Dental phobia?

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Are we more prone to this than NTs are?

I was just curious about this because I'm absolutely terrified of them. I get severe anxiety attacks just from sitting in an office involving a dentist. It's gotten to the point where even the mere mention of them, and I start to panic greatly over them. It sucks because I need severe dental work done, but my parents can't find a dentist that suits my needs. Pediatric dentists won't accept someone over eighteen, even with special needs either. I don't know what is about them that scares me, but I just can't stand them. It's been like this since I was three years old. I refused to open my mouth to a dentist, and it led my parents to take me to someone who specialized in disabilities.

The dentist I had as a child was amazing. He would let you choose different scents for the laughing gas. You also had a choice of a movie to watch while you were having dental work done. It was just... omg. He was the best dentist I ever had in my entire life. He really understood what I was dealing with.

I don't know if we're more prone to dental phobia than NTs. All I know is that I've been scared of going to the dentist since I was a child. Back then it was mostly because I was afraid of having my teeth pulled out (I remember I was terrified when my baby teeth/deciduous teeth came loose). Haven't been to the dentist in a very long time (years) because of two things:

1. I hate hate hate the feeling and the sound of getting dental plaque/calculus (or whatever it's called in English) removed. Seriously, even thinking about it makes me shudder and almost feel a bit nauseous (that's how I feel about my teeth touching things like knives/forks/spoons when eating as well).

2. I don't like people sticking their hands in my mouth (or strangers touching me in general).

Nah, I know a lot of NTs who hate going to dentists and doctors just as much as I do.

There is one thing I absolutely hate about the dentist, it's that ultrasonic wand they use for removing plaque from your teeth. The high-pitch noise that thing make is just torture to my ears.

I think most people are scared of dentists or of having dental work done on their teeth. It's reasonably so because sometimes it can be very painful and uncomfortable. Dental problems always come with pain/discomfort. And if you are an adult, in addition to the pain and discomfort, you have to worry about the cost, too, which is usually very high. I think the fear/pain/discomfort differs from person to person regardless of whether you have autism or not, although sensory problems might make some autistic individuals more sensitive to certain sensations.

I know an NT friend who confessed her longtime terror of dentists to me just the other week. She told me that as a kid she believed she would bleed to death and would have panic attacks right in the chair. This scared her even as an adult because one time she had to take a trip all the way to Halifax to get her wisdom teeth out, but she suffered a panic attack so badly she ended up turning the car right around and going straight home. Luckily her teeth grew in without any problems. Not like me, I had to get mine out when I was only 13 just before Christmas and had to go in for surgery and be put to sleep at the local hospital, instead of going to Halifax and being sedated but still awake in a dentist chair. I was not happy at all about having to get surgery yet again because only a few months before I had to go and get several surgeries done for a mastoid infection. Anyway, she said she doesn't tell many people that story because it's too embarrassing so she must really like me to tell me about it. She also told me that as a kid she was so terrified while in the dentist chair that her family doctor who also worked in the same building went over and slapped her!! It actually shocked her enough that the dentist was finally able to work on her, but what a horrible experience that must have been! As a kid myself I seemed to have an almost instinctive fear of going to the dentist and I had to go a lot to get my baby teeth pulled out so my new ones would grow in properly so I know all about the bleeding and other unpleasantness. I don't really mind going now as usually I don't have any problems with my teeth but last year just before Christmas I had to get a cavity in one of my front teeth filled, and I just started breathing hard and crying and shaking and stuff and they had to stop and wait until I calmed down to continue. The hygienist asked if I wanted some vodka.

I'm terrified of the dentist, mostly because of the needles and the overly clean smell in the office. I think it's mostly because of the needles, same reason why I'm terrified of getting blood work done. I'm fine with flu-shot needles though, which is weird.

I haven't been to a dentist for three and a half years since I had three teeth taken out under general anaesthesia.

I get violent when people touch my face due to severe sensory issues.

Last time I ever had a dentist examine me, I had to take Clonazepam, Haloperidol and extra Olanzapine (yes I was aware of the possible risks but that is how much I need to take just to go to the dentist).

I am faced with people saying "you must go to the dentist" to me, saying I'll lose all my teeth eventually.

I have to use flavourless toothpaste at home to prevent myself from vomiting (mint paste in my mouth = severe sensory overload = vomit + rinse out mouth seven times).

I am going to ask my autism support worker if the NHS do dentists that specialise in disabilities. If the NHS don't do it I suppose I'll have to either save up or ask my dad to pay (unemployed + disabled = live on benefits = not much money).

I have a lot of problems with it, and end up only going for real emergencies.

Not a good way to live, and I brush my teeth obsessively due to the fear of dentists.

That can lead to problems with oral health also.

It's unfortunate.

I find nothing in the the world to be as relaxing as a visit to the dentist.

When I'm reclined in the chair there is nowhere else I'd rather be at that particular time.

I'm not afraid of it per se, but I avoid it because of sensory and ADHD issues and need general anesthesia for anything major.

Well yeah, a lot of us don't like being touched....much less having someone's fingers in my mouth. I'm extra sensitive to bright light and there's a big light shining in my face. I'm sensitive to sound and they have sucking machines and ultra sonics and polish machines and the sound in my head of them scraping my teeth. I don't think it's phobia, just way too much sensory overload for someone with ASD. I have to be tranquilized or put under.

I got my wisdom teeth out a couple of years ago I was put under sedation.

I used the same dentist a few years before to get a tooth out.

When I was about 10 I had to be given a general anaesthetic to get dental work done.

Sedation is great a numbing wipe is applied to my hand so I don't even feel the injection.
I was asked to count backwards from ten I don't remember getting past seven.

Next thing I remember is being in the dentist chair asking have we started yet only to be told the procedure is complete.

That dentist is expensive but he is worth every cent.

Just to add one other thing toothache is 50 times worse than any dentist visit.

I use to fear these dentist a lot and ended up a cosmetic surgery. I never thought that a little pain could gain me such beautiful results .

I'm an NT and have a severe, crippling dental phobia. It is so bad, I see a dentist that can do sedation dentistry.

I'm good during check ups and cleanings. I'm good for small fillings. Game over for a root canal and things like that.

I have issue with stuff around my mouth, and the feeling of being smothered. I have severe asthma, and I'm sure that contributes to it.

My dentist can do IV sedation. Even if you don't need that, my dentist works with plenty of people on the spectrum. He can get me calmed down enough that I only need shots and gas for a 1 hour procedure.

Look for someone specializing in sedation dentistry. That's how I found my guy.