Going to the Dentist

We have two types of dental treatment here in Italy: one on the National Health which is pratcially free but you have to wait months for an appointment and the other is private. When I was working regularly and before the present crisis I used to go privately once or twice a year. Now things have changed. I desperately need to go but I can't possibly afford to go privately as there is too much needs doing. I'm now putting it off and putting it off which I know is not good but I'm scared of going to a dentist I don't know and doesn't know me I hate the dentist

I am so sorry for your husband, extractions of teeth are so hurtful. We are lucky we have some dental insurance and have kept up our health in that area. Last year I paid more to the Dentist then any other health problems.

That's funny but I feel sorry for your husband. Well, I just got from a dentist last Saturday to have my teeth cleaned. I usually go to my dentist as regularly as yearly. But that was before, when I was still leaving in the other city. My last visit to my dentist is about six years now. Last Friday, I told my wife that I wish to have our daughter's tooth extracted. So on Saturday, we went to the dentist.

I am really sorry for your husband but I think you can give him a lot of ice creams to help his toothache. Also, you can use blender to mash everything and feed him with the same. I am personally very scared of the dentist and would try everything to avoid him.

I hear you...lol :) I have really bad teeth, and it's taken around 4 years of extractions, root canals, and crowns to get my teeth back in shape. Very painful and expensive. I've never had to deal with more than one extraction at a time, but I can empathize with your husband. I go to the dentist every 6 months, and I use a prescription flouride toothpaste. I also get a special flouride treatment done twice a year. I'm much better about flossing and brushing now.... It isn't the dental pain that hurts me, the amount of money we've put out for it all is far more painful :(

i had my nerv extracted ......omg it hurts!!!!!

i had experienced that as well... i was having a root canal treatment and it is so painful... also the filling because my teeth has huge holes on them... i think i had fixed more than 6 teeth last year and it costs me a bomb... dental treatment is so expensive here and my private insurance only help me to pay very little for it... so most of them have to come out from my own pocket... good luck to your hubby... hope he will get well soon... take care and have a nice day...

I've been going twice a year for a long time with no dental insurance and thus have only had more than the check-up costs on rare occasions since I take very good care of my teeth. With the present economic climate and an expected severe drop in my income for 2009 and perhaps beyond, I hope I can still go twice a year to make sure no problems are starting. I have had to have some expensive dental work done but not because of neglect but because of trauma from a seizure I before my seizure disorder was diagnosed. The effects of the trauma to the teeth took a long time to manifest.

I always go once a year, and try to go twice a year. My teeth are very important to me. I hate going to the dentist, I even have a bit of a panic disorder, so I make sure I take really good care of my teeth so that I don't have to have any extra work done because it is difficult for me handle it. My insurance covers 1 cleaning per year for kids, 2 for adults, and any other dental work is paid 80%. I hope your husband feels better soon.

It's weird that this discussion popped up because I went for my check-up today. I go about every 7-8 months, and still go with my Mum and Brother, just because it's what we've always done. Everything was fine, I just needed them polishing a little bit. My brother needs a filling though. It's his first one and he's terrified. I really don't like going. I get so nervous, but I honestly don't know why, because they've never done anything painful to me. I don't have to pay either, because I still attend college, so all of my dental fees are paid for by the government, which is loveelyy! I would still prefer not to go at all though!

My dentist insists on visiting him every six months and no less than that. Like you and your husband, hubby and I recently went to the dentist. It's a new dentist that was referred to us by a friend. I haven't gone to the dentist since I found out I was pregnant and that makes it 2 years (my daughter is now more than a year old). I was surprised to find out that two of my molars are extremely damaged and had to be extracted. I also underwent deep scaling cleaning which was a little painful considering all the plaque that was built up in the two years that I haven't gone to the dentist. My husband on the other hand haven't been to the dentist for more than a decade! Imagine that! Like me, he also underwent a deep-scaling cleaning process and 2 of his lower incisors were badly damaged by plaque and had to be extracted as well. He's now wearing false teeth to fill the gap. I feel so guilty for not visiting the dentist when I should have. Now, I will never save the teeth I've lost and the same is true for my husband. That is why it is very, very important to visit the dentist every 6 months. You have to take care of your teeth because they will not grow back anymore.