My sweet daughter is a bit miffed

[Misanthropical]

I took my daughter to the dentist today to get some cavities filled in, which upset her because she brushes at least twice a day. I told her that I did and do and still got all kinds of cavities.

When the dentist put in the Novocain my poor little girl jumped nearly off her seat even though the dentist did numb it. I was sitting in the room with them, so I saw everything going on.

The dentist started working on one tooth and had to stop because my daughter could still feel it. The dentist put in more Novocain. My daughter could still feel it. The dentist looks over at me. I tell the dentist that I also need a lot more Novocain than most dentist think I do, so she is probably the same way. As a child in the 70s and 80s dentist weren't known for caring about what I felt and never gave me enough Novocain. Yes, I did have a dentist phobia for awhile, why do you ask? :p Luckily, that has changed now or the dentist and I would discuss the reasons why you don't inflict pain on my child when it can be prevented.

My daughter finally got enough Novocain to keep most of the pain away. The dentist didn't want to give her too much more and have my daughter have heart palpations.

We went to get food on the way home and she was a bit upset by that, because she would have to wait to eat.

I took her shopping and that imporved her mood for the rest of the day.

[tropicsgoddess]

I've never recalled having that much Novacaine in my system, even after my root canal at 20. But I do recall that tingly numb feeling from it that lasted about a 1/2 hour to 1 hour after getting out of the dentist. Give your daughter plenty of :hug: for me. Dental work sometimes is a bitch, even if it's a simple tooth extraction.

[Greenday]

Novocaine is awesome. Works pretty well for me. Could feel a thing when I had both of the wisdom teeth taken out. Trying to eat spaghetti while still numb is hilarious. It just slips right out of your mouth.

[StanFlouride]

Trying to eat spaghetti while still numb is hilarious.

I was going to suggest something similar, I remember have a hard time with yoghurt once after a visit to the dentist. My dear wife just laughed. Rather cruelly, I recall.

[Mr Slugger]

I'm the same way. Usually takes 4 or 5 shots of Novocaine for me to stop feeling things, and it might last 20 minutes tops. Which at that point I honestly feel sick to my stomach from the Novocaine. So I stayed away from the dentist for years because of that. And to make matters worse I had to have a tooth yanks like 6 years ago and I told the dentist I could feel it. He said oh it's just pressure and right after that broke the tooth. It hurt like all friggin hell.

So no simple stuff I'll deal with the pain. But like a tooth yank I'll get knocked out for.

[Docmayhem]

My daughter finally got enough Novocain to keep most of the pain away. The dentist didn't want to give her too much more and have my daughter have heart palpations.


A lot of the anesthetics they use contain epinephrine (adrenaline) to boost the effect/ keep it in a smaller area.

If your dentist can get some without the epinephrine, s/he may be able to give a higher dose safely.

(note: I am not a dentist - this was explained to me by my dentist)

[Mikkel]

A lot of the anesthetics they use contain epinephrine (adrenaline) to boost the effect/ keep it in a smaller area.

If your dentist can get some without the epinephrine, s/he may be able to give a higher dose safely.

(note: I am not a dentist - this was explained to me by my dentist)

I was just going to say that, I always ask for the adrenaline-free anaesthetic. I usually have to go straight to work afterwards and I prefer to be able to speak to my customers without mumbling or drooling :D.
The only drawback is that it sometimes stop working before the dentist is finished.

[draggar]

The dentist started working on one tooth and had to stop because my daughter could still feel it. The dentist put in more Novocain. My daughter could still feel it. The dentist looks over at me. I tell the dentist that I also need a lot more Novocain than most dentist think I do, so she is probably the same way. As a child in the 70s and 80s dentist weren't known for caring about what I felt and never gave me enough Novocain. Yes, I did have a dentist phobia for awhile, why do you ask? :p Luckily, that has changed now or the dentist and I would discuss the reasons why you don't inflict pain on my child when it can be prevented.

My daughter finally got enough Novocain to keep most of the pain away. The dentist didn't want to give her too much more and have my daughter have heart palpations.


Have him check her (tooth) roots - I have one tooth that Novocaine barely works, if it does at all. The roots to that tooth are at a 90 degree angle (like this: - - - - | - - etc).

But I do agree - they have become a LOT more caring than they did back in the 70s and 80s. Pain management is a lot better, too.

[RavenStarr]

Mis is right. Dentists didn't care back then. A dentist pulled a tooth when I was kid. He did not use any novacaine or anything to numb it. Then when I had my wisdom teeth cut out, instead of being put to sleep, I was awake and was only given novacaine. I'll tell you it did nothing and I felt everything. So unfortunately I have an intense distrust of dentists.

[Amina516]

I feel for your daughter, Mis. Im sure shes better by now though. Some people just need lots more drugs than others....you guys wouldnt happen to be redheads would ya? :D

I have a hell of a toothache right now b/c a filling fell out and i cant get into the dentist for 2 weeks! It hurts to even talk. :/..though my kids are enjoying that for a change. lol

[BookstoreEscapee]

Mis is right. Dentists didn't care back then. A dentist pulled a tooth when I was kid. He did not use any novacaine or anything to numb it. Then when I had my wisdom teeth cut out, instead of being put to sleep, I was awake and was only given novacaine. I'll tell you it did nothing and I felt everything. So unfortunately I have an intense distrust of dentists.

You would have to strap me to the chair to take out my teeth without knocking me out first. I've had several teeth pulled - 6 baby teeth, all four first premolars (adult), and my wisdom teeth. (I only have 24 teeth cuz my jaw is too small.) I was out cold every time.

I have a filling that needs to be replaced with a crown...I've been putting it off but I'm gonna have to get it done soon. :(

[Green_Fairy]

when i was younger, my dentist had to give me laughing gad cuz i'd freak out every time a needle came anywhere near my mouth. lol the only reason i don't have my tongue pierced, too.

I have a hell of a toothache right now b/c a filling fell out and i cant get into the dentist for 2 weeks! It hurts to even talk. :/..though my kids are enjoying that for a change. lol

there's something called refilit filling material that you can use to temporarily fix your filling. there's also stuffed called dentek...or maybe try some orajel?

[Aethian]

Just cause no one else has brought it up... I started a new system I found about 6 months ago. A hole that had been starting is filled up (Dentist said my teeth looked wonderful. And I have found that any cold sensitivity I once had is completely gone.

Anyone want info?

[Amina516]

there's something called refilit filling material that you can use to temporarily fix your filling. there's also stuffed called dentek...or maybe try some orajel?

I am 26 years old....but my mommy just bought me a dental repair kit with the clove oil stuff and the stuff to refill temporarily. I love her. lol. :love:

[Gravekeeper]

Heh, my dentist was the opposite when I was younger. He was this sweet little old Chinese guy that was always petrified he was causing people any sort of pain. So he would just farkin' load you up with Novocaine right from the get go. You're be utterly numb for hours, but you never felt a damn thing, I'll give him that.

He could have been soldering in there for all I knew.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I usually don't have a problem with the novacaine, but one time it didn't work quite as well as usual. When he started drilling I could feel it a bit too much and I freaked out a bit. He had to give me another shot; I was OK pain-wise after that but my anxiety level was jacked up so the slightest vibration was bothering me still, and at one point I was in tears...I was 18. Luckily, my mom was with me for some reason, cuz she had to drive home.

[ta2ooed1]

I feel for your daughter, Mis. Im sure shes better by now though. Some people just need lots more drugs than others....you guys wouldnt happen to be redheads would ya? :D




Ok you've piqued my interest! I'm a red head and can't think of a time i didn't have tears running down my cheeks during dental work!

Are red heads more sensitive to dental pain? Can't be all pain cause the tatoos were nothing compared to having a cavity drilled out!

[Amina516]

Ok you've piqued my interest! I'm a red head and can't think of a time i didn't have tears running down my cheeks during dental work!

Are red heads more sensitive to dental pain? Can't be all pain cause the tatoos were nothing compared to having a cavity drilled out!

Dont know why, but Ive been told by several surgeons and anesthesiologists on different occasions, that red heads generally require more anesthetic (local anestheic and general kinds for more major surgery) to keep them comfortable. Itd be interesting to do a study on that!

Weird huh? :D

[BookstoreEscapee]

Dont know why, but Ive been told by several surgeons and anesthesiologists on different occasions, that red heads generally require more anesthetic (local anestheic and general kinds for more major surgery) to keep them comfortable. Itd be interesting to do a study on that!

It's been done:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/487261
http://health.howstuffworks.com/redhead-anesthesia.htm
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/the-pain-of-being-a-redhead/
and lots, lots more (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=redheads+and+anesthesia&aq=0&oq=redheads+and+a&aqi=g2)!
:cool:

[Amina516]

It's been done:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/487261
http://health.howstuffworks.com/redhead-anesthesia.htm
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/the-pain-of-being-a-redhead/
and lots, lots more (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=redheads+and+anesthesia&aq=0&oq=redheads+and+a&aqi=g2)!
:cool:

Haha. Shows how much i know. :D Thanks for the links. I was too lazy to google it myself. :p

[Misanthropical]

You guys are so silly! That's why I love you all. Anyway, my little guy is a pure red head and he gets the laughing gas because of his fear of dentist. He had a couple bad ones that I had to go all "mama bear" on, so he didn't trust the dentist at first. He is sensitive to pain.

I had one tell me he was a brat in need of discipline, simply because my little guy was scared (he was only 6 at the time). My son being scared is not the same as being a brat. My little guy felt so bad that he wanted to try again. The dentist told me "I will not work on your brat" and walked off. Anyone who can guess what happened next gets a cookie!

Our childrens' new dentist is great. She only works on children, but will still be their dentist all the way through college if they want. Now, the little guy has no problem going to the dentist. I told her I wish I found her sooner.

My daughter is a blond (honors student, she is no dumb blond), who like me can tolerate a high level of pain, unless it's in our teeth, when that happens we are huge babies about it. I don't know why. I have a mixture of blond, brown and red hair. I keep waiting for the grey ones to appear, so I can tease my children that they caused it. :p

My big guy is has brown hair and has no problem with just one shot of Novocain. He has a high tolerance for pain no matter where it is.

[RavenStarr]

Mis I'm going to say that you tore that sadistic bastard all up. If I'm right I would love to know the details. I love to hear stories about assholes getting thier asses handed to them:devil:

Your kids are lucky to have a Mom like you. You make sure your kids are not afraid of the dentist. I try my best to make my kids feel at ease. My oldest had to have a tooth pulled and he was feeling a lot of anxiety. I let the dentist know and he gladly had my son take a pill that helped to relax him.;)

[BookstoreEscapee]

Haha. Shows how much i know. :D Thanks for the links. I was too lazy to google it myself. :p

Hehe, I actually remember reading that little bit of trivia before, otherwise I might not have bothered ;)

[Amina516]

Our childrens' new dentist is great. She only works on children, but will still be their dentist all the way through college if they want. Now, the little guy has no problem going to the dentist. I told her I wish I found her sooner.



I was lucky enough to find one similar where i live. Its a kids dentistry practice :a father and son team that dress like cowboys every. single. day. The office staff wear western related scrubs.

The waiting room has NO chairs but it does have playground equipment. Also, theres a horse to ride once you get inside (mechanical, but still), and toys everywhere. Theyre awesome. My 3 yr old asks to go to the cowboy doctors even when she has issues that dont involve her teeth. Lol.

[Dreamstalker]

I had one tooth pulled with just lots of novocaine, but the roots were pretty badly damaged anyway (resorption), which is probably why I wasn't clinging to the ceiling.

[AnqeiicDemise]

Mis is right. Dentists didn't care back then. A dentist pulled a tooth when I was kid. He did not use any novacaine or anything to numb it. Then when I had my wisdom teeth cut out, instead of being put to sleep, I was awake and was only given novacaine. I'll tell you it did nothing and I felt everything. So unfortunately I have an intense distrust of dentists.

Same thing here and this was done in like.... 2002.

I now have one broken molar and some fillers have fallen out of cavities and I'm dragging my feet to go to the dentist and have it taken care of. I don't want to have to go into shock again because of the pain/anger/frustration. Not fun.

I need to find a doctor that'll put me under. :(

[Hobbs]

Misanthropical, every time I read your 'motherly' threads, I have this picture in my head of Trinity doing all these things. For some reason...she doesn't seem very motherly to me O_o

[BookstoreEscapee]

I need to find a doctor that'll put me under. :(

Look for a dentist who caters to cowards :D

Seriously, there's one around here who has a sign with a (cartoon) guy cowering in the chair...they advertise to folks who have serious anxiety about going to the dentist. I imagine they're not the only ones out there to come up with the idea.

[AdminAssistant]

I remember when my dentist suggested I get my wisdom teeth pulled, and he was considering who to send me to. (He wasn't able to do it.) He said, "Hm, the two guys in *nearby town*....one is terrible, and the other is going through a divorce...I'd rather not have him banging around on your teeth. But there's a great guy in Memphis!" :lol:

So, we drove the 90 minutes to Memphis. First and only time I've had laughing gas, before the doc put the IV in. Made me so damn goofy I couldn't make a fist so the nurse could find a vein...she wound up putting the IV in my hand. But it was completely painless...I just slept all of that day. Didn't have a whole lot of swelling or anything.

The dentist I go to now is 45 minutes away and a bit expensive, but totally worth it. He's such a nice guy and all of his hygenists are amazing. And...small world...turns out he knows my BIL's family. From Arkansas. That was odd.

[dalesys]

The best guarantee of painless dentistry I've heard is is to grab and hold the dentist's family jewels... any pain will be shared!:devil:

[Misanthropical]

dalesys I have told my husband that I have been tempted to do so on more than one occasion.

RavenStarr I told him that the only brat I see was him. When he turned to face me I told him he was a bastard who needed a new line of work or just refuse to work on children, since he had zero personality skills to relate to them and I hoped to Almighty God he didn't have any children of his own. I told him if he said anything to my son to that upset him that he (the dentist) better hope to his god (I didn't ask his religious faith) I didn't find out, because I would be back and I would not be as nice.

He ran off. Yes, a grown man ran from me. *Sigh* not the first time.

When the dental assistant came out I told her I wanted to speak the dentist's boss right now and I would wait all day if necessary to speak to that person.

The boss came out 20 minutes later, heard me out and told me she would be speaking to him and telling him his behavior was unacceptable and that he is never to speak to a child and/or the parent that way again. I told her she should probably watch how he interacts with children also, because I have a feeling he is very intimidating to them. She assured me she would.

I think for the most part I'm a very nice person, but if a person messes with one of my children or my husband I get real mean real fast. Yes, I do get overly protective of all of them. :p

[RavenStarr]

He ran off. Yes, a grown man ran from me. *Sigh* not the first time.

Well Mis, you know it's always typical for a bully to run off with their tail tucked between their legs

The boss came out 20 minutes later, heard me out and told me she would be speaking to him and telling him his behavior was unacceptable and that he is never to speak to a child and/or the parent that way again. I told her she should probably watch how he interacts with children also, because I have a feeling he is very intimidating to them. She assured me she would.

IMHO, He is nothing but a bully who should be fired. I'm saying this because of having to deal with a mean dentist growing up. Unfortunately my mother never did anything about it it.:cry: She just thought I was being difficult.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

He could have been soldering in there for all I knew.

Judging from the amount of smoke that comes out of my mouth when I go to have any work done, he was probably manufacturing steel.:eek:

I have very sensitive teeth and gums myself. Last time I went for a cleaning, I had to have 9 shots of Novacaine before I couldnt' feel anything before they even touched my teeth. One of the reasons (outside of cost and insurance coverage) that I don't go unless I absolutely have to.

And I'm dreading it this coming year . . . sadly, I've had to put off getting these teeth worked on for so long that now it's getting to the point where the same teeth that had cavities filled years ago are starting to deteriorate. IMO it seems the best way to address this is to simply have ALL my teeth extracted and a complete set of upper and lower plates made. I have no enamel left on my teeth (it mostly wore away by the time I was in my teens . . . ) and frankly I can't see spending money I don't have on fillings/crowns that will only have to be redone again several years down the road.:no:

[technical.angel]

I just had four teeth pulled. :cry:

It's been a week and a day, and I STILL HURT.

They put me out for it, and when I woke up, I didn't even remember going to sleep. It took about 5 minutes for the first of the Novocaine to wear off so I could feel the gauze in my mouth to realize they had actually done the work!

[BlaqueKatt]

try having what is refered to as "antelope roots"-which basicly means my upper roots for my teeth are very close to if not in my sinus cavity, and the lower ones go through my jawbone-you can feel from the outside where I've had teeth extracted on my lower jaw(and the roots of the still there teeth)-and sadly to get them out they usually have to fracture my jawbone-so only one extraction allowed every 8 weeks-however my dentist is good enough that he has done fillings without novacaine, and I didn't feel it.