Growing up, I experienced one of the worst, and yet probably most common experiences for a teenager.
I had braces.
Not only did I have braces, but since that was well before the time of Invisalign, I had the full metal braces (kept in place by colorful rubber bands, because I was that kind of cool) and even got lucky enough to have to have rubber bands that would criss-cross within my mouth to bring my jaw (or something) into better alignment. I spent almost 3 years in those bad boys, with regular visits to my orthodontist and my dentist.
And the staff were great. I loved going to the dentist and orthodontist. I wasn't always a fan of the fluoride treatments or getting my braces tightened, but I loved the people at both offices. It was always such a positive experience.
So, it really doesn't make a lot of sense that as an adult, I've become terrified of going to the dentist. I realize this isn't an uncommon fear (or discomfort) or many people, but there's usually a childhood story behind someone's dislike of dental work that makes that discomfort understandable. I don't have a horribly scary childhood dental story.
Admittedly, when I first started avoiding the dentist (in college), it was financial. I was no longer covered on my parents' insurance and I couldn't afford to pay for it myself. And despite the less than stellar return visit with the dentist when I was able to go (yup, my first cavity), the visit wasn't unpleasant. It was uncomfortable, but I had lived through much worse. (Read above: metal braces with rubber bands.)
As I got older, though, I noticed the discomfort increased. It wasn't pain within my teeth so much as it was jaw pain. And the visits were continually less than stellar. I kept getting cavities. As a nighttime teeth grinder, I knew I was damaging my teeth. And despite my attempts to keep my mouth hygiene top notch, it was becoming more and more painful to brush my teeth (for both my mouth, but also my hands). Flossing regularly was a near impossibility.
After a few years of avoiding the dentist, I found one that I really liked. Her technique was gentle, and I had a great hygienist. They tried to work with me to figure out how to solve some of the issues I was having in order to preserve my teeth. To my knowledge, neither of them had personal experience of the pain challenges I was dealing with, but they were genuine in trying to help.
And then the great hygienist left. When there are few major issues, the hygienist tends to be the one you spend the most time with at the dentist's office, so I was bummed. The next one I saw was a bit rougher with me, not really adjusting her style when I commented on it. But what made me not want to return to see her again was her judgmental attitude about my difficulty flossing at home.
Even though I have Joint Hypermobility and can bend my arms, hands, and fingers in all sorts of ways, I don't always have the strength or ability to grasp and hold items. And sometimes, it just hurts way too much. This can make things like writing with a pen--or flossing--particularly difficult. It's not a constant, but it's regular enough to cause major problems for me.
The hygienist was also fairly judgmental about my jaw and mouth pain. ("You wouldn't have this pain if you flossed regularly." "You can't really be in that much pain.")
So I stopped going. And that judgement and fear of pain kept me from seeking out a dentist for about 3 years.
But during that time, I learned that I was not uncommon. Apparently, Fibromites can frequently have jaw and tooth problems, including increased pain. (We also have a tendency to grind our teeth.) And with our increased sensitivity to pain, simple procedures at the dentist can be quite painful.
The problem wasn't me.
This led me to seek out a dentist who specializes in sedation dentistry, and I found a great one here in town. (Though, I discovered yesterday that I apparently can't tolerate the combination of drugs that they use for sedation, but that's another story for a different blog.) The best part of this office isn't the sedation, though.
It's the people.
It's the non-judgmental attitude of warmth and welcome when you walk in the door. It's the fact that I was able to share my concerns and worries and they were listened to and addressed rather than brushed off. And I'm pretty sure they want to work with me to help me through my challenges rather than brush them off.
The fact is that keeping good dental hygiene is essential to everyone. The infections and health problems that can happen can be horrendous and life threatening. I'm glad I took the time to find someone I feel comfortable with. While I won't say that going to the dentist is on my "favorite things to do" list, it's not on my "things I fear greatly" list.
My unsolicited dental advice for you? Take the time to find an office you're comfortable with. It's worth your health to do so.
No comments:
Post a Comment