… and nothing showing… so had to be cut out… which meant 3 days in hospital for that procedure…
After a dentist phobia since childhood thanks to a dentist who didn’t believe in injections left me a nervous wreck I found a dentist who actually sedated me for fillings via a shot of valium in my arm. Over many years he did all sorts of work from root canal, bridges, fillings and finally he persuaded me to try it without the valium and I was fine, he was gentle and I had confidence in him. Having now left the UK I am on the lookout for a dentist in France who will treat me gently as I have had a filling fall out I’m dreading having to go through this all again.
Well… it has taken me 20 years to find a Dentist I can trust… not that I have needed one… thank heavens… I am on a medication which can adversely affect the teeth and I am supposed to have been having them checked regularly. I was afraid of what might be found during a routine check… hence I was loathe to go…daft really.
My new lovely Dentist tells me I have very sturdy teeth…although it seems I do have a mouth-full-of-metal (that’s a rough translation)… but she reckons these old fillings are all in good order. Should one fall out, I am assured she will replace it with a modern, carefully colour-co-ordinated filling … so gently… that I will not even notice her working…
Actually Stella, I was told afterwards that it was really tough to get out and I had to have extra injection of anaesthetic as I was beginning to wake up. Point is that I didn’t care…
Touched a nerve with this post Stella, lol… as a kid I had too many visits to the local butcher… drillings without any anaesthetic, so many pulled that I don’t remember… and the smell of the mask… don’t go there… screaming in pain of being drilled and being told it doesn’t hurt!!.. and the three days of bleeding after extractions, then making me sick for days… finally, I was 15 and mum couldn’t take me any longer… so I didn’t go for 20 yrs… The dentist I found in uk, was great… gentle and understanding, and made a great job of what I needed… since arriving in France, M.O.H has needed treatment, and the dentist we’ve found is great too. I can even sit in with her for
her treatments… I still don’t have the courage, or the funds for my own needs…
But… for those in need… make that move and get the Gnashers sorted. mine are a mess, and too late and expensive to make any improvement… and Kids… leave the sugar and fizz alone… it does ruin your teeth!!!
Hey Bob… won’t your Mutuelle stump up for dental care ??
Mine will probably go into shock when they get my first bill in 20 years…only 18 euros something to pay… CPAM paid the rest… (I can’t stop grinning now, with my shiny teeth…)
I have had the same history with dentists - years ago had a chinese dentist in the UK who would send me to la la land via arm injection and that was great. Then in the US, I used the “cowards and kids” room - again la la land beckoned. Now, here in France my husband’s very sweet dentist told me my doc would refer me for a hospital apt where they can knock me out. I have not had the courage yet to ask my doc but will need to do this soon. Apparently this is the norm for us chicken.
… but if I lose her… it will probably be another 20 years before I pluck up the courage…
I’m dreading having to go through this all again.
best way…
(I can’t stop grinning now, with my shiny teeth…)