• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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Please complete the survey!!

Name:
Age: 19
Location: USA

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
6.5 now ...but it used to be more like an 8

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? yes_____________________
Noise? double yes____________________
Other: invasion of personal space by strangers and lack of control__________________

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
Well it all started with the first appointment in which we were nearly thrown out of the office because something happened that upset me and I refused to cooperate....I was about 2 or 3 then and don't remember it all too well but my mom has told me that it was not a positive experience for anybody involved and I was a pretty easy going kid most days so that says a lot! lol

The only other negative experience which I can actually remember happened when I was about 6 (I believe?) and I was having a tooth filled and I remember the injection was really painful and then at some point I started choking on something or needed to cough and couldn't breath and I tried to sit up to clear my throat while a bunch of equipment was still in my mouth and I was pushed back down into the reclining position and felt totally out of control and like I was suffocating... then the dentist patronized me thinking I was scared and trying to get away from him and in reality I just couldn't breathe but he wasn't all that tuned in to me I guess.... it was definitely a semi-traumatic experience!

4) How often do you visit your dentist?
every 6 months at least unless other work needs to be done before then...

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
I tried but my mother (thankfully) never let me...I did play sick to get out of an appt or two though in the past...

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? prevention or pain

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation - no
b) general anaesthetic - yes for my wisdom teeth that or it was the IV Sedation I'm not sure which one...an IV was involved though...wish all dental work could be done that way!
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air) - nitrous oxide when I was 4 so I could have 4 extractions and I only remember the mask being over my face and it smelling like cherries ???
d) Hypnosis - no
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)
other....self soothing techniques and focusing on breathing helps as well as music playing in the office and investing in a stress ball! =)

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? yes

Many thanks for taking the time to complete the survey!
 
Please complete the survey!!
Hello, I am a student completing a research project and my chosen topic is dental phobia. I would like to accumulate a broad range of opinions and thoughts about the dentist, so please complete the survey below. Many thanks for your time!

Name:
Age: 39
Location: Virginia

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.

Definately a 10.

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? Not really.
Noise? Not really.
Other: Fear of feeling pain, choking, I don't like the water put in my mouth, I dont like the feeling of being laid down flat, etc.

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
I haven't personally, but other family member have.

4) How often do you visit your dentist?
Very rarely, until here recently.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
Yes, and still do.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment?
I need dental work done.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation -No.
b) general anaesthetic -No.
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air)-No.
d) Hypnosis-No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)
other....No.

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Yes, it's the worse fear I have ever had, I'd rather give birth, have my skin ripped off my bones, have my eye-lids sewn shut, anything other than having dental procedures.

Many thanks for taking the time to complete the survey!:)
 
Hello, I am a student completing a research project and my chosen topic is dental phobia. I would like to accumulate a broad range of opinions and thoughts about the dentist, so please complete the survey below. Many thanks for your time!

Name:
Age:30
Location: uk

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. 10

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? ____makes me feel sick_________________
Noise?___worries me a little_________________
Other: ____the waiting to go in______________

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......

4) How often do you visit your dentist? every 6 months now

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? yes

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? if in pain

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation
b) general anaesthetic
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air)
d) Hypnosis
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)
other.... most of the dentists where i live only give numbing injections

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? yes very

Many thanks for taking the time to complete the survey!:)
hope this helps your study
 
Name:
Age: 37
Location: US, California

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. 6-10 depending

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? _____________________ Smell of the gloves and tissues when certain procedures are being done.
Noise?____________________Sound when an extraction is being done.
Other: __________________When the Dentist is impatient or seems annoyed.

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......Yes I had a Dentist extract a tooth when I was not completely numb and yell at me during this procedure.

4) How often do you visit your dentist? As rare as possible

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? Yes

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? Normally for pain management.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation NO
b) general anaesthetic NO
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air) YES but had issues with it
d) Hypnosis NO
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc) YES
other....

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? Yes
 
Age)30
Location(US

1)I would rate my fear of the dentist a 9.

2)I dislike the smell all of the noises...and the actuall walk to the chair scares the dickens out of me.Also the fear of the un-known.

3)No

4)Hardly ever...only when it hurts bad enough(even then it has to hurt really bad)

5)Yes...all my life really.

6)because of pain that won't go away.

7)No I haven't tried any of those things....Just the local numbing of the area allways.

8)I do consider dental phobia to be serious....but it is possiable to deal with it and do what needs to be done.
 
Name:
Age: 22
Location: London, England

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. 8

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? _____________________No, I quite like the smell (my dentist's surgery smells of spearmint).
Noise?____________________Ugh, yes. Especially the drill and hoover.
Other: __________________Any of the implements that squirt water into your mouth/the tooth moulds and having to keep my mouth open and head back for a long period of time.

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate...... The dentist I had when I was a child told me I could never have my front top teeth fixed. Filing them would simply cause them to grow back, curing my overbite would require extensive jaw surgery, and she once performed a deep filling without bothering to sedate me.

4) How often do you visit your dentist? As little as possible. Though now I've had a dental abscess I've decided I need to see my dentist as often as possible, and am booked for a hygienist appointment every 3-4 months.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? Yes.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? Pain/fear that lack of treatment will be worse than treatment.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation - Unsure (does this cover the numbing injections, as they are all I've had).
b) general anaesthetic - No.
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air) - No.
d) Hypnosis - No.
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc) - No.
other....

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? When it affects the health (mentally or otherwise) of someone, any phobia is a serious condition. I believe dental phobia is as serious as a fear of doctors or hospitals, as it prevents treatment.
 
Name: Geraint
Age: 34
Location: Leicester, England

1) How would you rate your dislike of visiting the dentist on a scalle of 1 - 10 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. 5

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell - no does not really bother me.
Noise? Yes i hate the sound of the drill I find the noise really unnerving
Other - I dont like being able to see the instruments

3) Have you ever had abad experience at the dentist- Yes as a child my dentist attempted to drill my teeth with out offering me an injection - i started crying and refused to let him treat me - this started my dental phobia.

4) How often do you visit your dentist. - Every six months for check ups with a scale and polish every three months.

5) Have you ever ignored dental health because of fear. Yes

6) Why would you book a dental appointment - for a check up, pain not wanting my dental problem to get worse.

7) Have you ever tried the following approaches:
a) Intravenious sedation - No
b)General anaesthetic - No
c) Inhaled sedation (gas and air) - No
d) Hypnosis - No
e) Distraction Techniqes - Yes I always take a cd walkman/ mp3 player with me with a relaxation cd if I need any drilling done.

8) Do you conside dental phobia a serious condition? Yes it prevents people from caring for their teeth and can cause a other health problems , particularly if people do not go to a doctor because of the state of their teeth.
 
Name: FinnishGirl
Age:18
Location: Finland

1) used to be around 7, now 1-2

2) Smell is just a reminder. My problems were: seeing instruments, having injections, pain, panicing during a procedure so that the dentist would have to stop and I would go home with something half done, behaving like a kid so others think I'm silly, giving a bad picture about Christians so that the dentist would think Jesus can't help me, having to make a sensible decision in a less rational state of mind, taking a lot of time so other people's appointments would be delayed

3) Not really. When I was 17 and already anxious about medical procedures in general, the news about a possible wisdom tooth operation made me cry and say oh no. Then the dentist said maybe she wouldn't send me to oral surgeon after all, maybe the op wouldn't be necessary. I felt I can't even cry if I want an important procedure to be done, I'll have to be perfect or suffer from untreated problems. That's the only negative experience I've had, and I had my dental anxiety years before that.

4) Every two years, the city is saving money...

5) No. I want to be healthy, I hope I'll never be too scared to have the necessary stuff done.

6) Check-ups and problems between them.

7) Oral Valium is the best thing since sliced bread (or maybe it was invented before sliced bread, how should I know? :giggle:). Haven't had anything stronger. Does closing my eyes during treatment qualify for a distraction technique?

8) It can be, depends on the intensity of the fear. Not necessarily, not for all who say they are afraid of the dentist, but for some certainly. I never thought as my fear as serious condition.
 
Hello, I am a student completing a research project and my chosen topic is dental phobia. I would like to accumulate a broad range of opinions and thoughts about the dentist, so please complete the survey below. Many thanks for your time!

Name: Cathy
Age:41
Location: Connecticut

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. ***10***

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? __X___________________
Noise?__X_______________
Other: ___PAIN_______________

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......A shot of novocaine that felt like fire running through my nose and up to my brain!

4) How often do you visit your dentist? Only when I really need to.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? Yes, many times.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? Just to fix something that was really bothering me, and that I couldn't cure myself.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation-Sadly they don't offer this.
b) general anaesthetic---I hate General Anesthesia
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air)No
d) Hypnosis-No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)-I tried watching TV...
other....HALCION...

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? Well, I think of it as something I am not alone in how I feel.

Many thanks for taking the time to complete the survey!
 
8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?

Absolutely. It inhibits regular/normal social function. It inhibits sleep. it destroys self confidence. The fear is so paralyzing that it takes over all rational thought. Finally, since poor oral health/hygiene have been linked to other ailments, such as heart problems, the inability to bring oneself to visit a dentist can have serious and irreversible physical consequences.

I experience this kind of stuff all the time! Now I know what is wrong with me! :scared: Oh boy, am I ever messed up . . .
 
Name: Cat
Age:23
Location: Malaysia

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
Well i would say about 2-3 used to be a 6 or 7 though

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? Well when i was young i really hated the smell but nowadays i realised most of the dental clinic do not have the 'smell' anymore
Noise? The sound of the ultrasonic scaling equipment is kinda iritating but i'm still allright with it.
Other: __________________

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
Yeah when i was in primary schools we used to have school dentist/nurses and we were practically forced to visit them every 6 months or so I hated then as they were not very friendly and very rough ppl.

4) How often do you visit your dentist?
Now i try to make it a point to go every 4-6 months.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
yeah i actually did and realised that it was really not the SMARTEST thing to
do Trust me

6) Why would you book a dental appointment?
For my regular checkups

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation: nope
b) general anaesthetic: nope
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air): nope
d) Hypnosis: nope
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc): nope
other....

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Yep actually i do but i believe that it can be overcomed :)
 
Name: Kat
Age: 32
Location: Virginia, USA(formerly UK)

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. Used to be a big fat 10, now maybe a 4-5

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? Yes
Noise? Yes
Other: Seeing the various instruments and a feeling of helplessness

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
My mum said the first time she took me to see a dentist, he was very rough with me. I was only two or three years old at the time and don't remember, but I guess it has left a long lasting impression because I have been scared of the dentist for as long as I can remember.

Also had treatment done without being completely numb, which does not help to overcome one's fear!


4) How often do you visit your dentist?
In the past I only made an appointment when there was a problem, but I promised myself I will go regularly from now on.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
Yes. Had an abscessed tooth last November and was in excruciating pain for days before my husband finally convinced me to go and see a dentist.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? In the past only if and when there was pain.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation No
b) general anaesthetic Yes
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air) Yes
d) Hypnosis No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)No
other....

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Definitely! I agree with one of the previous posters(can't remember who it was now) - nobody can really understand how bad and debilitating dental phobia is unless they have experienced it themselves. Just the thought of booking an appointment used to reduce me to tears.
 
Name: Deborah
Age: 19
Location: New York

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
Now it's around 4-5 but used to be 10. I would have panic attacks if there was even a dental commercial on TV. (Which is ironic because there was one on as I was typing that!)

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
The smell for one thing. Seeing all of the instruments (whether they're used on me or not).

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
My dentist from when I was very young was an unplesant man who specialized in WORKING with children. He was just a nasty person and didn't listen to me when I told him my tooth was loose and hurt when he was cleaning it.

4) How often do you visit your dentist?
Every six months like I'm supposed to

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
For eight years of my life, yes!

6) Why would you book a dental appointment?
For my regular appointments and especially if I'm in pain and want to find out what's going on.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.
a) Intravenous sedation: No
b) General anaesthetic: No
c) Inhaled sedation (gas and air): I use it practically every time. I LOVE it
d) Hypnosis: No, but that sounds interesting!
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc): The two times that I didn't have laughing gas I've tried that.

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Definitely and I really wish more dentists were understanding when it comes to this phobia. Hopefully with help from sites like this and more paitent and understanding dentists this can be overcome by all!
 
NAME: Jen
AGE: 44
LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois, USA
1) HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR DISLIKE OF THE DENTIST?
9 1/2
2) WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT VISITING THE DENTIST?
Fear of painful procedures, invading my "personal space", the examination, the instruments, the taking of X-Rays
3) HAVE YOU EVER HAD A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE AT THE DENTIST, WHICH HAS LEFT A LASTING NEGATIVE INPRESSION? IF SO, PLEASE ELABORATE.....
Yes. When I 21, I had an impacted and infected left lower wisdom tooth. I went to the dentist who said it needed to be extracted. I asked for IV sedation (I had no dental insurance at the time, only a credit card with a small credit limit). She said no, it would cost too much and she could have the tooth out in a matter of minutes right there at the office. Being in SO much pain, I agreed.
I freaked out when I received my injection of the local. I saw the needle and I don't think she numbed up my gum beforehand. IT WAS painful. She started to pull out the tooth. I motioned that I was FEELING pain. She gave me another shot of the local. She started again, I again motioned that I STILL was feeling pain. This is when the dentist told me to STOP BEING SUCH A BIG BABY!!! She told me she had ALL four wisdom teeth pulled out at the same time with just a local anaesthetic and SHE WAS just fine. She yelled at me during the entire procedure!!
I never went back to the dentist until this year (23 years later)
4) HOW OFTEN YOU VISIT YOUR DENTIST?
I just started going to a dentist who specializes in treating phobic patients so I can't answer that question yet.
5) HAVE YOU EVER IGNORED YOUR DENTAL HEALTH DUE TO FEAR OF THE DENTIST?
Yes, for 23 years. There have been times I could not sleep for 3 days because of a HORRENDOUS toothache, yet I would NOT go to the dentist.
6) WHY WOULD YOU BOOK A DENTAL APPOINTMENT?
I can't answer that at the moment, I'm just starting down the road of dental phobia recovery.
7) HAVE YOU EVER TRIED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING DURING DENTAL TREATMENT?
a) IV SEDATION I have had IV sedation for a medical procedure
b) GENERAL ANAESTHETIC no
c) INHALED SEDATION no
d) HYPNOSIS no
e) DISTRACTION TECHNIQUE no
8) DO YOU CONSIDER DENTAL PHOBIA A SERIOUS CONDITION?
Absolutely!! Your dental health is as important as your physical health.
 
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I freaked out when I received my injection of the local. I saw the needle and I don't think she numbed up my gum beforehand. IT WAS painful. She started to pull out the tooth. I motioned that I was FEELING pain. She gave me another shot of the local. She started again, I again motioned that I STILL was feeling pain. This is when the dentist told me to STOP BEING SUCH A BIG BABY!!! She told me she had ALL four wisdom teeth pulled out at the same time with just a local anaesthetic and SHE WAS just fine. She yelled at me during the entire procedure!!
I never went back to the dentist until this year (23 years later)

What a complete bitch :devilish:! If you know her name and she is still practising why not put a negative review on DrOgle for her..might make you feel better?
 
Hi, brit,
Thanks!! I sent you a PM about this. Didn't want to clog up the survey space.
Take care,
Jen
 
Name: Amanda
Age: 18
Location: Massachusetts

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
About an 8 or 9

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
The smell, the vision of that chair!! The expected pain...

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
I remember going when I was about 7..I dont remember it being a bad experience, but after that I just remember hearing horror stories of the dentist, and never wanted to go back.
4) How often do you visit your dentist?
Havent seen one in 10 years. :censored::whistle:

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
Yes!

6) Why would you book a dental appointment?
I guess for the reason that I want to be able to smile in a photo and not have an ugly snaggletooth in it, and I also want my gums and teeth to be healthy and not have to worry if Im going to have swollen gums, or a toothache on a special day.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.
a) Intravenous sedation: No
b) General anaesthetic: No
c) Inhaled sedation (gas and air): No, although this seems good!
d) Hypnosis: No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc): I dont think that would work on me haha

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Oh yea! Just like fear of the dark, spiders, and heights, this is a VERY common fear...
 
Name: JD (for Jennifer Michelle D...;))
Age: 18
Location: Germany

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear. !0!!!!! It's my worst fear!

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? Yes
Noise? Yes, even more so
Other: Being reprimanded all the time, the pain.

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? My dental surgery at age 10 and a cavity that was filled without a shot at 9 (well, I refused the shot but they clearly saw that i was in pain)

4) How often do you visit your dentist? Haven't seen on in 8 years!

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? Yes!!!

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? Because my teeth and gums are slowly rotting in my mouth and i'm just freaking scared:cry:

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation- no
b) general anaesthetic- no, the shot scared me
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air)- no
d) Hypnosis- no, but i could imagine trying that
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)- yes, didn't work
other....

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition? Absolutely!!!! Right now it's ruling my life
 
Name: Tusker
Age: 48
Location: UK

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
3. I would have rated myself higher before reading what other posters are going through; I think I've got off lightly.

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? No
Noise? Yes
Other: Expectation of imminent agony; having to trust someone I don't know; feelings of inadequacy

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
As a child I was taken for 6 monthly checkups; I'd lie awake at night for months beforehand counting down the days, anticipating the worst. The ever-looming appointment cast a constant shadow over my childhood; any moments of happiness were marred by its increasing imminence.
Fillings without LA were the norm, and excrutiating. On one occasion, I couldn't take the pain, and snatched the dentist's hand out of my mouth with the drill still going (I was lucky not cause myself an injury) - got a good yelling at from the sadist in the white coat for that.
After I was 10, I used to be sent to the appointments on my own, and I remember wandering round the streets sobbing in fear before going in. If I chickened out I'd have got a beating when I got home, and taken back anyway. Some of the roads were busy, and I hated myself for not having the courage to jump in front of a passing lorry. Wherever I turned it seemed I was always going to be a victim of my own cowardice - there was no escape.
Being an adult meant I could decide for myself whether to endure this torture. I chose not to.

4) How often do you visit your dentist?
Just recently started, after 30 years, when a back tooth broke.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist?
Yes, I used to tell myself dentists just make things worse. I thought if I was ever in severe pain, I'd have to go - but I hoped I'd get through life without reaching that stage.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment?
When my tooth broke I had a 'now or never' moment; fed up and furious with myself for constantly living in fear I made a booking (in a weird way it was almost a relief).
I was surprised how little I actually cared when it came to the crunch; mainly due to my overriding anger with myself. It seems I wasn't as 'phobic' as I'd thought I was (probably not really 'phobic' at all as it turned out).

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.
a) Intravenous sedation Yes
b) general anaesthetic Yes - as a child
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air) No
d) Hypnosis No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc) Yes, music with IV
other.... staying up late and getting up early the night before, as I thought being tired would enhance the effect of IV (it was a better experience, but whether the tiredness helped I'm not sure).

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Yes, it's extremely debilitating for those whose lives are blighted by it - phobics are in an intensely miserable position; but I think I'm 'anxious' rather than 'phobic'.
I now know I can endure as an adult what was unbearable to me as a child.
 
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Name: Cat
Age: 17
Location: Connecticut

1) How would you rate your dislike of the dentist on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being minimal and 10 being absolute fear.
For a cleaning- 3-4
For fillings and stuff- 6-7
For surgery (main example- Wisdom Teeth)- 10+

2) What do you dislike about visiting the dentist?
Smell? Yes, but I can get over that fairly easily
Noise? Oh yes. I've heard people screaming and such, uhm... scary much?
Other: I hate seeing all the instruments when I first get in the room, I hate seeing the dentist hovering over me, I hate hands in my mouth (though, that's entirely unavoidable at the dentist), I hate the vibrations that come with drilling and stuff.

3) Have you ever had a bad experience at the dentist which has left a lasting negative impression? If so, please elaborate......
Once, when I was about 7 or 8, I needed an anchor for braces and it didn't fit on my tooth, so I thought my dentist was going to take it off and expand it or something. Of course not, he pushed and pushed, shaving off tooth with each push, it eventually cracked in half, I was gagging because of blood running down my throat. I've had a really bad gag reflex since then, I have to go to the dentist on an empty stomach for fear of vomiting.

4) How often do you visit your dentist? Every 6 months, by force.

5) Have you ever ignored your dental health due to fear of the dentist? I would like to, but I still live with my parents.

6) Why would you book a dental appointment? Uhm. I don't know. Maybe pain, but that's questionable.

7) Have you ever tried any of the following approaches during dental treatment.

a) Intravenous sedation- Not for the dentist
b) general anaesthetic- No
c) inhaled sedation (gas and air)- Yep
d) Hypnosis- No
e) Distraction techniqes (music, pictures etc)- I'm trying music for my wisdom teeth surgery
other....- Oral Sedative, Friend holding my hand, dehydrating myself for a day so that I can't cry and get yelled at in the chair.

8) Do you consider dental phobia a serious condition?
Oh yes. It controls my life. I've been freaking out since I found out I needed my surgery, and it's not until the 24th of November!
 
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