Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm recovering from a long bout of depression during which I neglected to look after my teeth as a form of self harm.
About a month ago I visited my dentist for a checkup and I have been referred to a clinic which offers sedation for the extractions I need, but due to the waiting list I will have to wait until January.
Unfortunately my jaw has become infected. I went back to my dentist and was given a course of antibiotics, which I have completed but the pain from both the damaged teeth and the swollen lymph glands is still present.
I get the feeling that if I go to my GP, they'll tell me to go back to my dentist, who will tell me to contact the other clinic, who will tell me to wait until January.
Please can somebody give me some advice? The pain is overwhelming my ability to concentrate and is causing me to lose sleep.
Thank you in advance for your help.
I have big dental anxiety problems. When I was younger I had to have a lot of fillings and opted for sedation, which actually isn't total sedation just partial but it was enough for me to realise the treatment was not as bad as I had feared, now when I go to a dentist I still hate it but am able to cope with a local so the initial expense of the sedation was well worth the money. i can pretty much guarantee you from experience it will not be as bad as you fear. Good luck.
I had an extraction in my mid-late 20's without sedation and because of the way my teeth have grown (with extra roots, apparently) it took her about twice as long to pull than it should.
Even though I had anaesthetic I was already experiencing anxiety and while I thought I could handle it going in, I felt like a wreck afterward.
Since then I've started to have heightened anxiety borderlining on panic attacks when I just go for a check-up. I don't think I could manage another extraction without sedation.
Maybe I need to see my GP about increasing the dose on my anxiety medication.
Yes thats a good idea I have done that in the past, I was given Diazepam just to get me to the waiting room....
Good luck let us know how you get on.