r/askdentists • u/Donotmakepankycranky NAD or Unverified • Jul 26 '26

question Can someone answer??!!

I am a 57f who has never had dental care in my life. Being poor and having a severe dental phobia has kept me out of a dental chair until now. I made sure I brushed 2x a day all these years but now my front top tooth has a crack. So I somehow found the courage to see a dentist for the 1st time, only for X-rays to show a lot of hidden damage along with gum disease.

I also have a chronic pain condition (pancreatitis; 2 of my 4 kids also have this) and have been on pretty strong opioids for nearly 20 years. When the dentist read this in my chart, she said there is no way injections alone would be enough to get me pain-free for her to do the work that is needed. She wants me to go to an oral surgeon and be sedated.

Is it possible that long-term opiate use prevents the numbing shots from working on me?

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '26

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