Community Chat

[Gidge]

I am the biggest baby when it comes to going to the dentist! I also had bad experiences when I was younger and that impacted my whole life! I put off going to the dentist for so long that by the time I would go, I needed a lot done, which just kept fueling the fear! I now go to a group who specializes in "gentle dentistry" so I'm trying to go regularly!

[qualitygal]

I absolutely hate it, but I've always taken care of my teeth. But I fear it since every 6 mos. seems to roll around too quickly now.

[beckyb1012]

I love my Dentist. He is the son of the Dentist I used for many years before our children were born. My son and his son had the same first name so we always stayed caught up on what the ""Clays"" were doing. Now I just ask his ""Clay"" myself. He is a great Dentist in is own right and just had child number 8 and he and his wife home school them all. Just wears me out thinking about it.

Had a dental this afternoon but cancelled it due to this Texas snow weather.

But I still know what you mean but when the pain is bad enough it will get me in his chair!!

[gardensla]

Me. Like others, I had a traumatic experience with a dentist when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I had an abscess and he lanced it without warning me and without any kind of numbing. I cried out and he actually slapped me and told me to be quiet. Even 40 years later I still remember this and it has made going to a dentist so frightening that I have neglected my teeth as a result.

Nice to hear that I'm not alone (though none of us should have such concerns).

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

Well I had my appointment at noon today. She is very nice and there was a lot of joking, mainly by me about being such a chicken. She and her staff are really good and it's a pleasant environment. Have 3 to be filled and yikes, 2 that have to go. I knew one did. Am also getting a partial to fill in the couple of gaps. My insurance will pay 100% of the partial and made an appointment with the dental surgeon to extract the 2 that need to go. March 25th, two days before my retirement date. lol They asked if I wanted to be asleep, you bet your life I do. What a beginning to retirement. And this coming Monday morning am starting the fillings. She doesn't do the gas thing but gave me a prescription for Valium. You take 1 pill an hour before the appointment if I feel I need it. Not sure if I will fill it. Seems i am jumping in with both feet but I might as well bite the bullet and just get is all done. I hope it's doesn't turn into one of those "what was I thinking" things.

[chrystaltree]

It's not silly, it's not stupid. I was a dental phobic my entire life. It's still hard for me to get up the nerve to go to the dentist but I can do it. For many, years I just couldn't. I think the fear comes from childhood, there have been amazing strides in dental care over the last few decades. But it was scary and painful experience when I was a child, I'm 55. The kids in my familiy went to dental clinic, not a private dentist. I believe it was city owned. We went from school. The school nurse marched a group of kids to the clinic, we got cleanings and a dental exam and the kids who had cavities had to go back for fillings or extractions. There was either no novicaine or watered down novicaine because it was always painful. I had several extractions over the years. You'd become a dental phobic too if you were 9 or 10 years old and you were marched to some dental clinic where you had white knuckle your way through having teeth "pulled". Then they would stuff a wad of gauze in your bleeding mouth, give you a bunch of gauze "for later" and march you back to school to finish out the day. Of course, my parents thought we should be "grateful" for the free dental work. I'm sure I had teeth extracted that could have been filled. So, I know how my dental phobia started. I avoided dentist for much of my adult life. I only went when I had a toothache. And then, about 12 years ago, I couldn't hide anymore. I had serious dental issues and one was in a front tooth! Vanity got me past my fear, I went to dentist that a friend recommended. OMG! I was expecting a horrible experience! I was expecting torture. The dentist I was was amazing. It was a brand new office, a new practice and he assured me that he would feel no pain, he said he had a lot of experience with dental phobics. It was nothing to be ashamed of. I needed a lot of work and true to his word, it was practically painless. Thanks to modern anesthesia and modern dental procedures. He always kept his instruments out of my line of vision, I wore a head set and listened to music. He did offer to prescribe valium for me to take before my appointments but I declined. In a matter of weeks, I had a healthy mouth and a smile to be proud of. At the last visit, when I was looking into a mirror as he and I admired his work, I remember breaking down in tears. I was so grateful and happy with results.

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

Crystaltree that is terrible. Seems like you and others that responded have had bad experiences like I did. Sadly I think way back then a lot of dentists didn't have any bedside manner or sympathy. I remember when my sister was 7 or 8 the dentist was giving her novacaine and hit a nerve. Of course she hollered and he yelled at her. He was very rough but there were not a lot of choices back then. Now you can open the yellow pages or Google dozens of Dr. and make a choice. Thank heaven our kids had it better than we did. I can't wait until it's all done and see the difference.

[croemer]

What gave it away?...

[brewhaha]

[NoelSeven]

I had a fear of dentists for a long time, including as a young adult.

Dentistry is an invasion of your face, your head. I think some of the fear is a primitive reaction to a justified fear, no matter how much we tell ourselves it's OK.

Seriously speaking, I never feel any pain anymore, after years of serious pain and blood. Things are so different now, perhaps you can find a new dentist with modern equipment.

I wish you all the best, I'm sure I know how you feel