Are you afraid of the dentist?

[DustyBelle]

I fear the pain which happens before going, the dread of what will be done, shot to numb the area and the lasting ache. I also can't afford the dentist and the freee clinic isn't in to treating people with bad teeth and health issues which make dentistry dangerous as it is the state dental school.

 

Argh. Mouth hurts.

[littledangel]

Nope, nothing scary about them

My dentist is amazing he always jokes with me

[sara4cows]

I had braces when I was a teenager and when they took them off they never sealed my teeth so I have had 3 of the 4 teeth that my appliance took the enamel off from pulled.

 

I had a tooth pulled by a barbarian once. He didn't give me enough novocaine, kneeled on the side of the table next to my head to get leverage and the lower half of the right side of my face was severly bruised from it.

 

I don't fear dentist but I do tell them that I swing when I feel pain. I've had no problem getting enough novocaine since sharing this.

[Pippyspot]

I used to be scared of the dentist when I was a child, but in later years, I've found a really good dentist that takes care of any problems with a good experience

[Nauthiz]

I hope this doesn't count as posting in a dead topic, but... I recently experienced something that I thought some people here might be interested in reading. For those who aren't, the idea is: when your dentist asks you to figure out why something's happening to your teeth, don't trust the internet to help you (at least not if you're asking people on Reddit).

[rabbithaver]

I could not be more petrified of the dentist. Because of my anxiety I struggle with my dental hygiene so I'm used to getting pestered about brushing my teeth. It makes me super self-conscious, and I usually end up having panic attacks.

[Millie_Azure]

I hate the dentist, but I haven't always. When I was little, my dentist was a really nice old man, but when he retired, the dentist that took his place was... well... a lot of not nice names. I eventually just stopped going. It wasn't until nearly five years later that I finally forced myself to go again. Turns out, I definitely regretted not going for so long. All of my molars had surface decay in them. I actually kinda like my new dentist. They're super friendly and go out of their way to make sure I'm comfortable, but I still hate getting numbed and drilled!

[DragonKami]

Not normally, but I have a tiny cavity that doesn't even hurt and they must drill my teeth, Next wensday..

[Gsea]

I kinda like going to the dentist |D I get to just lie back and do nothing, and when it's over my teeth feel awesome and sparkly white~

I've had braces twice in my life, totaling up to 4 years, and I also had a permanent retainer for many years and now have a temporary one. Oh, and I've had 9+ teeth pulled. My teeth didn't like to fall out naturally when I was younger. I am no stranger to the orthodontist's office, and I've endured quite a bit of tough love to my teeth & gums, so I'm definitely desensitized to having people prod at my mouth with various intimidating tools.

[Cottoncat]

Not usually afraid, but it does cause a lot of nervousness. Depends on the situation though, if it's just an usual check up, it's fine. But if it's about pulling teeth out or giving anesthesia, I get highly afraid. oAo

I actually have a an appointment with a dentist that is going to give me anesthesia with a syringe, since I apparently have a minor cavity in both of my back teeth.

[Marrionetta]

As long as it's not Steve Martin, no.

I literally only clicked on and read through this thread hoping beyond hope someone would have already made that reference.

[The Flash]

I dislike it. Hate it? Meh, depends.

[NyneHells]

I hate the dentist. I used to have a decent dentist for years, they knew me better and got their work done well. Then, my insurance screwed me, I had to change dentists. I ended up going to some new fancy dental group with a brand new location, high end equipment and doctors that knew my original dentist (who is no longer with us..).

 

They have messed up 6 fillings in my mouth already, and I am in more pain now than I have ever been. You betcha I'm afraid of the dentist.

[Wandering4Ever]

I actually really enjoy the dentist. Call me weird but I do. I dislike when they scrap the backs of my teeth, but otherwise nothing about them bothers me.

[Sundew]

It depends. I'm very afraid of losing or damaging my teeth. An illogical but anxiety-soothing solution is to simply avoid the dentist: if I don't go, they can't tell me what's wrong, right? Tooth health is more important to me than tooth anxiety, though. :3

 

I usually look forward to the biyearly appointments, since I often get anxious before then and worry about cavities and toothaches. Going to the dentist feels like a cure for all that, if a somewhat unpleasant one: if there is a problem, I know that progress will be made, so it's not just sitting in my mouth getting worse. If there isn't, yay! Safe for another six months.

 

Non-checkup appointments are a drag. I hate going to them, but that's simply because it's uncomfortable, not scary.

 

TL;DR: Having someone poke around my mouth can be unpleasant, but I'm far more afraid of rotting teeth than I am of someone who fixes that.

[Brotato]

I'm not afraid of the dentist. Know who I'd rather be afraid of?

 

 

The proctologist.

[Darien]

Nope I'm not afraid of the dentist...

[Hialeah]

I've only had check-ups, not any cavities at all! I love going to the dentist and getting check-ups, because afterwords I always feel so clean in my mouth.

[Thuban]

No. My teeth have never had enamel on account of how sick my mom was while trying to hide her pregnancy with me. I have never had a dentist appointment where I wasn't told something needed filled, a tooth needed a rot canal or something needed pulled.

 

I don't care for the dentist, but because my teeth have no enamel, I have no choice other than to submit to what needs done to keep me pain free.

 

On the other hand, dentists ARE afraid of me. I warn them on day one that they will be kept busy, and that I am impossible to keep numb.

[psyshock]

My mom used to be a dental assistant back when you didn't have to go to school to be one, and the first dentist my brother and I had was the one she used to work with. Needless to say, that provided an extremely comfortable setting when it came to our exposure to dentists from a young age, so I'm comfortable with going to the dentist and have been told multiple times as we have had to switch dentists that I make a good patient. I would say though that I am afraid of it depending on what the procedure being done is, but it's less about being afraid of the dentist and more so about being afraid about what is going to get done. For example, when I got my wisdom teeth removed this April I had some nervousness because that was technically my first surgery.

[blockEdragon]

i hate going to any doctor so.....

 

but the dentist wasn't so bad last time

they where a little brutal on my teeth and they hurt for a few days but it was ok

[Starscream]

I don't trust them. But I don't fear them.

 

[Jet Raptor]

Depends on what I'm going for. Last time I knew I had to get two fillings. They were the first cavities/fillings I've ever had to get so I had no idea what to expect. I don't know when I'm due to go again, but I'm already kinda apprehensive about it. I have four extra teeth, two of which have broken the surface. Last time I went only one had. They didn't really say much about them last time, except that I should consider removing them. If they're not doing anything, I'd rather not have them removed. =.=

[FlameWingzz]

Meh, it depends what I'm going there for.

If it's just a checkup, it's fine, but if it has anything to with braces, just NO.

[Ansela Jonla]

I'm not afraid of the dentist, but it is very uncomfortable for me. And not just because I'm scared of needles (I just take my glasses off before the needle is brought out, so I can't see it).

 

A small mouth, strong gag reflex, and resistance to the local anaesthetic they use does not make for easy fillings. My wisdom tooth removal last year had to be done under IV sedation for these reasons.