My dental experience

[Reddev]

Thank you to all the replies I had about needing dental treatment. Well this morning I was very anxious shaking and generally not in a good place. But I can now say how wonderful my dentist made me feel. The room I went into had a do not enter sign on as it had been cleaned. I had to have an extraction which they say I coped with very well but I don’t think I did. Although for me to have tooth out awake is a miracle. I think my anxiety levels were very high but have got through it. My fear of dentists has been heightened by the fear of COVID but my next four appointments I won’t feel so bad thank you all for your support

[CT-5012]

Well done, very brave. I have an appointment next week and am definitely not looking forward to it.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Good to hear!

A good dentist is a thing of wonder!!! My dentist here in Italy worked all the way through, emergencies only for a month and then pretty much back to normal.

[Thelmarina in reply to PMRpro]

I had an appointment next week that was cancelled. Now I will be seen on 29th March 2021! I’m thinking of moving to Italy..😂

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Thelmarina]

I can't work out what is so different - my guy says it didn't require a lot to adapt their practice to be Covid-safe. They have put everything away except what is required for the current patient, they added visors but always wear masks anyway and they always cleaned the surfaces after every patient. To be fair - he has several adjacent rooms so he moves from one room to the next, gives one patient an injection and does something in the next room while waiting for it to work and so on. An appointment can take ages as a result! But he is very good and things that seem to take several appointments in the UK are done in an afternoon - is that a bad thing?

[Thelmarina in reply to PMRpro]

Sounds like a very good thing to me! It’s been erratic over here but I think my practice hasn’t stepped up. I’ll change when I can 😀

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Thelmarina]

My daughter wasn't impressed by her private dentist's offering - and got a very quick appointment with a little Chinese lady just round the corner. Highly impressed!

[Reddev in reply to PMRpro]

My dentist is private and not NHS. Costly but I’m glad I’ve found him. He tries very hard to put me at ease. Still anxious when I think of them and of course the COVID fear makes it worse. Thank you all for your replies. It certainly helps when people support you and I’ve found this site very helpful with my polymyalgia and GCA.

[Bcol]

Hi Reddev, sounds like you have done really well and your next appointments should be a doddle. I keep getting email adverts from my dentist offering me tooth whitening and other cosmetic stuff which is really ironic, let alone annoying, as they are not open for normal surgery work!!! OH and I not had an appointment since last year now. We were due our usual six months check up in March.

[123-go]

What a relief for you. Well done!

[Lonsdalelass]

Hi Reddev, I do sympathise as I also don't like going to the dentist! But having a good dentist you can trust means everything, as I have found out. Like you, I was worried about having an extraction since a really bad one a few years back, but I've had two since, one a wisdom tooth, and they've both been problem free, and that's down to my excellent new dentist! So pleased for you. Hang on to them (the dentist, as well as the teeth, ha) 😂.

[York54]

Well done , a good dentist can be hard to find. I have been for my check up in august and hygienist in November. He worked on emergencies only in lockdown but said they didn’t have too many. He liked to think that was because they looked after their patients well !!

[borednow]

What are these things called Dentists? Mine only deals in emergencies but won't actually say what constitutes an emergency!! I will remember this when we're sorted out, she says darkly.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to borednow]

Are you NHS? Bet he tells private patients what an emergency is ...

[borednow in reply to PMRpro]

Oh yes - NHS patient. When all my teeth have fallen out, I'll gum him to death ........ !!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to borednow]

I had fantastic NHS dentists in Annfield Plain near Newcastle. One was a lecturer at the dental hospital. I moved to them after my dentist made an offer for a private plan I found only too easy to refuse - best thing I ever did but was worried they might stop NHS. When I asked why they asked did I think they would ever see any local patients if they didn't do NHS!! I had to agree it was unlikely - some income is always better than none ...

[S4ndy]

Well done! My experience of my dental surgery during lockdown has been excellent. I have always been terrified of going to the dentist but I am now able to go with only a mild anxiety. I have never been so grateful for a good dental surgery as I have this year. Glad you are getting your dental work done and hope your anxiety is reduced by a positive experience x