I had Hitler's dentist. One of them, anyway. The dentist of my youth seems to have been a Nazi; he was the right age and nationality so that I can't imagine how he stayed out of the Wehrmacht. And he had no patience with kids who expected Novocaine. Add to the mix that I liked anything sweet and hated to brush and you can imagine what my visits were like. It took years to get over the fear. I started by switching dentists, as soon as I was old enough to realize that I could. Then I started brushing religiously, and eventually wised up enough to start using dental floss. (If you don't floss once a day, the bacteria build castles around themselves that the best fluoride toothpaste in the world can't get to. Flossing breaks up the castles, brushing floats away the bacteria, and you don't get the cavities.) Other rules you can read other places, but here's one I haven't heard of anywhere else: Figure out how often you personally have to go. Just because your parents only took you once a year doesn't mean you should keep doing that. As it happens, I go every four months, so that when the dentist does have to drill, he doesn't even have to give an anesthetic. Memories of the childhood pain were so bad that for at least twenty years I had to fight to relax when I heard that whine of a dentist's drill, otherwise I'd be stiff as a board. (Expecting pain makes it worse.) Recently I realized that all those years of fighting to relax had finally taken effect and I just relaxed while he took out a little decay from around a filling. And if this is REALLY a phobia for you, the good news is that phobias are the easiest mental disorder to treat.

My daughter had a fear of the dentist and eventually we discovered that it was the sound of the instruments the dentist used that frightened her so much. When we bought her some earplugs the fear went away. It's worth a try!

There are numerous dentists out there that "mildy sedate" their patients these days. By being sedated, your fear will let up and you might not even care then what they have to do!!!! Bring someone close to you and somone that is supportive. Good luck in finding a dentist that sedates....I know they're everywhere GOOD LUCK :)

Do what I did. Find a dentist or two who can give absolutely 100% painless Novacaine injections. No matter what anyone, including dentists tell you, it is possible and not that big a deal.

Perhaps it's not possible to overcome some fears that we naturally experience regarding things we cannot change, we maybe able to work on being less anxious knowing it is something we have to go through ,other examples , if we have to have an operation it's only natural to feel scared and anxious aout the procedure even with the knowledge that this should improve our health , so too with the dentist we will always have the fear because of the knowledge we have, that we will experience some pain , but nowadays there are new treatments we can avail ourselves of to help with relief of anxieties that can be prescribed before you actually have your treatment

Just a comment, sometimes understanding your fear is a giant step towards overcoming fear. I had a conversation with a dentist about this very subject and he said that part of the problem wether you realize it or not is that most people regard their mouth as a very private place and the thought of someone invading this private place is an underlying factor in fear of dentists. This might help you to realize that you are not alone on this island. As was already mentioned do some shopping and even interview a dentist or two, I have heard more ads on the radio lately about dentists who specialize in fearful patients and also promise not to belittle you by asking how long its been since you have been to a dentist, I personnaly believe this is another fear factor is that many of us don't go as often as we should and we are afraid the dentist will comment about how long its been since we have been to a dentist. Most of all remember and I have had major work done to my teeth and gums that we always imagine that its worse than it really is in reality. Brad "90% of being smart is knowing what you're dumb at."

I used to be kind of uptight when I had to visit the dentist, until I saw a plaster set of teeth, I remember thinking, how can I be afraid of something so small, something else I think about, is the advancements made since I was a kid, oh, and just tune out the drill, it is really nothing.

You must give this some thought, "Should I, or shouldn't I" the teeth will tell!

I had a great fear of Dentists from being a child, but the suffering I was under greatly overcome the fear and I had to go, after the treatment I go evry 6 months so the treatment will be small and I will get used to it, eventually I overcame my fear, just before I go in I think of what I will be doing an hour from now and it soon comes. Also talk to your dentist and get a friendly rappor, this all helps. Another tip, take a couple of paracetomol about an hour before treatment just to numb any pain you may encounter.

Do what I did. I found a dentist (two, actually) who can give absolutely, 100% painless Novacaine injections.

my memories as child going to the dentist were terrifying!! my mother would have to bribe if not drag me to the dentist in order for me to get my check ups. i always remember tha surgery i was in SURGRY "B"! all the kids in school told o their horrifying tales in sugry "B"! the dentist himself was a bald middle aged man with no patients! this is probably why i am still to this dat petrified of visting my dentist. Two years ago i ahd 2 teethextractions and it was a breeze. Although i need 2 more i am still very nervous- the smell jus tturns my stomach walking in ths door. But its worth it in the end. As theres no more pain =]