This week I learned that dental procedures don’t have to be medieval torture
After 7 years of avoiding of going to the dentist, I’ve finally had a conversation with a friend who told me: “I’ve never had a dental procedure hurt. They give you an anaesthetic. It’s painless.”
My past experiences have never been painless. I’ve had my teeth pulled, and root canals done and they’ve been the most agonizing pain I’ve ever felt. When I shared this with my dentists, they usually said something “yes, it’s supposed to hurt a little bit” or in worse cases “it’s all in your head, you can’t really feel anything”. My mouth would go numb only after I’ve left the doctor’s office. I always thought that was a side effect of having endured the procedure.
It’s only now that I’ve learned I’ve always had it all wrong, and that you’re supposed to be numb before they start working. This blew my mind. I’m and adult and I’ve somehow never heard that before. I’ve been gaslighted into thinking dentist visits are these painful events which most people just endure, and weaker people (like me) just avoid. But it turns out I’ve had horrible dentists who have left me hurt and traumatized.
After the revelation from my friend, I’ve gathered courage and asked people that I trust for their favorite dentists. I specifically asked for a listener. And I’ve found one. He listened to my fear that anaesthetics never worked for me and assured me that they work for everyone, but that he’ll wait until I’m numb.
Apparently it takes the average person only a few minutes to numb up. It took me 50. I felt embarrassed, but they’ve waited patiently. My new dentist said he’s never seen anything like that before. And then I had a root canal done (not visiting dentists for 7 years is not great). An I didn’t feel a thing, except massive relief.
I can now get all of my teeth fixed and keep them healthy and happy, and I don’t have to endure medieval torture to get there. I wish it didn’t take me 30 years to understand this, but I’m happy I finally do.
Posted Oct 10, 2021, 12:10 PM UTC
That’s terrible
Every dentist I had asked me if I could feel anything before pulling wisdom teeth or fixing cavities
The only pain I had was a sore jaw after the numbing went away
Teeth pain is the worst 😟
They're supposed to ask? I had to get a cavity filled in middle school and my childhood dentist acted like I had just committed a felony. Then without asking my Mom, he decided we could and would fill this right now. It was very traumatic. I was terrified of needles at the time, so when he came in with this big long needle, without prompting, I about had to be restrained. Which he threatened to do, though he tried to play it off as a joke. He jammed it in behind my teeth near the roof of my mouth, and I burst into tears. He kept telling me to stop being a big baby. Then jammed his finger straight into the rotten tooth and asked if it hurt. When I told him it did, he sighed all annoyed like and went to get more anesthesia. Which he still injected in the wrong spot. I could feel everything and I was a mess. I need to get some dental work done, but not at his office. I'd sooner eat a bullet then have to go into his office, the pain I'm in.
That’s so awful
😢
I have been through traumatic dental experiences, and it took me 30 years to go again. The dentist numbs the area with a spray or gel; then goes in with the injections. The only one I felt was the one that goes into your jaw joint? And it wasn't painful; I just felt it- it's really weird to explain. I had a total of 9 teeth pulled, some I didn't feel at all, others were just pressure, so uncomfortable, but absolutely no pain. I just wish I had gone sooner.