How best to Start Journey from Isolation, Depression to Treatment?

[Boop-A-Loop]

Hello folks,

You seem like good people and so I wonder if you could help me. I have a relative, "Sarah", who I don't see very often, and I think needs some urgent dental care.

Sarah is about thirty, super shy and has had periods of depression and social anxiety since her teens. Unfortunately, Sarah's teeth are getting pretty bad. She used to have a lovely smile (and I believe she had braces in her late teens) but now they are stained, crumpled and I think crowded to the left side of her mouth.

Even her nose-bone (septum?) seems to have tilted off center. Or that may be unconnected, I don't know.

Essentially, she is lovely person who has gone through some battles, is pretty isolated and doesn't live in an environment that is gonna knock her out of her comfort zone. How do I help her? I rarely get to see her but I will soon and wish to go with some tools to help as best I can.

We're in the UK, and probably be using the NHS, for what it's worth. But advice or guidance, specific or general, on how to proceed from here would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Elizabeth,

 

[bcjch]

There is another dental forum that caters to people who have never gone to a dentist, mostly because of terrible anxieties and phobias but other things too. I'm not sure I can post an active link here - so the URL is 'dentalfearcentral dot org'.

Having visited there a few times, I can say that most people talk about themselves, but there was a question not too long ago about an autistic child's special dental needs and some ways to keep her comfortable enough to endure treatment. I think someone there would be very likely to field your question.

There are dentists and patients alike there, so you might get both perspectives. The site is UK-based, so people know the NHS - but it has international membership (including plenty of Americans like me).

The people there also offer dental recommendations, so you may be able to get more info about a particular dentist with some skill at handling phobic or anxious patients.