How do you deal with dentophobia?
Photo by Betsssssy 
I have a confession to make: I’m terrified of the dentist. I know that’s not a terribly original phobia, but it’s very real. It hasn’t always been this way-as a kid, I had no problem going in for regular checkups and the occasional dental procedure. In fact, I almost looked forward to the visit, knowing that I’d be coming home with some cool dental swag like a chintzy plastic toy, a new toothbrush, or those cool tablets that turn your teeth red, illuminating the spots where your brushing missed the mark. Even as a young adult, my dentist visits were frequent and stress-free-that is, until about seven years ago after my regular dentist sent me to an oral surgeon to have a tooth removed.
I, unfortunately, had a somewhat confusing and traumatic experience with this surgeon which has colored my impression of dentists ever since. The procedure required me to be under an anesthetic, and upon waking, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been much more aggressive and careless than was called for. I was obviously groggy from the anesthetic, but truly felt as though I had been brutalized or violated somehow.
After leaving his office, I broke down and cried uncontrollably in the elevator, which is fairly out-of-character for me. I tried to convince myself that it was simply an effect of the drugs and had imagined it, but the experience lingered over the next few days. I didn’t have any sort of concrete proof with which to confront the surgeon, but I did call my regular dentist to tell him of the experience. He confessed that two other patients had complained about this oral surgeon in recent weeks and they would no longer be referring patients to his practice. I followed up about a year later and learned that the surgeon was no longer practicing.
I realize that this was not a typical experience for most people and that the majority of dental practitioners operate with skill and integrity, but since then, I’ve shamelessly shirked my dental duties. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only been to the dentist twice since moving to NYC, both for emergencies. I’m seriously overdue for a checkup and a teeth cleaning, but I’m having a hard time taking the next step.
Answers users: I need your help. How do you find a dentist that you trust? I know referral services like 1-800-DENTIST claim to help, but that seems about as reliable as throwing a dart at the phone book. And once I find a dentist, how do I get over the debilitating fear and anxiety of actually making an appointment?
What advice can you share with me and my ailing smile?
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Is dentophobia real? I have it, I guess. To the point where I avoid going now. I realize that it’s not realistic, but I am that horrified.
As a child, my parents could afford only the basic health care, and that included a dentist who was of the opinion that anesthetics for children’s baby teeth was both unnecessary and a bother. He never used any on me, even when extracting one broken tooth and repairing another.
He also seemed to suffer from an unsteady hand, so checking for cavities in my teeth with the pick often resulted in him hooking my gums. After a few visits, I think I’d taken on the look of a cornered animal and he would only put his hands in my mouth while folding part of my lip over my own teeth – I’d have to bite myself to get to him.
In my teens my wisdom teeth got impacted, and I endured in silence until we had better health care and the dentists were not hacks. But by then the damage was done to my perception of dentists and their kind, and for years nothing but the most intense pain will send me to one. The last time I mustered up the courage, the dental hygienist left me in tears and another 6 years passed before I thought, gee – I should make sure my teeth aren’t about to fall out.
These days you hear sedation dentistry being advertised however it’s not covered by my insurance. Instead for the first time I opened a medical reimbursement fund through my employer to pay for the anesthesia.
And I will need to be reassured by the promise of being drugged out of my mind in order to go again. So I will be calling next month – it’s the closest thing to a compromise I have found.
I would be worried too. That doctor was obviously not doing something right and not to scare you or anything but what if he like molested you and you didn’t even know it, why else would he keep on getting complaints and all of the sudden stop being in a dentist? when i had surgery i couldn’t stop crying and sobbing during it and i felt everything even though i had tons of anesthesia. I think it was because i had a lot of stress, sadness, and even anger built up inside of me and drugs like anesthesia can bring out all those emotions.
For what happened to you i think its a combination of a bad doctor and you had feeling built up inside of you.
I wouldn’t be afraid of all dentists forever but i would get recommendations from people you know in your area so you know that the dentist is a good one. also maybe try getting to know the dentist you choose so you can trust them a little.
You have to keep in mind not all dentists are like that, you just happened to come upon a bad one.
i hope i helped!
best of wishes!
WOW, yeah i’ve heard about this happening, well i’m studying to be a dental assistant and usually it’s best to ask around, friends or other people you might work with . Or if there’s some dentist around you could just call in and ask a couple of questions, or go in to their offices just to talk to them and see how you like the office, staff, and dentist/dentists.
you yahoo answer guys sure are a happy bunch.
I would suggest asking your friends which dentist they see and researching as much as you can using word-of-mouth. The phone book tells nothing, and websites can lie, but the patients of a dentist are always reliable sources of finding out if a dentist is good and trustworthy. I, personally, go to an excellent dentist, but I doubt you live in Arizona, so my recommendation would probably be useless.
I had Dentophobia as a child this sounds harsh but the dentist would tie me down and i would kick scream and bite his fingers, i don’t know why but it went away that was when i was four or five, but every time i remember i picture a dimly lit room and everyone staring down at me, im not scared of the dentist anymore but it should go away
i completely understabd this. i am so scared of my dentist that i have been missing my crown for several months. the thing is, when he was putting in the temporary crown, the damn thing would never stay in. i would follow the rules but would always end up there the next day needing it to be put back in. each time he got a bit rougher. one time he was so frustrated that he was slamming the tools down on the tray and while holding my mouth open he was actually digging his nail into my gums. i had had it at that point and got up and walked out of there. asshole. i will NEVER go to another dentist unless its an emergency.
I had an experience similar to your. I was awake during an impacted tooth extraction!!!!
I had never had surgery before and the surgeon said I only needed a local. He injected me with novicaine and then left the room. He came back about 45 minutes later and began the procedure.
With a giant rubber thing holding my mouth wide open he started with a bone chipper to break down the wisdom tooth so it was away from the other teeth when he started digging under the gum line.
He used some kind of scooping type of metal spoon and started trying to pry out the tooth from the root.
My tooth was impacted to the point that my jawline was fractured, hence the necessity of surgery but while he was prying the pressure on the fracture was immense!!!!
I was crying and trying to get out of the chair and he had three nurses come in and hold me down for the last 30 minutes of the procedure.
He never once offered more novicaine and while I was leaving the room in a shaken mess I noticed that there was a tank of anesthetic right behind the chair I was in during surgery. He could have knocked me out at any time and even though the surgery only took about an hour, with the amount of pain I was in for that hour it felt a hell of a lot longer.
That was when I was in 95 before I got pregnant with my daughter in 96. I hadn’t been back to the dentist for myself till my daughter was seven. That’s 8 years of no dentistry.
I would set up appointments and then not go. I got kicked out of I don’t know how many dentistries for failure to show up for appointments. I would literally break out in a cold sweat and start crying. Then I just wouldn’t go. There were times I would literally gag just calling to make an appointment.
I had the same childhood history as yours. No problem with cleanings or anything. I always enjoyed the prizes at the end of a visit. And then this horrible incident occurs making me a total mess.
When my daughter got to the age of her first visit I had my mom go with us in case I couldn’t stand to stay in the room with her. I managed to be able to deal with it although it was very rough going.
I realized that if I could go to her appointments and be ok then that was great. At least I knew her mouth was healthy.
I think one of the things that made it easier on me was the fact that my daughter thought the dentist was like meeting santa claus!! She would even mark her appointments on the calender and make exes starting 2 or 3 weeks before.
As time went on and she turned 7 she got her one and only cavity!! OMG!! I totally broke down (not in front of her, I didn’t want to freak her out). I cried like crazy because I had never had a filling and didn’t know what the procedure was so I made more of a big deal out of it then was necessary but how was I to know? I was so afraid that she would end up going through something like I did.
I stayed and watched the procedure and was fine. She was fine, I was fine and I had my first cleaning in 8 years that very same day. Yes I was anxious but my daughter was in the room and I didn’t want to upset her so I kept myself under control. lol. out wordly anyway. Internally I was a freekin mess.
After that I started going in at the same time my daughter went in every 6 months. Last year I had 2 more wisdom teeth taken out. They weren’t impacted like the first one. Even though I was shaking like a leaf and sweating like crazy I made myself stay and it was sooooooo different from the surgery. Nothing is like surgery anyway but it was then I realized I didn’t need to worry anymore. What a HUGE thing to have off your shoulders after 11 yrs.
So if you know someone that’s going to the dentist ask if you can go and watch. Also ask if there’s anyone that could go with you to support you so you can get yours done. My mom went with me to my last wisdom tooth removal and just knowing she was there and understood my fear made it easier on me. My dentist also understood my fear (as it was clearly visible) haha, and he reassured me and let me know what he was doing at all times. I also asked for a shot of novicaine in the gums and to let it set before he did the hard palette shot, which can be painful. He did that with no attitude and was completely understanding.
I think because I had known him through my daughter and watched him at work and knew his personality it helped tremendously to trust him
If you know someone that will let you go with them you could meet a new dentist this way.
You could also get a prescription from your doctor for a valium before a visit to the dentist.
You could also set up consultation appointments to get to know a new dentist. This is where you go in and talk to the dentist and just get to know them a bit. Some dentist don’t like doing this as they think they should be in someones mouth and not wasting time just talking. If you run into one of these then he’s probably not the one for you. Any dentist worth his salt won’t be offended by this way of doing things.
You have to just start going in and working your way up to getting your teeth done. Take one step at a time or jump right in and face your fears.
Believe me getting it over and done with is sooooo relieving. I only wish it didn’t take 11 yrs for me not to fear my dentist.
I wish you the best of luck with getting there.
Wow, I’m glad I don’t have dentaphobia. That must suck.
I close my eyes and turn up the ipod in so that I don’t have to hear the scraping or see anything happening. It helps a lot. You don’t have to worry about what is going on and you get healthy teeth.
Have your doctor prescribe you a one time dose of some valium & take it 30 minutes before your visit. Be sure to have a friend drive you to your appointment.
Hi,
As far as finding a good dentist is really hear–say. Your friend has nice teeth, and you ask them if they like there dentist. IF there is no hesitation and they like them then try them out! It doesn’t always have to look like a really nice place, but you can still get good care. Let them know you had a bad experience. Maybe they can give you the “laughing gas”, but turn it on REALLY low. That will just take the edge off. Personally they laughing gas makes me shake. But i LOVE the dentist. Or they can always give you pills. I dont like taking pills, but maybe you dont mind. There is lots of options. But in your case i’m going to say that you need to find a good dentist first. Co-workers and friends can always give you good rererrals typically. Other then that GOOD LUCK!
why did the oral surgeon go out of practice?
you could see a psychiatrist
this sounds kinda serious
it sounds like you need some sort of reassurance that going to the dentist isnt a bad or scary thing
you could talk to your dentist about your experience and explain to him your fear and he/or she could probably help you get over your fear by keeping you calm through your next appointment
good luck:)
I am awake right now because of bad dentistry. I went to the same one for 31 years then he retired. I was driving over 40 miles to go to him because I had moved as an adult and everytime I did go to him I had to take off work, anyway I got one closer to my home and by this time I have 2 kids who need to go. I should of listened to my gut in the very beginning, My daughter hated him and my son was not that fond either. I let him talk me into getting a root canal and a crown. FOR OVER 3 Years I suffered with this tooth. Not knowing why I was so sick, finally during one of my headache episodes my husband said, why do you have a headache on one side of your head. You always say you have a headache on the right side of your face. THAT IS THE SIDE I HAD WORKED ON!! I finally went to my regular dr and told her the story, she ran test on my lymph nodes and I had high white blood count and she said I had a severe case of infection in that tooth. Went back to Dentist Wacko and talked him in to pulling the infected tooth yesterday. I am in pain from that and am hoping to be headache free soon and getting my life back. My kids and I are going to try another dentist for our regular check=up in April. Wish us luck and say a prayer, but this one came highly recommended by my childrens friends and parents I have met at birthday parties and such. One thing I did learn in all this, your teeth healthiness does affect the rest of your body. I am going to be so careful from now on about what I do to my body. Thanks for the outlet. Also, my regular Dr. is the one who put me on antibiotics before they pulled the tooth, never have work done on an infected tooth, without being on antibiotics first. Just some FYI. Peace
I hate it too. my parents had to drag me to get braces and i would like to rip them out. they hurt so F****** bad. i guess it could be worse, but every month when i have to get them tightened i hate it. and in a few months they have to pull 2 teeth. and yank the back bands off. I HATE IT!!! i’d like them off now, the worst problem, my front teeth being seperated is now fine, so i wish i was done.
Have you ever tried sedation dentistry? I realize you had a bad experience on anesthesia before, but many people claim that it works well for them. I’m not sure how to find a new dentist beyond opening the yellow pages, but if you’re that concerned about it, you could probably schedule an appointment to “interview” new dentists. You could try talking to the dentist about your fears and your past experience, I’m sure some of them have experience dealing with patients in your situation. Are there other areas of your life where you have anxiety? This may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder. Hope this helps, take care of yourself!
I, like these people, can understand COMPLETELY what you are going through. i never lost my first tooth on my own, so when i was ten, i had the bottom four extracted with little anesthetic. these baby teeth were NOT LOSE and the roots/nerves/sacs were pulled along with them. the teeth themselves were a half an inch long for each one, and each time each tooth was pulled, the dentist would use so much force that i would come out of the chair. when i was eleven, they told me that i would need braces and that TWELVE teeth would need to be removed in order to do so. looking back to my prior experience, i decided to go for the IV sedation. i came in on the day of my visit, and they poked me for four hours trying to find veins in my hands, arms, and FEET. i had used up all the time allotted for me, so i came back the next day. after poking me for another hour, they forced me to stay awake for the procedure.
six years and twenty two teeth extractions later, i had my wisdom teeth cut out and everything went PERFECT. the only way i got over my fear of the dentist is to realize that someone had to go with me, and i needed to understand that i had nothing to do with how my experience went. i prayed for peace, and i was given the peace i needed. ask around, and get the best possible dentist that you know. request sedation, always.
what’s more important: keeping your healthy smile, or not facing your fears?
I’ve recently been to the dentist with in the last week 3 times, not for anything bad or pain etc. Army dentist are actually really good. However, I’m so scared to go in and have cavities filled and sealents put on. As a child, it wasn’t so bad, most of my teeth where a)pulled out cause I ran into tables and broke them or b) lil baby teeth falling out on their own and i pulled thoses suckers out at home. I take really good care of my teeth, but betwwen my 9th and 10th grade year I got the worst pain on my right lower jaw, my wisdom teeth weren’t showing, and my family had no medical coverage at all so the best dental praticing we got was if your teeth fell out or you had a lose tooth. So I delt with it for 2 years till the summer break between 11th and 12th, now mind you I had informed my motther that my jaw hurt like hell, and everythign I did eatting, drinking nothing felt good on this tooth. There was nothign she could do about it, but at least she knew. When she did come into some money, she took my to the nearest dentist, I’m estatic finally tooth pain will be gone, I can have nice healthy teeth no more pain, good gums. Oh no. Found out I had a huge cavity in my tooth, at this point I wasn’t scared, no, i wanted them to fix it! So when it was my turn to go see the dentist i’m laying their chillin’ waiting to get my tooth looked at the all holy numbing sensation dentist provide, the nice lil taste of novacane before they put that needle into your gum so the nerves are dulled. Got the novacane, all happy, tounge is numb as hell, can’t talk and the dentist and dental assistant come over check it out, ah yes and the drilling starts. Wait this isn’t how it goes, I have the suction tube in the mouth, the water gun thing, my tounge is numb but hes trying to fight to protect that little tooth and its root the novacane aint strong enough an this asshole is drilling on my tooth with isn’t numb I start crying and the nice little dental assistants only words are ” Of did we numb her? She looks like shes in pain.” So now I drag my husband into the dentist office with me, don’t really need to do that with the army, but its always nice to know he’s at least close.
I’m no stranger to this phobia either. My first visits to the dentist involved a drill that wasn’t painless in the very least. I’ve been fortunate that my later visits were simple cleanings and nothing else, but now I’m due for oral surgery in February and hope that everything goes as planned and nothing that might happen will happen.
I had rather bad dental phobia until recently. I am still getting past it. This answer is overly long, but I started typing and this is where it got me.
I was always a bit unhappy about going to the dentist, though as a child nothing bad happened. I think I didn’t like the smell of medical places. It didn’t help that my dad has had a lot of problems in the past and was obviously unhappy about my mum making him go, which he did just to make sure I went regularly.
When I had to have my first filling, I wasn’t aware that it was an adult one, and unlike the one or two baby fillings I’d had, would require anaesthetic. Despite having been the only dentist I’d ever been to, the dentist didn’t realise this would be my first time having a ‘proper’ filling, and loomed in with the needle without warning. I looked up, panicked and said ‘no!’
Not entirely reassuring when the dentist ignored my fright, and said ‘yes’ and continued towards my mouth with the needle. I leaped out of the chair, ran past my mother, out of the surgery and straight outside. It took a couple of weeks to coax me back, but I never quite trusted the dentist after that, even if it seems a minor thing.
I think bigger problems started when one day when I was about 14, I was eating an apple (oh, the irony!) and half of my tooth broke off. I was horrified, considering that since I was little, I’d been very paranoid about my tooth care regime, brushing twice a day, not eating too much sugar, particularly at night, etc. So I couldn’t understand why my tooth had gotten so bad.
I was scared of what treatment this would need, so I chose not to tell anyone about it. Eventually after a considerably long while, toothache struck. I lived with it for a week before confessing that I was in pain and spent a weekend crying and drinking cold water to ease the pain for all of five seconds. I put this detail in, because, no-one realises how truly awful toothache is until you experience it. If it’s bad enough, it can stop you form doing anything, because you can’t think of anything put the throbbing in your poor teeth.
I soon agreed to a dentist appointment and went there. Had some x-rays and the dentist did a large filling. The toothache soon went away. However, a couple of days after, an abscess appeared on my gum, causing my cheek to swell up. The dentist was closed that day, so I went to the doctors and was prescribed some anti-inflammatories to bring it down.
When the filling had to be redone, the abscess flared up again. I explained to the dentist that I thought I’d had a reaction to the anaesthetic, but the problem had reoccurred, and that the problem had never really gone away (the lump above my teeth had stuck around, though it wasn’t causing pain). To the best of my memory, the dentist barely said a word about the abscess, just filled it again.
Now, some time went by and it had been about two years since my last dentist appointment (at which he’d proclaimed a clean bill of oral health – wasn’t sure I believed him as I did have mild toothache and sensitivity sometimes, but was so relieved, I didn’t question it). This was last summer. One day, I started to get bad toothache again, in the same place. It wasn’t as agonising as before, but I started to worry about it getting that way.
At my summer workplace, I mentioned I had toothache, and my manager told me to go see her dentist. She also had severe dental phobia and in a rational state of mind, I agreed that if she could take herself there and handle dental treatment every few weeks, I could too. I booked an emergency appointment and prepared myself – crying, throwing up, shaking like a leaf…but I got myself there. It was the dentist surgery at my university.
I was pleasantly surprised that the reception didn’t smell like a aplce of medical treatment and that the receptionist was calming and friendly. The dentist himself came out to get me (usually you have a harassed looking dental nurse yell your name) and chatted a bit at first. I let him know that I was terrified and he said he would first just have a look without touching my teeth with any instruments.
Once I was okay with that, he moved the appointment along slowly, making sure I was comfortable and in the know about what he was doing. The dental nurse was lovely too, and he made plenty of jokes and cheerful conversation.
Eventually, the dentist did a bit of prepatory work on the root canals and a refilling. Throughout the treatment, he took breaks and let me sit up. He didn’t seem to mind that the appointment took a long time, as long as I was happy.
He explained to me the treatment I needed, in basic terms, but left out the scary dentist words that you hate hearing. He asked if I wanted to look at the x-rays – he didn’t put them in front of me without warning (I HATE looking at them, it freaks me out…)
Since then, I have had some more minor treatment, and my first root canal.
I am happy to report that the root canal was not remotely painful….just long and boring! When I walked in that morning, the receptionists already knew my name, and were anxious to know if I felt okay or needed anything to drink, etc. The fact that I felt cared about, and not just another paying customer, made a huge difference.
I have just made the appointment for my second (and hopefully last!) root canal next week. I feel fine right now, and know I will probably just be a little nervous next week.
I will never go back to my first dentist. I know that if he had address the problems I had properly, I would have had less pain. My current dentist explained to me about the reasons behind an abscess, and that any dentist should examine it carefully, as it often means a root canal is necessary to save the tooth.
I know I am almost cured of my phobia because I am now so much calmer. I know I have to go, and I don’t avoid thinking about it or putting it off. I don’t get nauseous or cry out of fear anymore.
I’ve learnt that having a dentist you trust is the best thing you can possibly find for dental fear – not laughing gas, or any sedatives. It is worth asking your friends and relatives about their dentists. If you find that someone is happy to talk about them and is really enthusiastic about how nice and unstressful their dentists are, you should try booking an appointment yourself. Just a check-up, to scope out the dentist and see how you’re suited to them. If you’re not happy, you don’t have to go back.
More modern dentists have an awareness of the fear their patients feel. My first dentist clearly hadn’t much training or good ‘bedside manner’, and he was a lot older. My current dentist is young and friendly and happy to listen to my worries; I’m not the only scared patient he has.
Someone who goes to the dentist without a problem, can’t quite understand the fear that grips those of us who have dental phobia. We KNOW about the repercussions but to someone who would rather deal with agony, then have an uncomfortable but painless checkup, repercussions are often forgotten about in a wave of fear and nausea.
However, it is vital to go for that checkup. I’ve learnt that sauntering out of the dentist after an appointment, knowing you’ve addressed a problem and got through it, is one of the best natural highs ever.
Get a good recommendation, call and just go. I’ve found that the more you walk yourself into that clinic, the less the fear becomes.
Good luck (and apologies for the novel of an answer…)
Your Teeth… Ignore them and they will go away.
I haven’t been to the dentist in like 6 or more years, I don’t like doctors either. I refuse to see a male doctor usually, unless he is like a fill in doctor or the one I’ve seen since I was a little kid I think hes a moron but hes local and I can’t drive so getting someone to take me out of town whenever I get sick is not usually an option unless my doctor can’t see me. I also write on all my doctor forms when I’m going to see a new doctor I am deathly afraid of needles and refuse to do blood samples. Most of them think its funny, one even offered to give me sedation drugs which I doubt would take care of me, because I had them once and I was still scared during a procedure because the idiots stuck a cloth arround my face so I couldn’t see, to keep me from freaking out and I was still uncomfortable because I was uncomfortable not seeing what was happening.
I know I have many cavities some teeth I’m sure they would have to pull because there all rotten, and that scares me even worse to see a dentist because I’m not cool with that. The last time I had a cavities filled I told the dentist that he was not allowed to prick me with a tiny needle and numb the area even and he said if I felt discomfort raise my hand to stop for a second they still charged me for the numbing even though he didn’t at all. I think the local dentist wants to dig in your pocketbook I just get this feeling like he doesn’t care at all.
I just run away from my fears and they always usually get worse. So maybe I should face them but I’m not ready to.
I too have dental phobia because of a ruthless dentist – as a child, he scared me almost to death, and extracted a back tooth, without numbing it first!
Fast forward – - years later as an adult, I went to “Dr. Irish” ,( his real name ) I expressed to him that I would rather have a baby than have my teeth worked on! He said, “Well make up your mind so I can ajust the chair!” Humor – - I knew I had found the right man to work on my teeth!!!
When I was young I wasnt afarid of dentists.
However one day I went to a local hospital for regular check up and was told 2 teeth needed removal.
I got the usual injection and was numb after that. When the doctor start doing his thing, I protested. I told him he got the wrong part.
He ignored me and went ahead and pulled not 1 but 2 good teeth.
It hurts like hell because that part no injection was given.
Today I am still frigthened but I told myself you just got to bear with it and trust him. There is nothing much we can do but trust that doc will gets thing right.
Laying down feeling hopeless, I know how anyone else feel but we just got to trust him.
You have no choice, somebody got to get them right for you.
There are dentist now that can put you to sleep
you can take a natural relaxer (moon drops herb)
for the time spent at the dentist
I know the dentist can have a phobia effect of this.
take ther time now to ask people, go to different
offices.
Dentist do help people. the better your teeth look and feel the better your health is overall
Myself, living and growing when I was young in a very rural area of the county, the dentist we had was a vet for animals. Best dentist i have ever had
this doctor knew about things that would help animals and it goes for the two legs kind
Talk to a vet and ask what they use to calm the animals down with.
Good luck on the quest,
Can I relate!!! I spent my childhood in dentists’ chairs – sometimes being anesthetize, sometimes numbed, sometimes nothing – depending upon the dentist we could afford.
I have horrible teeth and had to have multiple teeth pulled in multiple sessions when I was 6/7 yrs old. I went to a small local medical center, was put under and had them yanked. Nasty pain and after affects.
Through the years, I’ve gone only when I had a problem w/a tooth. Then started going regularly when I had children to be a role model – ugh!! The dentist was nice enough, but had the touch of the Butcher of Seville.
I finally got a referral from a friend who said her dentist was nice, gentle, and wouldn’t hurt me.
I scheduled an appointment, got a cleaning, and lived thru it. He was actually quite good, but I was still scared about the next visit. When he offered a very mild prescription for Valium, I jumped at the chance.
I don’t take meds for anything else, but even to get me to a cleaning, I have to take 1/2 a pill. Psychological or real??? I don’t care – just give me the pill and I’m ok. I actually sat thru root canal and didn’t bite off his arm.
Am I still scared of the dentist – you bet!!! Do I go regularly, yep – but with help.
One time I had to have a tooth pulled, and was given a strong sedative. When I woke up I was crying. I thought for sure the dentist must have injured my jaw somehow.
Years later I recounted this experience to a new dentist. He asked what kind of anesthesia I’d been given, and then told me that crying was a common reaction to that drug. He said that dental students were sometimes given that drug just to demonstrate its effects, and that some of them did wake up crying even though no procedure at all had been done.
When it came time for our young daughter to have a couple of teeth pulled, we could hear another kid crying in a treatment room. I had told our daughter about the drug and the possibility of crying. When she did wake up crying afterward, we reminded her that it was just an effect of the drug, that she was really OK, and it would wear off. She was able to handle that much better than I had way back when.
There are dentists who specialize in treating patients with anxieties like yours. A bit of research should help you find a dentist in your area who will be sensitive to helping you. Best wishes.
I am scared to death of going to the dentist myself. the dentist I went to before was not professional, I have to have antibiotics before any dental procedures because of a heart mummer. My primary care doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics because he knew I was having dental work done, so when I went to the dentist he said my doctor did not know how to prescribe my medication. I was so upset I told him just let me out of the chair, and I left. Then filed a complaint against him. Plus he would not do a cleaning on my teeth only claimed I could get a deep cleaning which cost way more than a normal cleaning.
I found a new dentist which knows I am scared of dentist to begin with. She is great and gently, kind and understanding. My advise is to talk with friends and family to find a good dentist. Or look for dentist that advertise they are gentle. It is a hit or miss to find the right dentist or oral surgeon but once you find them you are more likely to go and feel comfortable with them. I now have no problem going to my dentist
or oral surgeon.
I used to have it, but not THAT bad. I had 5 of my teeth pulled out, and when the dental hygienist guy gave me a mirror I freaked.
Well now it sucks for me – I have braces AND tooth decay o_O.
The dentist is always nagging me when my braces are gonna be out of my mouth so he can fix my teeth (ouch).
Now I’m scared to death >.< It hurt when he cleaned my teeth last time WITH pain killers. I can’t imagine when he actually starts some real work on my teeth. I’m gonna need like 30 pain killer needles and laughing gas.
o i hate the dentists, sticking very uncomfortable tabs in your mouth that almost makes u choke.
The first thing I tell any dentist when I visit, “We aren’t gonna hurt each other are we?” It’s fun to flinch when they are working on my teeth. It amazes me still, how fast a dentist can scoot across the room on that wheeled stool thing, or duck a punch.
If I make through the treatment, then why won’t the SOB let me drive his Mercedes if I just made several payments for him?
Good lord, this freaks me out. I had HORRIBLE dentophobia from birth to about age 10-12ish.
i never visited a dentist until 2nd grade, so i was 8. i would be in school and start thinking about it and start shaking and crying, and would have nightmares about it and shit like that. oh my god, the memories are horrible. my first dental visit was HELL, they scraped my teeth so much and it hurt really bad, they pressed their nails into my gums and my teeth were bleeding so much. it makes me cry just thinking about it.
after maybe 5 visits i wasn’t really scared anymore- apprehensive but not shaking and crying.
i got braces put on and taken off. having them taken off hurt like hell, i thought i was going to die. it felt like my teeth were literally being ripped out. and they didn’t care.
i haven’t been to a dentist in quite some time, not since i was like 13. i’m 16 now. so that’s 3 years.
i went to a kiddy dentist until that time.
now i’ve been referred to an adult one, and i’m not looking forward to that. i’m freaked out.
sue the office that wouldn’t knock you out.
I used to be very,very much afraid of the dentist too. I had a bad experience once just as you did. I went for over ten years without a trip to the dentist. Finally, a filling came out and caused me such pain that I could no longer avoid the dentist. I asked several people which dentist they used and I also looked in the yellow pages. I finally settled on one based on the opinion of the teenage daughter of a friend. Then,and I think this is important, I immediately told the dental assistant that I was very, very nervous and scared. I also told the dentist that I was very scared. They were so nice and so understanding. They told me and convinced me that I was not the most scared person they had seen. They took great pains to be kind and to keep the tools and syringes out of my line of vision. I ended up having a series of procedures and I feel that I’ve overcome my fear. I really think admitting my irrational fear to everyone in the entire dentist office helped. Don’t be ashamed. Be sincere and tell the dentist that you’re scared. Talk to people and get the names of their dentist. Do this soon. Healthy teeth and gums make a world of difference. Good Luck!
I’ve had to have 4 permanent teeth pulled and my wisdom teeth yanked, but I’m completely cool with the dentist. I haven’t had a cavity in quite some time. As a matter of fact, I have a dentist appt. tomorrow, but I’m probably going to cancel it because I’ve been sick all weekend and I’m not getting much better.
For me, it’s usually just routine checkups. They don’t really bother me.
It helps me to know that I am not alone. I am so ashamed of how long it is since I have been to the dentist I will not even mention numbers. I am terrified to go again. Every time I’ve gone to the dentist I have been belittled and ridiculed both for my fear and for freaking out during procedures.
I had to have a root canal when I was young. I remember my sister took me to the appointment. I don’t remember much about the procedure but I remember my sister telling me that I cleared the waiting room because I screamed the entire time. I don’t even remember screaming.
For awhile I did not go because of lack of insurance. Now, I’m just so embarrassed and scared. I don’t want the staff at the office to talk about me behind my back I just know they would talk about how messed up my grill is and pics would probably get passed around. Never mind the paralyzing fear that I harbor. I wish I knew how to cope with it but I just haven’t found a way. lol I guess they will have to knock me out for serious and carry me into the office!
Dental phobia is real and fairly common. In fact, I would say it’s the primary reason my business exists. We have an internal screening process before a dentist comes on, and then we monitor feedback from every patient we send to the practice so that people who are afraid have a good chance of having a better experience at the dentist.
Most people don’t know how to find a dentist or how to tell what their clinical skills are. And many people have been traumatized, often as a child when the impression is even stronger. Finding someone who loves their dentist is helpful, but not a lot of people feel that way about their dentist, and a whole lot of people don’t have a dentist at all.
I think it’s really important to find a dentist that you love. Seriously, if you trust the dentist and feel comfortable going to the office, you will go regularly, which is the most important way to take care of your teeth.
We strive to be the best way to find dentists who people will love. And I personally would like to hear about any dentist anyone thinks is someone we SHOULDN’T be recommending. We want to be that kind of forum for people.
Going to the dentist isn’t fun, generally, but with modern technology and the right dentist, it can go a lot better.
I hate the F****** dentist, because they keep making me have things done that I do not need and every time they do this they make more and more money.
For evey filling every tooth they pull out, the more and more cash they can line there pockets with.
I live in the UK and over here it has been a national scandal for years.
i’ve just turned 14 and because of the dentist I lost my best friend.
He got braces and he started to go really strange and morbid and tryed to blame me.
I used to ring him every day to see if he was alright and he would keep on saying “why are hurting me?” and things like that.
My orthodontist is a nice person and so is my hygienist, but this doesn’t stop me from dreading every dentist visit. Right now, I’m sure I have at least three cavities, at least one requiring a root canal. I’m afraid to tell anyone, because I can’t deal with any kind of pain from the dentist. It almost always hurts. Laying in that dentist’s chair is one of the worst things ever. I know the feeling is necessary, but that doesn’t stop the sensation of being trapped. If someone or something is hurting me, the instinct is to get away and make it stop. But I have to lay there quietly and let someone else hurt me. I also (according to some people) have control issues, where I can’t stand the feeling of being controlled or someone having power over me. Maybe this is a factor. The tooth right beside my right canine hurts so much. I used a mirror and saw that there is a cavity there. I can’t drink anything without putting my tongue in front of it because the pain brings tears to my eyes. And yet somehow I cannot bring myself to make an appointment for the dentist. I know that’s illogical, but I can’t explain it.
Hi Richard,
I understand completely, I’ve suffered from dental phobia for years.
My solution is twofold: find a good dentist that you trust. They’re out there, you can find one through friends, there’s also a site called dr. oogle that you can look up dentist ratings on.
Sedation is the way to go. My dentist gave me a prescription for valium yesterday for work I’m having done next week. You will feel relaxed and not at all anxious.
Good luck, and please go to the dentist. I handed over a check for $3,000 yesterday because my teeth need so much work. That isn’t the total, either!
Do it yourself.
OR
Remove your teeth.