Osbourne Street Dentist

Some time next week I'll be going to the NHS dentist on Osbourne Street in order to have one of my Molars removed. Currently, I'm taking antibiotics to clear an infection in the  (to put it mildly) very damaged and broken tooth. I could have had it out then, but the dentist said that the infection could have prevented the Local Anesthetic from working, so I thought "F*ck that" and chickened out with some magical fix-it pills before I go again later.

I know full well I'll be terrified when I go in next week to have it pulled, and I'm sure it'll either make me chicken out of it, or prevent the dentist from doing his/her job properly. So I'm wondering whether the Osbourne Street dentist offers any dental sedation techniques, such as IV sedation or Nitrous Oxide, to ensure that I'll calm and not anxious when the tooth is being pulled.

Any help is appreciated in an incalculably huge manner.

Some years back I paid a visit to a dentist for the first time in 20 years due to a very painful infection. The list of work needed to rectify 20 years of chickening out must have settled the dentists' mortgage there and then. There were numerous fillings required as well as three root canals on my molars. Like you I wasn't keen on dental work - hence two decades of not going - and was really scared.

Antibiotics had cured the infection and I could have easily not gone but, to forgive the pun, I bit the bullet and went. The work, done over several weeks, was excellent and I can honestly say I didn't feel a thing. I'm so glad I had it done (except when it came to writing out the cheque) and sometimes the bravest thing is just go in and get it over with. It is perhaps 30 minutes of your life, that is all. Think of it like that; go in at 11, come out all relaxed and worry-free by 11.30. Daft as it sounds, the rest of your life is then yours.

What I am trying to say is that compared to somethings we may have to face a short visit to the dentist is nothing. I know it is easier said than done but believe me, as someone who has been where you are, it is true. Get it done, get it over with. A visit to the dentists is never as bad as you think it will be.

Quoted from kingofthekippers

Some years back I paid a visit to a dentist for the first time in 20 years due to a very painful infection. The list of work needed to rectify 20 years of chickening out must have settled the dentists' mortgage there and then. There were numerous fillings required as well as three root canals on my molars. Like you I wasn't keen on dental work - hence two decades of not going - and was really scared.

Antibiotics had cured the infection and I could have easily not gone but, to forgive the pun, I bit the bullet and went. The work, done over several weeks, was excellent and I can honestly say I didn't feel a thing. I'm so glad I had it done (except when it came to writing out the cheque) and sometimes the bravest thing is just go in and get it over with. It is perhaps 30 minutes of your life, that is all. Think of it like that; go in at 11, come out all relaxed and worry-free by 11.30. Daft as it sounds, the rest of your life is then yours.

What I am trying to say is that compared to somethings we may have to face a short visit to the dentist is nothing. I know it is easier said than done but believe me, as someone who has been where you are, it is true. Get it done, get it over with. A visit to the dentists is never as bad as you think it will be.

I'm the sort of person that faints to the floor in moments of high anxiety. I have done in the past over things that wouldn't even make other people slightly pale.

I get treatment on the NHS, which is why I'm wondering whether they offer any sort of sedative. I know that it isn't as bad as what some think, but I can't convince the not so logical part of my brain that such a thing is true, and I can't see that happening in the week I have until the tooth will probably be taken out.

Have you contacted your GP? Or even asked to speak to the dentist themselves? I'm sure you are not the first to present this problem and there must be ways around it.

I know dentists can still administer a general anesthetic but this will require a visit to the dental surgery at the hospital as I believe this requires an anesthetist.

Quoted from kingofthekippers

Have you contacted your GP? Or even asked to speak to the dentist themselves? I'm sure you are not the first to present this problem and there must be ways around it.

I know dentists can still administer a general anesthetic but this will require a visit to the dental surgery at the hospital as I believe this requires an anesthetist.

I'm sure that GA won't be necessary. I've even considered trying to get some anti-anxiety pills to take before I go in, in case the NHS dentist doesn't offer any sort of sedation in my case.

I think many NHS dentists don't offer General Anesthetic anymore due to the equipment required and the cost involved.

Having previously not been for a check up for about 20 years, I had Wisdom! tooth out a few year ago, the cavity was that bad their was no tooth showing above the gums, I was bricking it.  The dentist gave me 6 injections around the tooth, by the time the first had gone in I didn't feel the other injections at all.  The dentist got the tooth out easy peasy, took literally seconds, how the hell they did it I don't know, but I didn't feel a thing, I had a molar out 2 days later, and wasn't bothered/worried at all after my first experience.

I thought all Wisdom teeth were taken out at the hospital, just goes to show.

I used to be with a private dentist for about 6 years, but the costs are too expensive, I'm with Osbourne Street dentist now as well.

Nothing to worry about, will be no problem, no pain etc. At least it's not the school dentist, used to hate having gas as a kid...

I had problems with one of my wisdom teeth six or seven years ago and I too put off the visit to the dentist until one morning I woke up with a pain so bad I thought, "right balls to this I'm getting this thing out..... today". I rang around a few NHS dentists and they said it'd be at least a week before they could see me so I dug out the Yellow Pages and found a local private 'dentist' who told me that he could see me within the hour. So, I walked to his practice, he sat me in the chair, jabbed a needle in my gum (which didn't hurt) then went about my wisdom tooth with what looked like a pair of snipe nosed pliers. Five minutes in I felt a grinding and the dentist had half of the tooth in his pliers. He asked me if I felt that which I replied "Fffffffffugggging yeeeaaaahhhhh!" so he stuck another needle in my gum and had a go at the other half. The dentist had his knee on my chest at one point, which I suppose offered him more purchase in trying to remove the tooth.......... Five minutes later it was out.

I suppose you don't need to be reading this if you're reluctant about going to see the dentist but I can honestly say that I would go through that again if I had to because the pain I was suffering before I had the tooth out was unbearable. My wife had a similar problem with a wisdom tooth earlier this year but she did it properly and saw a trusted NHS dentist. She was a little groggy (almost like she was drunk) when I took her home but she said that she didn't feel a thing and was just relieved that the pain had gone.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Thanks all

Quoted from tonyfordsmicrofro

I had problems with one of my wisdom teeth six or seven years ago and I too put off the visit to the dentist until one morning I woke up with a pain so bad I thought, "right balls to this I'm getting this thing out..... today". I rang around a few NHS dentists and they said it'd be at least a week before they could see me so I dug out the Yellow Pages and found a local private 'dentist' who told me that he could see me within the hour. So, I walked to his practice, he sat me in the chair, jabbed a needle in my gum (which didn't hurt) then went about my wisdom tooth with what looked like a pair of snipe nosed pliers. Five minutes in I felt a grinding and the dentist had half of the tooth in his pliers. He asked me if I felt that which I replied "Fffffffffugggging yeeeaaaahhhhh!" so he stuck another needle in my gum and had a go at the other half. The dentist had his knee on my chest at one point, which I suppose offered him more purchase in trying to remove the tooth.......... Five minutes later it was out.

I suppose you don't need to be reading this if you're reluctant about going to see the dentist but I can honestly say that I would go through that again if I had to because the pain I was suffering before I had the tooth out was unbearable. My wife had a similar problem with a wisdom tooth earlier this year but she did it properly and saw a trusted NHS dentist. She was a little groggy (almost like she was drunk) when I took her home but she said that she didn't feel a thing and was just relieved that the pain had gone.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

The emergency dentist system round here is dire, it takes ages to even get an appointment. Compare it to Sheffield where I rang up the emergency helpline at 2am on a Sunday morning and was in the dentists chair by 8am. Paid to go private once at a place in Grimsby, he told me I needed 6 fillings (I hadn't had one for years before, going every 6 months, and none since other than to replace the excrement job he did) at £80 a filling, got thoroughly ripped off by the girl private. Dentists since have told me he did a poor job and the 'white' fillings I paid £20 each extra for weren't even white! Over £400 down for nothing...