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Have I mentioned my fear of the dentist on here before?

Well, if I haven't, let me tell you! I am terrified of the dentist. It scares me so badly to have to go... I work myself up into a small panic attack almost each and every time I go. Why then do I go? Well, if I don't go and get a regular check up there is a greater possibility of BIG dental work later on (read: crowns, root canals, etc).

Where does my fear stem from? Well, when I was three years old I "flipped" a Play-School Tricycle and chipped my two front teeth. Not too big of a deal until the following day when I was pushing My Buddy in on a swing and it came back and hit me in the mouth and proceeded to chip the teeth even further (OUCH!). My first memory is of sitting in the dentist's chair crying and asking for my dad (they wouldn't let him come back); once they did let him back(I didn't stop crying until they did) I have this memory of them trying to put on the gas mask and me just fighting it.

Don't worry -- my adult teeth came in just fine. But with a bad start at the dentist followed by much work on my teeth (I had a pretty bad overbite as a child; needed baby teeth pulled so I could get braces in 2nd grade; and have a small mouth so I have had not just my 4 wisdom teeth but 4 additional teeth pulled, too) I just don't well in that chair.

Anyway -- in July my new dentist gave me some bad news. I had a couple of cavities. Enter my freak out session... tears and sobs and all... in front of this poor man who had no idea what to do. I tried to explain to my new dentist my history... in between sobs. So you know how that went.

Well, he seemed to get the gist of it and prescribed to me a sedative.

I am sure you are thinking, "Sedative? for a filling? are you kidding me?"

But trust me -- I need it for a filling! And I have to say -- it made for the second best dentistry experience of my life. (the first being my wisdom teeth being pulled where they knocked me out and I remember anything).

So, if you are like me and a little terrified of the dentist... go get your teeth cleaned often. And if you do need work done -- consider a sedative. I have used it and am now a fan. I was still nervous, but my body just didn't respond in the same way. I was able to stay calm. It was amazing.

Are you afraid of the dentist? What is your fear?