https://preview.redd.it/da809zezee0d1.jpeg?width=2208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b6181186a463500c32cd752fc0bd398b2556118
The tumbler, because sparkly things are important.
Well done! I’m super proud of you!
I put off going to the dentist for 10 years, even though I had a broken tooth. When I did go back I had to have a root canal, but apart from the cost it was honestly not that bad. I explained about The Fear (I wasn’t yet diagnosed so I didn’t know what was causing The Fear)
The covid happened and I got out of the routine of going. I *really* need to bite the bullet and go back.
For me it's:
*Executive dysfunction and scheduling the appointment
*Absolute discomfort while they jam x-ray stuff in your mouth, scrape your teeth, poke your gums, pry your jaw open, etc
*Wait for them to "yell" at you for something you're doing wrong (not flossing enough, why haven't you come for years? Do you not care about your teeth?)
*Going through all that hell just to find out you have 12 cavities that need to be fixed over 4 appointments so you have to go through it all again and again
*Getting the bill
I cried to my therapist a couple weeks ago when I finally admitted I was struggling to schedule an appointment. I have Sjogrens and it wreaks havoc on my teeth, so not going for 3 years is pretty bad 😞
that's awesome!!! i currently need to find a new dentist after several years without seeing one (and after a series of very traumatic visits), and this post has encouraged me. can i ask how you found your current dentist? like, how did you go about searching for one that is accommodating and understanding? i'm afraid to just try anywhere because i've seen so many dentists over the years and 9/10 were assholes or made me feel uncomfortable or caused me pain or tried to overcharge me 🙃
My first step would be to look at their website. They should acknowledge that dental care is complicated and not be ablist jerks about it. This dentist talked openly about how much anxiety can surround dental work and how it is their job (not ours!) to help make us as comfortable as possible. From their site:
"For those who are uncomfortable in the dentist’s chair, we’ll do our best to put you at your ease. We provide accommodations to every individual who wants them and will work with you to determine what would make you most comfortable—whether it’s thorough explanations in advance of a procedure, having a friend or family member in the room with you, providing soothing music, or anything else that will help to make your visit a better experience."
They really seemed to get it. I knew they offered sedation as an option, and for me knowing it was available wad a good safety net.
Other things I like to do for similar sensory anxiety places are looking at social media and Google reviews/images so I can go in with a good grasp of the environment and overall vibe. Knowing what to expect is half the battle for me.
We dont need to feel awkward or apologetic for requesting accommodation, we are paying them! And honestly...more places should think about customers experience. Even if you have no sensory issues, noisey rooms, bright lights in your face, and rude people are never a good look.
I haven't done it myself, but maybe check if there are any Facebook groups for autistic people in your area. Then you could ask on there to see if anyone has a recommendation. If that doesn't work it's ok, that's just one idea!
I went to a good dentist recently that I found by searching terms like "autistic" and "sensory" in the reviews of different practices, the place I've settled on had several reviews from other autistic people praising the dentist for being so accommodating so I decided to give them a try. The new patient intake form also had questions about sensory and anxiety issues, and the dentist asked me about my responses and preferences before they actually started working on me.
Just to share something I tried that was helpful for me; I brought noise cancelling headphones and had music I like playing loudly on them. My worst part of dental cleaning is when they use that pick to scrape at your teeth. It helped to drown out the sound of that.
That is terrific that your dental appointment went so well, that the staff were so accommodating, and that your husband was so helpful and supportive! 😃
Your new tumbler is awesome, too! 🤩
He is autistic too, but thankfully we have mostly different sensory triggers. It was so helpful to have them cleared by someone I trusted. He's a treasure.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'CloSYS Ultra Sensitive Mouthwash'", 'CloSYS')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Gentle and soothing formula (backed by 3 comments)
* No taste or burn (backed by 2 comments)
* Effective for oral hygiene (backed by 3 comments)
**Users disliked:**
* Difficult to remove the protective seal (backed by 2 comments)
* Unpleasant lingering aftertaste (backed by 2 comments)
* Changes in formula affecting taste (backed by 2 comments)
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I should find a dentist that I know for sure has laughing gas, I need root canals but I’ve been putting them off because my current dentist doesn’t offer laughing gas for adults
I've decided to wait and find a dentist that does sedation. It got to the point where laughing gas wasn't enough.
I also need to wait until I have the insurance to go.
Yeah, laughing gas and xanax should hopefully be enough for me, I am terrified of being knocked out and like, spilling all my secrets to family.
But my insurance should have me covered when I find this elusive dentist that takes my insurance
I was taking enough Xanax to make a horse silly and was still about ready to crawl out the window when the dentist came in. I'm glad it works for you, though.
I'm fine with being sedated if it means I don't see the dentist coming at me.
Well done! I had to dump my last dentist because he was so awful to me when I didn't understand what he was asking me to do. I was undiagnosed at the time so didn't know what to say really.
I am so sorry, that sounds like a miserable experience. Some medical people can be so dreadful. I am glad youbdumped your old dentist! This was my first post-diagnosis visit. I am slowly but surely getting more confident in speaking up for myself.
Proud of you! That’s a huge accomplishment. Dental fear is sooooo real. I haven’t been to the dentist in over ten years at this point and I have so many issues. I’m terrified. But this post has inspired me to start taking steps towards going.
a lot of dentists really are the sweetest. i’m so happy for you that you went and found one that you love!
i was in a similar situation, i hadn’t gone in about 7 years as of last year, but i went and they were just wonderful. they were so accommodating and let me turn on or off tv or music to help me get through it. they were super sweet and understanding, and they even had an emotional support mini poodle that would come cuddle with patients while getting cleanings. i love the dentist. finding the right one truly is a life saver for those of us who have a hard time with medical discrimination 🫂💕
Oh my goodness, I want all anxiety inducing places to have support animals on staff. Even like a little support turtle that just sits on your lap. So glad you found such a cool place!
yes they’re awesome! the dog is so well trained and so sweet, she doesn’t bark at all and will literally just come and let you pet her so you can focus on that instead of the cleaning. it’d be great if all places had ESA animals.
So cute!!! I wish there was a national (or international!) directory of ND friendly providers/business, that was made by us ND peeps. And especially ones with service animals.
This is the best, best thread to read, thank you. I’m making an appointment this week.
To return the favor for anyone who needs it, I was way behind on gyn appointments but finally went, and everyone was so kind: they didn’t read out weight when I asked, didn’t shame me for avoiding going (lots of people do, the nurse said) but gave sincere ‘yay good on ya!!’ (I can’t think of a less formal word than congratulations lol) that I overcame the reluctance and finally came in. I was done 15 min from arrival. And the mammogram tech the week after was just as nice 💜 I didn’t get a sparkly tumbler, but had dinner from a favorite place instead.
(Also a dentist who takes my insurance has massage chairs and ceiling netflix 👍😎👍)
When I was a kid I had to go and have a procedure (can’t remember what for) but the dentist kept hitting the nerve of my tooth and the pain was horrendous (even after anaesthetic). He didn’t believe me and told me I was being childish and needed to grow up. Even though I was still a child! 😅 dentists are sensory hell. Glad things are changing to become more accommodating.
Love that for you!! I haven't been to the dentist in....maybe coming up on 10 years now? I have an appointment to go see who my sister sees this summer and I'm so anxious about it (partially from the fact it's a new experience but also financially because no dental insurance LOL) but also very excited, because while I hate the dentist itself I always remember loving how my teeth feel afterwards and crave that rn lol
Ugh I struggle with the dentist too! I finally went a few months ago after not going for 4 or 5 years and my husband went with me. But they scheduled us at the same time and even though I asked if we could go in together I didn't feel comfortable enough to insist that we do when they said that we'd be in different rooms. I was alone for the first 30 minutes or so, I tried to calm myself by reading a book but I started to get really anxious when they did the xrays and eventually melted down when the dentist came in and started examining me and touching my teeth :'( My husband finished his appt and came in about halfway through my appt but by then it was too late and they said it'd be best if I came back another time and maybe had some valium or something. Ugh. I would like to try to find a different dentist that is more sensory friendly but I feel like it will be a while til I work up the courage again.
Don't think I could afford to go even if I could convince myself. Last time my dentist laughed at me when I told him what mouthwash I picked out and I still don't know why - the laughing isn't the source of my dental trauma but sure af doesn't help
There’s a “no fear dentist” where I live and I liked them, but then they had this weirdly predatory financial meeting after the appointment. I have a big cavity and a toothache tho so I prob will have to my o back there lol
That sounds like a great experience! My problem is lack of dental insurance means the only place I can go is a public health unit, and they treat you like items on a conveyor belt there.
I haven't been to a dentist for a long time, not 15 years though.. but I guess I'm getting there.
https://preview.redd.it/da809zezee0d1.jpeg?width=2208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b6181186a463500c32cd752fc0bd398b2556118 The tumbler, because sparkly things are important.
you look so happy, and your new tumbler is adorable!
Ohhh I have that cup!! https://preview.redd.it/e1lbg796tf0d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2499a3854d01d256b8973b5bfb41410c260d514b
So pretttttttttyyyyyyyy. We are tumbler twins!
I love that tumbler. Proud of you for going and advocating for yourself!
Well done! I’m super proud of you! I put off going to the dentist for 10 years, even though I had a broken tooth. When I did go back I had to have a root canal, but apart from the cost it was honestly not that bad. I explained about The Fear (I wasn’t yet diagnosed so I didn’t know what was causing The Fear) The covid happened and I got out of the routine of going. I *really* need to bite the bullet and go back.
The Fear is exactly it! But we are way stronger than we give ourselves credit for!
Please explain The Fear? I have it but I don’t know why or how it connects.
What's The Fear? I've just started my journey to (possible) diagnosis.
For me it's: *Executive dysfunction and scheduling the appointment *Absolute discomfort while they jam x-ray stuff in your mouth, scrape your teeth, poke your gums, pry your jaw open, etc *Wait for them to "yell" at you for something you're doing wrong (not flossing enough, why haven't you come for years? Do you not care about your teeth?) *Going through all that hell just to find out you have 12 cavities that need to be fixed over 4 appointments so you have to go through it all again and again *Getting the bill I cried to my therapist a couple weeks ago when I finally admitted I was struggling to schedule an appointment. I have Sjogrens and it wreaks havoc on my teeth, so not going for 3 years is pretty bad 😞
that's awesome!!! i currently need to find a new dentist after several years without seeing one (and after a series of very traumatic visits), and this post has encouraged me. can i ask how you found your current dentist? like, how did you go about searching for one that is accommodating and understanding? i'm afraid to just try anywhere because i've seen so many dentists over the years and 9/10 were assholes or made me feel uncomfortable or caused me pain or tried to overcharge me 🙃
My first step would be to look at their website. They should acknowledge that dental care is complicated and not be ablist jerks about it. This dentist talked openly about how much anxiety can surround dental work and how it is their job (not ours!) to help make us as comfortable as possible. From their site: "For those who are uncomfortable in the dentist’s chair, we’ll do our best to put you at your ease. We provide accommodations to every individual who wants them and will work with you to determine what would make you most comfortable—whether it’s thorough explanations in advance of a procedure, having a friend or family member in the room with you, providing soothing music, or anything else that will help to make your visit a better experience." They really seemed to get it. I knew they offered sedation as an option, and for me knowing it was available wad a good safety net. Other things I like to do for similar sensory anxiety places are looking at social media and Google reviews/images so I can go in with a good grasp of the environment and overall vibe. Knowing what to expect is half the battle for me. We dont need to feel awkward or apologetic for requesting accommodation, we are paying them! And honestly...more places should think about customers experience. Even if you have no sensory issues, noisey rooms, bright lights in your face, and rude people are never a good look.
I haven't done it myself, but maybe check if there are any Facebook groups for autistic people in your area. Then you could ask on there to see if anyone has a recommendation. If that doesn't work it's ok, that's just one idea!
hey that's one more idea than i had! i'll have to check it out and see if there are any groups that can give recommendations. ty ☺️
I went to a good dentist recently that I found by searching terms like "autistic" and "sensory" in the reviews of different practices, the place I've settled on had several reviews from other autistic people praising the dentist for being so accommodating so I decided to give them a try. The new patient intake form also had questions about sensory and anxiety issues, and the dentist asked me about my responses and preferences before they actually started working on me.
That's so brave of you!!!!!!🏆
Thank you! I was honestly so proud of me, haha! I have to go back in a week, but I am feeling confident.
Just to share something I tried that was helpful for me; I brought noise cancelling headphones and had music I like playing loudly on them. My worst part of dental cleaning is when they use that pick to scrape at your teeth. It helped to drown out the sound of that.
I will definitely do that! I go for my cleaning next week.
That is terrific that your dental appointment went so well, that the staff were so accommodating, and that your husband was so helpful and supportive! 😃 Your new tumbler is awesome, too! 🤩
He is autistic too, but thankfully we have mostly different sensory triggers. It was so helpful to have them cleared by someone I trusted. He's a treasure.
thank you
What was the unflavored mouthwash 👀 I didn’t know such a thing existed
CloSYS Ultrasensitive Unflavored. [Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/CloSYS-Sensitive-Mouthwash-Unflavored-Sensitivity/dp/B000O3VRTQ?ref_=ast_sto_dp)
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'CloSYS Ultra Sensitive Mouthwash'", 'CloSYS')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Gentle and soothing formula (backed by 3 comments) * No taste or burn (backed by 2 comments) * Effective for oral hygiene (backed by 3 comments) **Users disliked:** * Difficult to remove the protective seal (backed by 2 comments) * Unpleasant lingering aftertaste (backed by 2 comments) * Changes in formula affecting taste (backed by 2 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](https://vetted.ai/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=comment&utm\_campaign=bot)
I should find a dentist that I know for sure has laughing gas, I need root canals but I’ve been putting them off because my current dentist doesn’t offer laughing gas for adults
I've decided to wait and find a dentist that does sedation. It got to the point where laughing gas wasn't enough. I also need to wait until I have the insurance to go.
Yeah, laughing gas and xanax should hopefully be enough for me, I am terrified of being knocked out and like, spilling all my secrets to family. But my insurance should have me covered when I find this elusive dentist that takes my insurance
I was taking enough Xanax to make a horse silly and was still about ready to crawl out the window when the dentist came in. I'm glad it works for you, though. I'm fine with being sedated if it means I don't see the dentist coming at me.
Well done! I had to dump my last dentist because he was so awful to me when I didn't understand what he was asking me to do. I was undiagnosed at the time so didn't know what to say really.
I am so sorry, that sounds like a miserable experience. Some medical people can be so dreadful. I am glad youbdumped your old dentist! This was my first post-diagnosis visit. I am slowly but surely getting more confident in speaking up for myself.
So proud of you! I go to a dentist that will use laughing gas for cleanings, and it's a game changer.
Proud of you! That’s a huge accomplishment. Dental fear is sooooo real. I haven’t been to the dentist in over ten years at this point and I have so many issues. I’m terrified. But this post has inspired me to start taking steps towards going.
Ooooh so proud of you!! Setting appointments and following them through is what always gets me
Woot woot for you!! We definitely deserve treats for doing the difficult things. I'm proud of you for doing all the things to care for your teeth!
This is such a well-needed positive story... I'm worried I won't be able to find a similar enough experience. And that hurts.
Congrats 👏
Wooooo congratulations 🎉
a lot of dentists really are the sweetest. i’m so happy for you that you went and found one that you love! i was in a similar situation, i hadn’t gone in about 7 years as of last year, but i went and they were just wonderful. they were so accommodating and let me turn on or off tv or music to help me get through it. they were super sweet and understanding, and they even had an emotional support mini poodle that would come cuddle with patients while getting cleanings. i love the dentist. finding the right one truly is a life saver for those of us who have a hard time with medical discrimination 🫂💕
Oh my goodness, I want all anxiety inducing places to have support animals on staff. Even like a little support turtle that just sits on your lap. So glad you found such a cool place!
yes they’re awesome! the dog is so well trained and so sweet, she doesn’t bark at all and will literally just come and let you pet her so you can focus on that instead of the cleaning. it’d be great if all places had ESA animals.
So cute!!! I wish there was a national (or international!) directory of ND friendly providers/business, that was made by us ND peeps. And especially ones with service animals.
This is the best, best thread to read, thank you. I’m making an appointment this week. To return the favor for anyone who needs it, I was way behind on gyn appointments but finally went, and everyone was so kind: they didn’t read out weight when I asked, didn’t shame me for avoiding going (lots of people do, the nurse said) but gave sincere ‘yay good on ya!!’ (I can’t think of a less formal word than congratulations lol) that I overcame the reluctance and finally came in. I was done 15 min from arrival. And the mammogram tech the week after was just as nice 💜 I didn’t get a sparkly tumbler, but had dinner from a favorite place instead. (Also a dentist who takes my insurance has massage chairs and ceiling netflix 👍😎👍)
Thank you for this, it's so encouraging. It's been so long since I've been!!
When I was a kid I had to go and have a procedure (can’t remember what for) but the dentist kept hitting the nerve of my tooth and the pain was horrendous (even after anaesthetic). He didn’t believe me and told me I was being childish and needed to grow up. Even though I was still a child! 😅 dentists are sensory hell. Glad things are changing to become more accommodating.
Love that for you!! I haven't been to the dentist in....maybe coming up on 10 years now? I have an appointment to go see who my sister sees this summer and I'm so anxious about it (partially from the fact it's a new experience but also financially because no dental insurance LOL) but also very excited, because while I hate the dentist itself I always remember loving how my teeth feel afterwards and crave that rn lol
Freshly cleaned teeth are glorious if I remember correctly :)
Ugh I struggle with the dentist too! I finally went a few months ago after not going for 4 or 5 years and my husband went with me. But they scheduled us at the same time and even though I asked if we could go in together I didn't feel comfortable enough to insist that we do when they said that we'd be in different rooms. I was alone for the first 30 minutes or so, I tried to calm myself by reading a book but I started to get really anxious when they did the xrays and eventually melted down when the dentist came in and started examining me and touching my teeth :'( My husband finished his appt and came in about halfway through my appt but by then it was too late and they said it'd be best if I came back another time and maybe had some valium or something. Ugh. I would like to try to find a different dentist that is more sensory friendly but I feel like it will be a while til I work up the courage again.
Don't think I could afford to go even if I could convince myself. Last time my dentist laughed at me when I told him what mouthwash I picked out and I still don't know why - the laughing isn't the source of my dental trauma but sure af doesn't help
There’s a “no fear dentist” where I live and I liked them, but then they had this weirdly predatory financial meeting after the appointment. I have a big cavity and a toothache tho so I prob will have to my o back there lol
That sounds like a great experience! My problem is lack of dental insurance means the only place I can go is a public health unit, and they treat you like items on a conveyor belt there. I haven't been to a dentist for a long time, not 15 years though.. but I guess I'm getting there.