[dannyc3]

Hi,

I'm 28 years old and i have always had bad teeth and oral hygiene in general. The last time i visited a dentist was around 14 years ago. Please don't reply if your just going to flame me and tell me i'm a bad boy and i should have looked after my teeth. I know whati should have done, i know why i'm in this position now and believe me if i could turn back the clock i would.

The teeth that didn't have to be extracted had fillings so my mouth was already in quite a mess. Now it has got to the stage where at least 50% of my teeth have completly rotted away right down to the gum line and below. All i see now when i open my mouth is big black holes in my gums.

The remaining teeth, mostly being the front visable ones have very bad cavities and are discusting to look at. Having done research online i am absolutly petrified of related health issues caused by bad oral hygeine. I'm so depressed right now i just dont know what to do, I have no friends, people think i am ignorent because i never smile and dont like to look at people when they speak to me incase they look at my teeth. I am jobless at the moment, i wanna go back to work but too worried about what the interviewer will think when he see's my teeth.

I really want friends and to socialise but im just so embarassed to go anywhere or speak to anyone. I currently recieve social security benefits so spending thousands of pounds to fix my teeth is not an option for me. I just don't know what to do or where to turn, i just want to be able to smile and laugh without looking at the floor or putting my hand over my mouth. I have a partner of 8 years who keeps telling me to sort it but she just dosn't understand why i carn't face going to see a dentist. I carn't even smile in front of my 3 children because im so scared of them seeing my bad teeth and asking questions about them, even my own kids think im ignorent and misrable.

Lastly i struggle to eat anything that isn't soft or can be swollowed without chewing.

I'm quite sure i'm way past the help of a regular dentist because i don't believe any of my teeth can be saved and its actually my gums that look pretty messed up now. Please help me turn my life around and smile again. Your help and advice is very much appreciated.

Dan

PS - applogies for the wall of text!

[prosman]

try and get a referral to a local teaching hospital

[dannyc3]

Thanks for your reply. I really don't want to have to goto a regular dentist, after a bad experience some 14 years ago i have a great fear of going any where near one again. I tried once before a few years ago and felt like my heart was gonna pop out of my chest just walking down the street towards the dentist. How would one go about getting refered to a dental teaching hospital? I did a quick google search but couldn't find the answers i was looking for i would be most grateful if you could point me in the right direction. I am getting really desperate now i just need to get something done but i just don't know what to do. Please help if you can.

Thanks for your time

Kindest regards

Dan

[dannyc3]

Nobody able to help me with this?

[Dr Pav Khaira]

You could try to contact a local teaching hospital directly, oftentimes they ask for a referral from a dentist

I hope this helps

[dannyc3]

Ok, thank you. I have contacted the closest teaching hospital to me and they do indeed require a referal from a dentist. So today for the first time in 14 years i have registered and arranged an appointment at the dentist around the corner.

Having spoke to the lady on the phone they have experience with people like me so that is a little relief, although i am absolutlay @::?>? myself and even though i made it over the first hurdle i know the worst is yet to come.

What makes it worse is i have also read articles today about nhs dentists refusing to treat patients who require extensive work, now all i can think about is finally making it into the chair only to be told i need too much work done and they won't do anything for me. Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks again for your time

Regards

Dan

[prosman]

good luck, i'am sure you will be fine. if you are requesting a referral to a teaching on the basis of what you have said here, then most dentists will be understanding

[dannyc3]

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

[prosman]

your welcome, keep us in the loop as your treatment progresses

[Fitzy]

You are not alone in being nervous or anxious about having dental treatment. Maybe enquire to your dentist if they provide any kind of sedation??
We have many very nervous patients walk through our door, but with the oral sedation (or the happy juice as some of our patients have named it) they seem to be a lot more calm about having treatment, and more relaxed in a dental environment.

It's worth a try!!
Hope all goes well at your visit to the dentist. Keep us up to date. Would be great to hear how well you are getting on