I went to the dentist the other day and had a very scary experience. You have to understand that I go to the dentist’s office regularly. Until two days ago, I’ve never had a negative experience. I was sitting in the chair. Out of the blue, I felt extraordinarily sad. I even started crying. It was quite embarassing. My awesome dentist was very understanding. He gave me space and let me get myself under control. As soon as he started back with my exam, my heart rate jumped up to 138. My dentist immediatly stopped the exam and had me lie down on a couch in his office while they called my husband. It took over two hours for my heart rate to go back down. I have no idea what happened, but I’m a little nervous to get back in “the chair” because of it.
Diane B. – Iowa
Diane,
It sounds to me like you’ve experienced a panic attack. We don’t know a lot about them. They can be triggered by any number of things–even smells. First, I would speak to your medical doctor and let him or her know what is going on. There are things that should be checked to make sure there is not a physiological cause. However, that doesn’t help you with your dental appointments.
Until you’re comfortable in the dental chair again, I suggest you try sedation dentistry. It will allow you to go through your appointment/procedure completely relaxed. There are several levels of sedation, so I suggest you speak with your dentist about which option is the best fit for you. By the way, don’t feel bad. There are patients who have such a deep fear of the dentist they can’t even step in teh doors with out hyperventilating. I’m glad you’ve got a dentist who was understanding and recognized when you needed help.
This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentists Drs. Rothwell and Lenick.
