# Are You a Chicken at the Dentist?



## fureverywhere (Oct 31, 2016)

Rats, I need to find a new dentist. The old one stopped using nitrous oxide...something I NEED even just for cleanings. It's weird though, any number of tattoos and I've been in labor five times and survived. Dental x rays and I just might need Ativan. I guess it's from when I was a kid and there was the dentist from heck...

I should have found one sooner. One tooth just broke and it's visible. Two in the back with cracked fillings. Eating just about anything is a major challenge. I was telling my daughter about a time when my parents had their bags packed for a trip to Europe. The night before my Mom got attacked by a tooth abscess. I hope they got a refund at least.


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## Carla (Oct 31, 2016)

I remember when dentists only used Novocain to pull teeth. Fillings took forever, the drill was really slow and painful. Today, it's not even near that level. I hope you can find a new dentist to take care of those issues for you. Go before things get worse!


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## fureverywhere (Oct 31, 2016)

Yeah I mean half of it is in your head. But for me nitrous takes my head to Tellie Tubbie Land. What they're doing in my mouth doesn't even register and that's a good thing. The old dentist had his office renovated. But got rid of the gas...Communist


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## BlondieBoomer (Oct 31, 2016)

I'm with you, fureverywhere, I need the dentist to meet me at the door with nitrous oxide. It's my first question when looking for a new dentist, do they have nitrous oxide? Having teeth filled should be fun and relaxing! Gimme the gas!


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## fureverywhere (Oct 31, 2016)

For real, slap the mask on as we walk in and they can do whatever they like

Seriously too, I do not want to see what is going on in there. I don't want to see x rays. I already know my teeth are shot to $#%&. Just make them look good enough not to scare people...pleeeeze.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Oct 31, 2016)

I think I would rather have my leg amputated than go to a dentist. I haven't been to a dentist in 10 years. I brush twice a day sometimes three times. Use mouthwash and that's it. The few fillings I have are hanging in there. I have had about four pulled. Should one start to give me trouble I will have that pulled as well as long as it isn't in the front and certainly with gas. My Grandpa had no bottom teeth and yet was able to eat nuts. He would scrape them on his bottom gums which were as hard as nails. I wouldn't try that in public but in my own home,what was good enough for Grandpa is good enough for me.


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## fureverywhere (Oct 31, 2016)

For real, my grandfather almost lived on sweets. At 94 they told my parents he has his natural teeth, we could do some minor fix up's but why bother? He had the strong tooth side...I feel helpless.


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## jujube (Oct 31, 2016)

The last time I got Novacaine for a filling, they either injected too much or too far back because I couldn't swallow well.  It was really scary.  They kept me there for two hours with someone standing beside me the whole time while I drooled into a towel and moved the suction thingy around in my mouth.  There was discussion going out in the hall as whether to call the paramedics or not.  

I'm not looking forward to doing that again.


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## fureverywhere (Oct 31, 2016)

I got that too. They called my hubby. She's breaking down ya'll... Just numb my mouth and my head...


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## Carla (Oct 31, 2016)

jujube said:


> The last time I got Novacaine for a filling, they either injected too much or too far back because I couldn't swallow well.  It was really scary.  They kept me there for two hours with someone standing beside me the whole time while I drooled into a towel and moved the suction thingy around in my mouth.  There was discussion going out in the hall as whether to call the paramedics or not.
> 
> I'm not looking forward to doing that again.



I'd be concerned if your throat swelled up. That may be a reaction to the Novocaine, did they have anything more to say on that?


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## Ameriscot (Nov 1, 2016)

jujube said:


> The last time I got Novacaine for a filling, they either injected too much or too far back because I couldn't swallow well.  It was really scary.  They kept me there for two hours with someone standing beside me the whole time while I drooled into a towel and moved the suction thingy around in my mouth.  There was discussion going out in the hall as whether to call the paramedics or not.
> 
> I'm not looking forward to doing that again.



How scary, Jujube!


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## Ameriscot (Nov 1, 2016)

I had all my crowns done in the 90's, so have not needed anything other than a small filling done here in the UK.  It's a good thing too as they will not use nitrous oxide in a dentist's office here.  They must have an anethetist as well as the dentist.  They used to use it but some people died when it was adminstered improperly years ago.  In the US I'd get the gas and novacaine - and the gas first. I almost looked forward to going to the dentist then!  LOL.

Painless paying here.  I lucked out and got an NHS dentist instead of private so a thorough cleaning and scraping and checkup costs £10.50.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 1, 2016)

Not any more... now that my dentist can take my teeth in the other room to work on them.. lol!


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 1, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> Not any more... now that my dentist can take my teeth in the other room to work on them.. lol!



[h=2]Are You a Chicken at the Dentist?[/h]
Not anymore, if I can't make the appointment, my wife takes my teeth!!


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## jujube (Nov 1, 2016)

Carla said:


> I'd be concerned if your throat swelled up. That may be a reaction to the Novocaine, did they have anything more to say on that?



No, I could breathe all right, just couldn't swallow.


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## fureverywhere (Nov 1, 2016)

No, I could breathe all right, just couldn't swallow.                                       

Around here the lawyers would magically appear


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 1, 2016)

I hate going to the dentist, but I go once a year for cleaning and checkup.  Since I was a kid I had a lot of fillings, etc., and my mother never had a lot of sweets in the house, and didn't let us drink soda or anything.  Now that I'm in my 60, my gums are receding a little and I have to be careful, I don't ever want to lose my teeth and use dentures.  I brush twice a day, more often if I eat something really sweet and gooey that sticks to my teeth.  Also floss often, more than I ever did in my life, and use a proxa brush often too....but not daily.  Use Listerine now and then, should use it every day but don't.

I'm not chicken when I'm there, never insist on nitrous oxide, just the usual numbing shot in the gum.


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## Butterfly (Nov 1, 2016)

Around here, almost nobody uses nitrous anymore. Not sure why.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 1, 2016)

SeaBreeze said:


> I hate going to the dentist, but I go once a year for cleaning and checkup.  Since I was a kid I had a lot of fillings, etc., and my mother never had a lot of sweets in the house, and didn't let us drink soda or anything.  Now that I'm in my 60, my gums are receding a little and I have to be careful, I don't ever want to lose my teeth and use dentures.  I brush twice a day, more often if I eat something really sweet and gooey that sticks to my teeth.  Also floss often, more than I ever did in my life, and use a proxa brush often too....but not daily.  Use Listerine now and then, should use it every day but don't.
> 
> I'm not chicken when I'm there, never insist on nitrous oxide, just the usual numbing shot in the gum.



When my old fillings started crumbling in my 40's I got worred about have to get dentures.  I started to take better care of my teeth and got crowns since all my molars were mostly fillings and of course they start to get porous later in life.  I only have one filling left in my mouth, all my molars are crowned. 

I floss faithfully but also use interdental brushes of various sizes.  They are really good for taking care of your gums.  I get a cleaning and check up every 6 months.  I do have receding gums and also sensitive teeth so always use a sensitive toothpaste.


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## fureverywhere (Nov 1, 2016)

I think it costs them extra, probably liability insurance or something. A pity because if you enjoy it they could remove your head and you'd still be grinning like an idiot...


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## Ameriscot (Nov 1, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> I think it costs them extra, probably liability insurance or something. A pity because if you enjoy it they could remove your head and you'd still be grinning like an idiot...



Guessing you mean nitrous?  I loved that stuff.  Even when something hurt, you didn't care!


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## fureverywhere (Nov 1, 2016)




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## bluebreezes (Nov 1, 2016)

I don't mind the dentist at all, and the technology has really changed. I've never found a dentist who offers nitrous though and I'd love to try it. The latest cool thing my dentist did was create a partial tooth overlay right in the office. I got to watch it being made. I can't precisely describe it or know what the machine is called, but using a digital tool he traced the shape needed in my mouth, and then it was "carved" using a water tool machine. It was ready in about an hour, so had everything done in a single visit.


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## fureverywhere (Nov 1, 2016)

This boy will get a great Yelp review. The accent was Russian? Polish? Czech? But he heard about my anxiety issues and Valium plus gas...six teeth pulled but I was in my happy place. Temporary bridge too, I wanted to get up and hug him...


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## Capt Lightning (Nov 2, 2016)

When I was a lad, going to the dentist was really scary and painful.  Now, I don't find it a problem.  They don't use gas any more here and my dentist's X-ray machines are really quite something.  You just put a small plate in your mouth and the X-ray is shown immediately on a large computer monitor.  No problem with injections - I suspect that I'm lucky to have found such a good dentist.

Virtually no NHS round here (and even less in S.England) so I've always had private dental insurance.  For a fixed fee, I get two checkups incl. any X-rays, and two hygenist visits every year.  Any other treatment  is at a reduced cost.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 2, 2016)

Capt Lightning said:


> When I was a lad, going to the dentist was really scary and painful.  Now, I don't find it a problem.  They don't use gas any more here and my dentist's X-ray machines are really quite something.  You just put a small plate in your mouth and the X-ray is shown immediately on a large computer monitor.  No problem with injections - I suspect that I'm lucky to have found such a good dentist.
> 
> Virtually no NHS round here (and even less in S.England) so I've always had private dental insurance.  For a fixed fee, I get two checkups incl. any X-rays, and two hygenist visits every year.  Any other treatment  is at a reduced cost.



I was very lucky to get into the one NHS dentist here.  I think they have 3 dentists and a hygienist.  

The one time I needed novocaine it was almost painless.  The dentist said he learned how to do it in dental school by practicing on each other.  He pushed the plunger very, very slowly.  Most dentists do it too fast which is why it hurts.


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 2, 2016)

Preparing for my dentures, I needed to have 4 molars/wisdom teeth extracted. I elected to have sedation surgery and be put under. Worked out great, the surgeon even wheeled me out to the car after I was aware enough to go home (wife drove). About 7PM the surgeon himself called my home to make sure that I was ok!!


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## QuickSilver (Nov 2, 2016)

Ken N Tx said:


> Preparing for my dentures, I needed to have 4 molars/wisdom teeth extracted. I elected to have sedation surgery and be put under. Worked out great, the surgeon even wheeled me out to the car after I was aware enough to go home (wife drove). About 7PM the surgeon himself called my home to make sure that I was ok!!View attachment 33215




I had 11 teeth removed on the bottom, including two wisdom teeth, all in one sitting... AND with Novocain only..  Wide awake and numb as a post,

THEN..  at another sitting 8 top teeth along with bone remodeling... in one sitting Novocain only..  no sedation.

Ya'll are wooses...


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 2, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> I had 11 teeth removed on the bottom, including two wisdom teeth, all in one sitting... AND with Novocain only..  Wide awake and numb as a post,
> 
> THEN..  at another sitting 8 top teeth along with bone remodeling... in one sitting Novocain only..  no sedation.
> 
> Ya'll are wooses...



Yes, I had all the remaining teeth and remodeling done with novocain..


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## QuickSilver (Nov 2, 2016)

Ken N Tx said:


> Yes, I had all the remaining teeth and remodeling done with novocain..



It's really not bad..  You can feel the pressure of a tooth being pulled, and you can hear the crunching of it leaving the jaw bone, and I guess that's gross, but not painful.  The bonus is not being loony as a toon when you leave the office..


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## HazyDavey (Nov 2, 2016)

I don't mind the Dentist that much. They have these chairs now that gives you a nice massage while you're getting your teeth worked on. Kind of feel like I should leave them a tip when it's done.. :tranquillity:


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## Bobw235 (Nov 2, 2016)

I'm typically fine with the dentist, having had LOTS of practice with them growing up in the age before fluoride in the water. Lots of cavities as a kid.

The only time I had a problem was 36 years ago. I needed a root canal. I'd had them before and with nitrous oxide it was no big deal. This time it was a huge deal. The molar had three of the four roots infected. The guy who worked on my could not get me numb before drilling directly into the nerve! He could tell from my screams that something was amiss. Finally he injected me into the hole he had just drilled. Two painful/anxiety filled hours later, I drove home knowing that there were still 3 more visits ahead of me. My wife greeted me at our tiny apartment with the news that she was pregnant (we'd been trying for a baby)! I was so numb that I couldn't even smile, let alone express my joy, which came out as a kind garbled "that's great".

Memories.


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## BlunderWoman (Nov 2, 2016)

I have a very low tolerance for pain. I have an excellent pain free dentist. He's darn good, HOWEVER he did dismiss me saying that I could not breathe. He was saying "  See , you can breathe." I'm like "  No, dude when I can't breathe and am drowning in water don't tell me that I can breathe. I know when I can and can't breathe." So we had a strong difference of opinion on that .


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## Grumpy Ol' Man (Nov 2, 2016)

I've survived numerous broken bones, a total knee replacement, passing 8 kidney stones, carpal tunnel surgery, and who knows what else.  When the doctor told me to stay on a walker for a few weeks after the total knee replacement, I mowed our lawn with a push mower 2 weeks after surgery.  Doc said to not play golf for 30 days after carpal tunnel surgery.  The first one I began playing 7 days out and ripped the sutures out.  The second hand I waited 8 days and ripped those out.  The nurses were pretty upset when they had to repair both due to my not following instructions.  That said... I HATE DENTISTS!

I've had all my upper teeth removed for dentures.  Pull 'em!  I would rather have them pulled than work on them.  This past Spring I had to have a root canal and a crown.  Told the dentist to just pull the danged tooth.  She wouldn't do it.  Shoulda gone to another dentist.  Root canal and crown and the durn thing still hurts!!!  Did I say, I HATE DENTISTS!

When I went in for this last root canal, I was ready to back out.  The wife said she would go with me to give me "moral support".  I agreed.  She called the dentist office and they said it would be no problem for her to accompany me while the work was being done.  We got there and they wouldn't let her stay with me.  I do believe the piece of my mind I gave them will still haunt their days!!!  Did I ever tell you... I HATE DENTISTS!

Total knee replacement, they gave me two different pain pills.  Told me to take as needed.  I took none!  Teeth pulled, they gave me pain pills.  I took none!  The ONLY time I have needed any pain medication... other than Tylenol... was for kidney stones.  I can tolerate quite a bit of pain... except for getting teeth filled/drilled!!!

Why did I ever click on this thread???!!!!????


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## fureverywhere (Nov 3, 2016)

No really Grump, you're in the right place. That we can survive broken bones and the full body boa constrictor that commands labor...but clean my teeth? NOOOOOOOO HELP MEEEEE!


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## mrstime (Nov 11, 2016)

> I've had all my upper teeth removed for dentures.  Pull 'em!  I would  rather have them pulled than work on them.  This past Spring I had to  have a root canal and a crown.  Told the dentist to just pull the danged  tooth.  She wouldn't do it.  Shoulda gone to another dentist.  Root  canal and crown and the durn thing still hurts!!!  Did I say, I HATE  DENTISTS!


I did have them all pulled and I never have to see another dentist as long as I live! The trick with a dentist who doesn't want to pull the tooth is tell them you will find a dentist that will, they cave real fast rather than lose the money. I am convinced that 99.9% of dentists are sadist who enjoy your pain.


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