The following
information was re-produced, with permission, from a post on
the discussion group.
Many
thanks to Tammie for sharing this information.
How
I finally achieved dental success
Since I have just finished my treatment,
I would like to share some of the things that helped me through.
My hope is to help someone who is still searching for the courage
to take that first step which is exactly where I was less than
5 months ago.
These are my suggestions based
on my own experiences.
1. The most important thing to
do is to find a good dentist. Make sure that they are someone
you can trust, and that they are caring and understanding. Think
of your first appointment with them as an interview and you
are the boss. If you don't like them, search for a new one.
Remember, it's your mouth, your money, and your choice. There
are a great many caring dentist out there. Finding my dentist
over the Internet was a stroke of luck since his ad in the yellow
pages is so small that I would have missed it.
2. Ask questions. I always asked
questions, that way there were no surprises. Knowing what was
going on allowed me to feel in control (this might not work
for everybody, but was effective for me).
3. Develop a positive attitude
about your treatment. I cannot stress that enough, having a
positive attitude really does help you to deal with your fears.
Even if you don’t feel positive at first, just keep telling
yourself that you are strong and that you can do it and the
feelings will follow. The power of suggestion is stronger than
you think.
4. Communicate with your dentist.
Always tell them what is going on, what you’re afraid of, how
they can help you feel more comfortable. They are human, and
not mind readers. They need you to tell them how they can help
you.
5. Have a support system. Sometimes
it’s difficult for phobics to share these problems with others.
We often feel alone and embarrassed about our problem, but if
you seek out support you will find it. I shared my dilemma with
the great people at Beyond Fear, and have received tremendous
support and made many friends through my contacts here.
6. Always focus on the outcome.
One thing that helped me at times was thinking of how great
I would feel when the treatment was over.
7. Find out what your options are.
Dentist have many ways to ease discomfort, such as valium, nitrous
oxide, relaxation techniques, systematic desensitization, IV
sedation, and general anesthesia. Talk to your dentist and choose
the method or combination of methods that works best for you.
Remember, you CAN do this!! I never
would have thought that it was possible for me to handle all
of the stuff that I did, but I did it! I think if I can do it,
anyone can. There is nothing unique about my story, many people
that I know that have approached the situation in a similar
way have also come through their treatment successfully.
A special thanks to Andy for creating
this site and all of the friends that I have made here. This
site truly is a family :). Take care and lots of love.
