What causes fear of Dentistry?

Question

Why is it so common that it is now recognised as a phobia?

Well thank you so far for all your answers, it is nice to that it is not just me that is afraid. Alot of you have hit the nail on the head by answering that it is due to a bad experience, mine being that I had a very ancient Dentist when I was 18, he was drilling away at my teeth when he slipped and drilled into my gum. Luckily my girlfriend was there to stop me as I was about to punch him. Since then I have been petrified of Dentists. I am going again now after several years of neglect (which has shown on my teeth), but yesterday I had an ordeal with a tooth extraction (not the Dentists fault) and all that fear came back to me. Gotta go back in 2 weeks for another extraction attempt. :-(

P.S. So many good answers, it is gunna be tough picking the best.

Answer 1

Dentists

Answer 2

My fear comes from this -
As a kid I had a wonderful, friendly dentist, never felt a thing, bright posters all over the room, radio one in the background, extra numbing if needed....BUT as soon as I hit 18, dentists seemed to think I could suddenly handle pain (after being so mollycoddled), and started to drill when I could still feel it, and try to drill a rotten, painfully absessed &infected tooth with no numbing at all, a barbarian russian dentist saying my teeth were covered in rubbish and were disgusting...I have recently been to a new dentist and he says I need 5 extractions. I have been given valium to take just so I can get in the room and on the chair. Whether I will or not, i dont know. I also have OCD, so I obsess about needles and gums and stuff, it certainly hasnt helped.
Ive signed on as a private patient even though Im entitled to NHS, as I found NHS dentists to be too barbaric (for me anyway) and as a private patient, I can at least dictate what I want done, how and when.

Answer 3

Have you ever been to the dentist? I rate it along with a visit to the hairdresser. Once they've started there's no escape! I don't know what is worse, going for a check up and not knowing that you may need fillings (or worse), or going for the treatment. My husband and 2 children have perfect teeth. I, on the other hand had dreadful treatment when I was younger and am now terrified of any dentist, although I still endure regular check ups. I was determined my children wouldn't have my fears and have been almost fanatical about their dental hygiene (successfully, as it turned out). I have a lovely dentist, but I still shake in terror the moment I step in the room.

Answer 4

For me, its the pain. The pain killers don't numb the nerves so I have felt every drill and root canal. And lucky me, I was a sickly baby and the meds the Drs. gave me left little enamel on my teeth and some of my adult teeth came in with cavities. So, I feel all the procedures. Oh, and just to make it more fun, when the drugs wear off, I have to shake, vomit and cry. (I don't use drugs at the dentist any more, I just deal with the pain straight up). I can't use the "laugh-gas" stuff either, I quit breathing. But that's a whole other wisdom teeth extract story.

Answer 5

Getting a bad report! Being scolded for not brushing/flossing properly! for smoking and drinking coffee! Here is where I turned for some great information and a wonderfull product: http://www.oramd.com?kbid=2141
I had deep pockets, 9's, and they now are 2's and 3's and 1's. It had only been a little over two months of using this product. I am using NOTHING else. Also had a terrible gum infection which is now gone and I did not take antibiotics like I had to take 2 yers ago after which I got a yeast infection!!!! Anyway, if we thought we were going to be treated like the nice people that we are, rather than ORAL CRIMINALS, then we would not fear going to that place where Dentists rule!

Answer 6

Good question. I can not speak for the whole world, but I can tell you why I used to have a fear. I once had a dentist slap me, and then drill my tooth and put a cotton ball in the whole becase I did not have money for him to fix it. The pain was so unbearable I ended up in the ER!

After that I was terrified, to be smacked again, and to have that pain happen. I found a dentist who is very compassionate, and she made me confortable, then fixed my tooth. Now I am not afraid, and I go for checkups, as needed.

So: drills, money, fake dentists, pain,

Answer 7

I grew up seeing military dentists as my father was a 'lifer' in the US Army. Military dentists are BUTCHERS. I had one pull out ALL of my baby teeth since they weren't coming out on their own and my adult teeth were coming in behind them. There was no numbing gel, shots or drugs involved. A sergeant held me down and the dentist just started pulling. To this day, I'd rather find an El Salvadorean death squad in our perimeter than see a dentist. I strongly suspect people with the dental phobia also had at least one very bad experience, just as I did.

On the up side - this has led me to develop the most obsessive dental hygiene routine in the world. I've not seen a dentist in many, many years and my teeth are fine.

~Morg~

Answer 8

I am deathly afraid of the dentist. I have put it off so much that my teeth are in such bad shape. I have recently started going back and I cry each time, and I am 24 years old!
It is a tramatic thing for me. I do not deal with pain in my mouth, plus I have TMJ, where my jaw locks in place. I am always in sever pain after I go and it just kills me.
Everyone is different, and everyone has there different reasons why.

Answer 9

Embarrassment and pain.
In my life I had an orthodontist in Anaheim California that would embarrass me to no end. I would brush and brush and brush and when I would get in the chair he would say "Oh my,, could you brush your teeth for me?" I finally after 2 years of this at age 16 and on drugs confronted him. I am still not sure why I didn't attack him that day. After that I did not trust any dentist. I will not go unless the pain from my rotting tooth is greater then the pain and embarrassment from going to the dentist.

Answer 10

Usually a bad experience or fear of pain. Sometimes it is fear of the unknown if you haven't had treatment, sometimes its the smell that turns people stomachs.

Some phobias are contagious, usually an axious parent can pass their fears onto their child. Also, TV portays dentists as using huge needles and drills so everyone is scared in the scenes.

Also, have you ever had a needle up the front of your gum??? I had to have therapy after that one!