Tooth extraction – How sore? – Tips for phobic patient

First visit to the dentist in ages today. I've got to get a upper molar extracted. I've never had an extraction and am TERRIFIED. Just how sore will it be? The kindly dentist said the noise was worse than pulling. Is there anything I can do to temporarily deafen myself?

I'm supposed to fly out to the US the next day. Will I be suffering pain during the flight?

I am unforunately allergic to the anesthetic that they use (novacaine?)so have all my dental work done without any and your dentist is right. If you really need it out you won't notice the pain. I have a terrific piece of singletrack on Exmoor that I know very well and when i know he's gonna do bad things I just put myself on my trail and ride. I know it's daft but it works for me. 🙂
Edit. Don't eat crisps for a few days after 😕

I think (been a while) that aspirin is a good idea for afterwards as it dulls the pain and you swill it around as an antiseptic. Agree that the cracking noise of the tooth is not nice.

A good dentist and it'll be fine. A crap one like when I had one of mine taken out and it'll be one of the worst experiences you've ever gone through. My current dentist is excellent even started numbing the gum before the injection as he believes no one should be in pain.

I know it's daft but it works for me

Visualisation exercises aren't daft – they are an excellent means of achieving deep levels of relaxation, and therefore pain management.

You'll be fine mcmoonter, just try to relax.

It won't be as bad as for my daughter who had four wisdom teeth out yesterday. MTFU.

You'll feel a little sting when the anaesthetic goes in, then your jaw will go numb, then you'll feel pressure but nothing else.

Closing your eyes and thinking about other stuff helps a lot, but you should be fine.

MTFU.

It's not an entirely pleasant experience, but it is not that bad. In fact, I think an extraction is easier than most dental treatments as it's over in seconds. Deep breaths, relax, and you'll be fine.

If you have any pain, you'll be able to manage it with OTC medication, no problem. Didn't need to take any after my last extraction.

i had a lower molar removed about 7 years ago and it was not good as it broke in two, next min the dentist was on my chest trying to get a good grip of the rest of the tooth,i tried to mtfu but had to take the next day of work

Make sure you look after the socket it well afterwards

I ended up with what they called a dry socket & that was pretty painful for a few days

when i had a tooth out,it wasn't painful(anasthetic),but i wouldn't recommend asking the dentist beforehand,if he had seen marathon man!!!he was not amused haha!!!you would have got more warmth (emotional)from a morgue,than you got from the dentist and nurse!!!

I had 1 pulled out last yr & barely even noticed – yes the noise is slightly unsettling but no big deal. Whatever the Dentist injected my gum with did the trick. Actually, the injection was probably more uncomfortable & I barley felt that. Dont sweat it.

It was a bit tender the following day but that was about it.

Pah , over in seconds my butt!I had a molar(1 in from the back) out 3 months ago , it took the dentist 45 minute to get it out , she had to stop 5 times as her arm was aching , well so was my ruddy mouth the next day.Mind you you should've seen the size of the roots they wouldn't have been out of place on a horses tooth.

Of course you may be lucky and have a great strong brute of a dentist to do yours , I took LOTS of ibuprofen and paracetamol to cope with the pain after.

not bad IMHO takes a bit of leverage …try to get a dentise over 30 they ar emore practised in the art as technique is mor eimportant than strength.
Does not really hurt that bad afterwards/next day but takes a bit to harden up to eat on that side.

Thanks folks. I'm a tad worried, without being patronising, the dentist is a slip of a girl.

I even find dentist's/doctor's/hospital waiting rooms faint inducing places so I guess I'll need to butch up.

😉

same allergy as me dropoff its a right pain . Literally lol

You'll be fine . I had a molar removed in Feb, in Poland after the ancient filling fell out and it split . Was pretty scared but honestly never really felt a thing…. Little 'crunch' noise and bingo, it was being waggled in my face .
Immediately afterwards the Dentist gave me some of his home -made "lemon spirit" After three of them combined with the anaesthetic,it was way more dangerous trying to walk/ stagger through the snow !

Best dentists in the world the Poles 🙂

Had one out last year, no pain or bleeding whatsoever afterwards. Being referred to an oral surgeon was a great move.

On the positive side, The most appealing aspect of having it pulled is not having to pay an American dentist to do it!

Get a copy of Marathon man,a dentist i once had was obviously trained by him, and then back in February this year had 3 out, the pain before was terrible, the extraction like getting your nails cut, no pain at all.

Try ibroprofen it kills the pain.

Good tip take a pair of very dark sunglasses it stops the dentist seeing the fear in your eyes and putting them off, another dentist told me that.

You'll be fine MC – junior dentists will do everything by the book – meaning no pain past the prick of the needle.

It's uncomfortable for sure, if there's drilling/grinding especially, but should be NO pain.

Upper teeth dont hurt, anaestetic works better in the upper jaw than the lower jaw, and with a top tooth the dentist can get cleaner leverage and so you dont notice the extraction too much, you obviously feel your head being pulled off, I prefer the upper jaw anyday. My lower jaw does not take the anaesthetic very well..and like everyone elses, it dangles on a pivot..

I had my first tooth out last year. It wasn't painful, but I found it quite distressing and stressful with the pulling and crunching and not knowing whether it was going to hurt or not.

Is it safe?

😆

Seriously though, anaesthetic will make it painless, however it won't be pleasant having the extraction. I'd say grin and bear it, but that might be tricky. 😆 Sorry! must be serious…

Ask the dentist for a boost of anaesthetic AFTER the extraction.
I had 4 wisdom teeth out and didn't have any serious pain, just discomfort – nothing really. The surgeon told me that he's given me a post-op. booster (my mum had an oral op. recently and they did the same for her).

Conversely, I had another molar extracted by my dentist, but was pacing up and down for about 2 hours after the anaesthetic wore off. THAT REALLY DID SMART!

Dry socket is when the blood clot comes out leaving the wound exposed. Salt washes and very careful eating should circumvent any problems. Take a careful note of what the detist tells you, but they usually give you a card with info on how to look after yourself post-op anyhow.

Good luck!

Painless enough, just the noise isn't good. No point putting earphones/earplugs in, this will probably just amplify it through your skull (try eating crisps, Hula Hoops, they're good and crispy, with earphones in for the effect).

As for the local anaesthetic, got one once where it hit a blood vessel. It also contains adrenalin(or some sort of synthetic equivalent), thought my heart was going to burst through chest 😯

MTFU!
🙂

It's not painful at all and you won't feel a thing. Even when the drugs wear off a couple of paracetomol are all you'll need

For instance, I had my entire set of top teeth pulled out apart from 2, the gums stitched up and dentures chucked straight on top. Within a week I was eating BBQ steak.

MTFU!
🙂

It's not painful at all and you won't feel a thing. Even when the drugs wear off a couple of paracetomol are all you'll need

For instance, I had my entire set of top teeth pulled out apart from 2, the gums stitched up and dentures chucked straight on top. Within a week I was eating BBQ steak.

I developed an abscess in one of my wisdom teeth whilst abroad, 2 days away from the end of my holiday. By the time I flew home I was crying with the pain. Got home and missed the dentist by 5 minutes. Had to wait until the next morning, was throwing up with the pain by then. The next day, the emergency clinic dentist gave me 5 injections, but I could still feel the pain. He sent me to hospital. The dentist there had to give me another 6 injections before my jaw went numb (as well as most of my body). The dentist then had to kneel on my chest to pull the offending tooth out. It took about 10 minutes and involved the nastiest pair of pliers you've ever seen. It was horrendous.

Sorry…

TenMen, I feel soooo much better for reading that 😥

I had one out yesterday, it wasn't so bad. It's all in your head (sorry), just chill.

After having some work by a particularly barbaric trainee NHS dentist as a kid in the late 60's, I got very nervous going to the dentist & regularly blacked out after having injections. I put off lots of work that should have got done, putting off the inevitable.

After i suffered an abscess, i M'dTFU & found a wonderful local dentist who specialises in treating phobic patients. It turns out i'm not exactly phobic, it's the adrenalin in the injections that was causing me to faint.

some time next month i'm due to get two wisdom teeth extracted, and they're growing in such an awkward way it means i have to have a general anaesthetic. i have a bit of a history of heart trouble so it has to be done at Manchester Royal Infirmary by the consultant, who told me that i should expect to look like desperate dan for a week or so afterwards and also i'll be eating cold chocolate desserts exclusively for a few days too!

so, a single extraction is a doddle mate. seriously.

I had an extraction 5 months ago and it was over so quickly I didn't realise he'd got the thing out.
I too am phobic after a really bad experience as a 6 year old.

Agree with the others about riding the trails in your minds eye. It's something I've done for years. It really works.

I fainted on the grass just outside the dental surgery after a recent emergency treatment. I put it down to the heat within the surgery and my phobia of being near people in white coats.

I had a wisdom tooth extraction one evening in April and went riding in Afan the next morning (hopefully not catching flies in the gaping hole). The injection is the "worst" bit, but not painful. Didn't feel any pain with the tooth, but it was a weird sensation feeling the dentist's arm shaking with the strain of pulling it out while I couldn't feel a thing. Lucky for me he was a hulking fella from Iran and whipped the bugger out in under 2 minutes.

mcmoonter, that's exactly the sort of thing i used to do.

One time, minutes after having a filling done i fainted whilst stood at the bus stop & collapsed/fell into the road. Fortunately no vehicles were approaching, else i'd have been flattened. I still have the scar on my chin where it arrested my fall.

Ask your dentist about injections that don't contain adrenalin. They work for me.

D Day. I'm going in.

It's out! Other than the mother of all whiteys I survived. A fair bit of pulling to get it out. The dentist had to tilt the chair until my feet were well above my head and administer a wet flannel to my brow to bring back the colour to my cheeks.

Waiting for the aneasthetic to wear off, I am suitably doped with Nurophen.

Thanks for all the tips.

i've a serious dentist phobia and am going this afternoon for a check up – am petrified i will need a filling.

i've had lots of teeth out when I was younger – 12 in total, including all 4 wisdom teeth (too small a jaw for the number of teeth). The noise is the worst, and after getting 1 wisdom tooth out, i asked to be knocked out for the remaining 3 as i nearly passed out/was sick etc. My phobia is a result of a very bad experience getting my wisdom teeth out, and one I can't see me getting over.

*goes back to worrying about my apppointment this afternoon*