Extremely nervous about tooth removal

Dear Jakey,

I am sorry to hear that your wisdom teeth have caused you pain and the panic attacks you have experienced. I was concerned that you mentioned that the NHS misled you about appointments. If you wanted to you could contact PALS What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)? - NHS and discuss what happened. 

I can see you have already had some really great advice from the community but I thought I would share a resource My health passport this can be a really helpful communication tool to fill out before seeing health professionals.

Please remember that your comfort always matters including during medical procedures so if you need to take breaks, or have any other accessibility need they should try their best to meet this. 

Take care,

Olivia Mod

Jakey said:

My gums appear to be touching the teeth so I don't know how they're going to solve that.

I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed under general anaesthetic, due to how difficult they were to access. I remember them telling me that each tooth had to be cut into quarters as part of that process. Perhaps you could ask about their plan?

Jakey said:

My other worry is about afterwards

I suggest asking your dentist whether they can provide you with general aftercare instructions now, so that you know broadly what to expect in advance, and can also buy any items that you might need (perhaps including, for example, salt to use for mouth rinses).

Here's an example of the kind of thing I'm referring to:

NHS England - Your guide to having teeth removed

I suggest being sure to prioritise your dentist's advice over anything suggested in certain earlier replies here (some of which contradicts NHS advice and could cause harm).

Jakey said:

but I don't really know what I can eat? I don't eat any animal products.

Some vegan suggestions:

• Swedish Glace Non-dairy vegan ice cream - I distinctly remember how much I favoured something as cooling and soothing as this after my operation.
  
  
• Sorbet (similar benefits).
  
  
• Alpro yoghurts, in various flavours and styles.
  
  
• Bol Power Shakes - don't contain any solid pieces and are described as "100% nutritionally complete". My NHS dietician approved me using these to boost my calorie intake.
   
• Huel - I second NufffRespect 's suggestion that this could be helpful. I'd personally avoid the Hot & Savoury range in the immediate aftermath, due to the risk of getting food stuck - but Huel powder or ready-to-drink are sold as "complete meals" and are perhaps worth considering. 

Jakey said:

Flossing is a no go. I tried it once and found it too uncomfortable, my teeth are crowded though. 

There are different types of floss - the tape type is very thin and does a great job of scraping the food and bacteria out from between your teeth, and is a great way to reduce cavities while improving breath.

I used to find it very difficult as I had not flossed as a child / young adult. Once I started it was tough, and it takes some time to get the technique right but it gets way easier with time.

Ask the dentist if he has any tips.

You've got some good advice from Iain . Worrying beforehand is understandable - but try to focus on other things. What you fear is pain but the modern painkillers are excellent in my experience and the needles they use are thinner than of old. I've had 4 teeth removed by different dentists and there was very little pain, just a small ache. It is vital to follow the after-care advice too! Remember, when this work is achieved, you'll feel much better - try to focus on that. I'm sure we all wish you the best of luck. 

I'll have to try mouth wash. I have been using mints and fruit pastilles to wash out the taste that food leaves in my mouth. Never really had mouth wash before though, not sure how much I need or how expensive it is. 

Flossing is a no go. I tried it once and found it too uncomfortable, my teeth are crowded though. 

Perhaps you could get some Huel if you enjoy it and it meets your dietary needs. Soup is another good one, when it comes to the work itself they're professionals and this is so routine to them. You won't be the first person to turn up to the dentist after 10 years. It's been longer for me, probably significantly so and I dread to think of the world of hurt they'll discover. 

Jakey said:

Not sure how viable the washing is because I do have a gag reflex. 

You don't need to gargle for this part - you just take a capful of the mouthwash into your mouth and slosh it about, focussing on the area where the tooth was removed for now but all round generally.

I find the best way to do this is to puff my cheeks out and back in rapidly (with my mouth tightly closed) to move the liquid around. Typically I do this for around 30 seconds or until if feels like my cheeks are burning then I spit out the mouthwash into the sink.

The gargling part is most useful for getting the mouthwash to the back of your tongue and top of your throat. By breathing out quickly while tilting my head back I find the mouthwash does not reach the part that triggers my gag reflex.

One last thing on oral hygiene - using your toothbrush or a scraper to take all the bacteria off the top of your tongue seems a common area people skip. It is easy to trigger the gag reflex when doing the back of the tongue so I find it easier to stick my tongue out and down as far as I can before brushing it which reduces the sensitivity for a few seconds - typically long enough.

This is how I deal with it - it is a great way of keeping your breath fresh as well as maintaining good oral hygiene. At nearly 60 I still have all my teeth (3 with crowns admittedly) and my girlfriend reports I don't have bad breath.

If you have any doubts, ask the dentist to show you how it should be done - flossing is a tricky one to get right if you are not doing it often and it makes a lot of difference to your tooth decay and breath smell too.

Thanks, that does explain a lot. My wisdoom teeth are at an angle, but it is both of them. 

I don't really have any phobias, the worst part of my fillings was the saliva build up, close second was a thing they put in between the teeth, annoyingly I could feel pain and discomfort during part of it, no idea how though, they gave me anaesthetic

Not sure how viable the washing is because I do have a gag reflex.  

My husband is going next week to get his removed as they are at a bad angle too. He was referred to the hospital to do it. He's not ND though, so doesn't have the same sensory issues.

But I was thinking maybe having soup handy after? Having lots of easy food in the cupboard so you don't have to think too much or go out would probably be a good idea to prepare.