Just wanted to say, I have had my first positive experience in a long time at my dentists' surgery today, and I'm very proud of myself. To cut a long story short, I had many bad visits when I was child, most of which involved being held down while I was being given injections to go to sleep so I could have teeth taken out.

But today, I managed a scale and polish without getting into a state!! She was very nice, calm and reassuring. I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to walking into the dentists, the smell gets to me, and hearing the equiptment just makes me cringe. I have been known to passout, cry and generally become one big pile of mush, but for some reason this one lady just kept me calm, informed and for 20 minutes was quite relaxed. Felt a bit light headed after, but strangely enough I'm almost looking forward to going next time!!

Glad you had a positive visit this time - not so sure I would ever say I was looking forward to a visit to the dentist though

Well done.  It takes a lot of guts to visit the dentist when you have had previous bad experiences.  I have always hated the dentist since having teeth painfully removed as a child.  I didn't visit for years (between 16 and 24).  Then started going again until bad experience involving a root canal (dentist's fault for cutting my gum and inducing infection).  Sparce visits after that until another infection made me look for another dentist, who so far has been great.  But on the whole, I try not to mention the 'D' word. 

That's really good Universelady
My Mum is terrified of the dentist and I know how difficult it is for her to go for treatment - so well done you!

Well done you! I am exactly the same as you and even passed out in the waiting room before. I haven't been to a dentist for about 12 years (eek!) but this afternoon am going along for some "therapy"! I am going to help my friend take her kids, so I have to put on a brave face and not look scared for them. I'm not having anything done myself so this might be a more positive experience. Hope you make it back there soon....I know exactly how you feel!

Well done like you I had a horror with a dentist and ended up petrified. I have one dentist who i go to know and if Im nervous she holds my hand (Im 54!!)
Ive told her to let me know when she retires and I will have all my teeth out so i dont have to go again.

The old school dentist stared it and an accident where I knocked a tooth in half with all the nerves showing and had extensive work done ending up with an injection touching a nerve and all one side of my face dropped for a month!! as a teenager.

Now its the one dentist she polish's my teeth and descales them the old fashioned way. I still cant go to a hygenist Im too sensitive. After the injection I float out of there feeling a hero!! pathetic, but i know execatly how you feel so well done you!!