dentists

[Gingersky]

Hi
I have a fear of dentists which developed from and early age 8-9yrs i am now 54yrs
Because of the removal of GA , myself and many others go without treatment because of this.
In the last month i ended up in hospital to have 2 teeth removed as i had a burst abscess that spread around my mouth inc the tongue , i was a right mess but this is the lengths that i had to go to get the treatment that i needed i also basically over dosed on pain killers as well, i know i need future treatment and the thought of this makes me feel sick with fear, so i am panicking already of how i can get the GA administered again , i cant sleep or eat properly my job is being affected, i need help please, why has this been stopped !!!

[Jayne Ellis]

Hi,

Dental phobia is very common but as you have illustrated by sharing your story can be very serious as it leads to people going without treatment or waiting until there is an emergency.

My understanding regarding the use of general anaesthetics (GA) in smaller dental practices is that it was reviewed following a series of serious incidents and now a GA can only be administered in larger practices that have all the required equipment and expertise and training or in a hospital.

Have you spoken to your GP about this, as they may be able to offer you support and counselling to enable you to overcome your fears enough to allow you to be able to attend a routine appointment in the first instance. There are also dentists who specialise in helping people with phobias and some use complementary therapy. I understand that hypnosis can also be very helpful so it might be worth looking into that as well.

I do wish you the best and hope that you can move forwards and find a lasting solution.