Fears of the Dentist

I often wonder why going to the dentist is such a traumatic experience. I have always had pretty good teeth. I don't floss as much as the dentist tells me to, but who really does. But why are we all so scared of this man? Also, what drives people to a profession that spends all day looking at teeth?

I think about this today because I have an appointment very soon, and the teeth are about as good as they are going to get for today. I actually had an appointment scheduled two weeks ago. I had forgotten about it, but the dentist called and had to rechedule my appointment. I was relieved, because I didn't have the time to mentally prepare. I try to tell myself, that it is like any other medical physical. But truly my worst nightmares are all about my teeth. I have dreams (nightmares actually) that I have lost all my teeth. The worst one is where I am standing there talking to someone and I start spitting out my teeth, one at a time. What does this mean? For those of you who like to analyze your dreams, I could really use some help with this one.

Share your courage with me, I am off to the dentist. Hopefully, the teeth are here for three or four more decades. I am given hope by my great grandmother, who had all her teeth cavity free until she died at 86 years old. Until then, I will muster myself at that dentist chair biannually (not biennially for those pilots who are worried about that currency).