I used to go out with someone who wouldn't have injections if he needed a filling. He would just let them drill away without the tooth being numbed!

Strange belief system-I'm all for the pain relief myself and my maxim is "No pain, no pain"!

I am the same as your friend. I never have an injection unless it is totally necessary. I would rather have a bit of pain than have the injection. She normally tells me that if it starts hurting then I am to tell her and she will inject me but I never do, even though at times it really hurts!! I hate needles

Helena - I will ask about the stainless steel - good thinking Batman.
I certainly don't want to be loose and clattery
No lollipop I'm afraid just a big bill

It sort of comforting to know that other people are just as afraid but I have never fainted - how awful. You are very brave to go regularly

I have a word for that Pilgrim - masochism

Wow! Didn't think I would meet anyone else who did this!

Well, I have had 3 out today and not too bad at all. Much better than I expected. I was so good I am going back on Thursday to have 6 out. I won't have to visit the dentist ever again then coz I will just have falsies.

I never go. I went about 8 years ago, and told them I hadn't been for 10 years.. it was more like 20! I had X-rays, an examination, and a good telling off! I think they were annoyed I didn't need anything done! They said I had to keep going back to have them cleaned, but like someone else said, it made me gag, and treated me like a naughty girl! I didn't go back.

I used to have a terrible phobia of the dentist and never went for over 20 years after a bad experience.
I ended up with huge abcesses and in agony but still I couldn't even talk to the dental receptionist on the phone I was that scared. In the end the dogtor had to inject me with Valium and I was escorted to a dentist, but even then I only let him look but not touch.
He was very nice and had me straight back the next day and put me to sleep and had to remove 6 teeth as they had all infected each other.
For 2 years afterwards I managed to go back for some fillings but had to be put to sleep for them too.
Now I have a lovely dentist who I was letting do fillings and work while I am awake and I always go for 6 monthly checkups. Unfortunatly my dentist has gone private but will still see me for checkups but then you have to have your treatment with this woman. She could not even numb me and started putting the old fear back in me. So a few times I have managed to see another young male dentist there who is wonderful, in fact so good he has even now been able to remove a tooth for me while I was awake.
So now I am ok if I know and trust the dentist, but terrified and physically shake if I don't.
After all the pain I have suffered with toothache though, I now have a bit of a phobia of toothache and if I get a twinge will be straight on the phone to the dentist as I am terrified of being in the agony I was before.

I dont like the dentist either as I have a very strong gag reflex which means I gag when they go near the back of my mouth - my dentist has told me this is very common. I do manage to go for dental treatment but have to psyche myself up for it. That said I have had crowns, a bridge, fillings, extractions and root canals. You say that you feel trapped and cannot get out of the chair - just remember you can walk out any time you like - you are choosing to be there, but can walk anytime and can ask the dentist to stop what they are doing anytime or give you 5 minutes for a breather. It is your mouth, you are paying and you are in control - they cannot do anything to you that you do not want them to. Some dentists offer sedatives or hypnotherapy for nervous patients so that might also be an option for you. Just remeber - there are lots of people like you out here who dread the dentist, you are not alone......but you are in control, just keep telling yourself that.

I don't mind the dentist, i was very lucky growing up as we had a lovely dentist. I had to have four teeth removed when i was younger as they were over crowded but had a general anaesthetic so i don't remember anything from that . After that i didn't need anything else done till i was 23 and had to have a filling and to be honest i was more scared about having to have an injection than anything else.