Lottie UK|1326720805|3104123 said:I used to be really scared, shaking and crying in the chair (that really ugly crying where you can't actually talk because you sound like a lion, not a pretty one tear on the cheek distressed whimper) and refused to go for years. Then I had a bit of a moment and decided that this could not go on and I searched for, and found an amazingly kind dentist who had experience with phobias. We dealt with it together very slowly (luckily, my teeth didn't need a lot of work) and now I can honestly say I am fine. I don't like it, but I am not scared.
monarch64|1326733094|3104274 said:I am a weirdo and LOVE going to the dentist! If I could afford to, I would go every month for a cleaning. I've had my share of unpleasant work done as far as fillings, etc. but I've never had anything so awful happen that it turned me off the dentist forever.
I understand the fear of dentists/dentistry, though. It's your mouth being messed with--you need it to perform basic vital functions like eating and breathing! I have a ton of sympathy for those of you who have this fear.
Jennifer W|1326739074|3104366 said:Ok. maybe I'm a weirdo, but I actually like the cleaning. In the context of a dental phobia severe enough to make me physically sick, my dentist talked me off the ceiling once for long enough to do cleaning only, to get me into the idea that dentists weren't savage, brutal killers. I got to the point where I almost enjoy it, in a perverse sort of way. Proof that I'm making progress, or something. I have very clean teeth indeed, once a month isn't unheard of...[/quote
That's awesome! I wish once a month wasn't unheard of here. Most dental insurance plans only cover two cleanings per year. A cleaning where I live is ~$100. Just not in the budget! I do own a fancy schmancy waterpik system, though, and I floss more frequently than the recommended 2x a day so hopefully I am not missing out too much on the monthly cleanings!
mayerling|1326732503|3104264 said:As a child, and I mean a very young child, I got cavities but was afraid of the dentist so I didn't tell my mum until the pain got so bad I couldn't take it any more. As a result, I had to have a lot of work done at such a young age. From that moment on, I was no longer afraid of the dentist. Now, at the slightest hint of trouble, I hurry to my dentist and have no fear at all!