Feeling a little down in the mouth

I had a dentist appointment on Tuesday and it was the worst trip to the dentist I have ever had! Where to start?

We have been going to this office not too far from our house for about 2 1/2 years now. I love the hygienist there. (most through gentle cleanings on the face of the planet!) And I really liked the dentist, too. Dr. Clark Dana. He even did a filling last year and it wasn't too terrible of an experience. I mean I wouldn't want to go get one everyday but it could've been worse.

Like the one I had on Tuesday.

So February we go in for our cleanings only to find that there is a new dentist in town. One which I didn't even meet the day of my cleaning because I was the last appointment of the day and the dentist decided to go home early.

Thus I was a tad bit nervous about going in for a filling and a crown from a dentist I had never even met. So this new dentist came into the room and didn't even introduce himself to me. No "Hi, I'm Dr. Downing. Nice to meet you. Looks like we're doing a crown today." No, straight to the huge needle into my gums! And not only did he not talk to me to begin with, he didn't talk to me the entire procedure! You think I am exaggerating but I'm not. I mean when I have had dental work done in the past the dentist tries to put you at ease. He says if something hurts to raise your hand. He'll even stop frequently during the procedure to ask you how you are doing and see if you need a break for a minute or two. Nothing. Not one word. There were several times that I nearly got up and just walked out, I SO didn't want to finish the work!

First of all I have small sinuses as it is. Plus it is allergy season so breaking through my nose is not always so easy. So at one point there are like 4 hands in my mouth and I'm gagging and can't breath through my mouth but I try to breath through my nose and can't do that either and I started having a panic attack thinking I was going to suffocate. So then when I can finally breath again and I'm gasping for breath the assistant just looks at me all annoyed and states "We really need you to breath through your nose."

I also have a tmj problem on the left side of my jaw and it pops alot. Well that is the side of my mouth that they stuck that stinking block in to hold my mouth open while they worked. So the dentist and assistant would get up and walk away at times leaving me there with this block in my mouth and having my mouth opened that wide for that long was KILLING me. I mean it really hurt. So at one point I actually started crying. Here I am a grown adult sitting in the dentist chair crying. I felt so stupid and foolish and yet I couldn't stop.

The dentist didn't even tell me when he was done. He just disappeared and the assistant finished up and then put my chair back to the upright position. He literally didn't say a single word to me the entire time he worked on my mouth.

So, I have 3 more cavities on the other side of my mouth. I was supposed to go back next Tuesday to have them taken care of but I have since canceled my appointment. I am instead driving the extra 20 miles to see Dr. Dana, the other dentist who used to be at that office. It it worth the drive not to have another bad experience at the dentist.