Theriot Family Dental

I Can’t Eat But am Afraid of the Dentist

Posted by writeradmin

I need some advice. I have two teeth that hurt so badly that I cannot even eat anymore. I am in absolute agony. I know you are going to tell me to go to the dentist but I am absolutely terrified of them. Even just thinking about going makes me almost throw up, which I cannot do while my mouth hurts so bad. Have you found a way to treat tooth problems at home in a pinch? The areas of my mouth that hurt the most have pimples on the gums. I think if I get rid of those I won’t hurt so much.

Chrissy

Dear Chrissy,

Woman holding her jaw in pain

I am sorry you are in so much pain and that your anxiety has kept you from getting the care you need. When there is a pimple on your gums, it means the tooth is abscessed. That is a dental infection and is considered a dental emergency. Unlike normal infections in your body, tooth infections cannot be solved by antibiotics alone. A dentist has to go in there and physically remove the infected pulp in your tooth. All antibiotics will do is hold the infection at bay for a short period of time. The moment the antibiotics wear out, then your infection will flare back up even stronger than before.

That news probably terrified you, but before you panic or run to throw up, I have some good news too. There is a way for you to get an anxiety-free and even pain-free dental appointment. The key is to see a sedation dentist. That is simply a dentist who offers dental sedation options. For someone with as severe a level of anxiety as you are dealing with, I recommend going with someone who offers oral conscious sedation. This is administered by a pill but is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours until you are lucid and steady on your feet. Some people call this sleep dentistry because you are so relaxed you can sleep completely through your appointment.

You will find that this completely changes your experience with the dentist. I even believe in time, when you are all caught up on your work, that you will actually look forward to going to the dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. John Theriot.