All my life I’ve found going to the dentist to be a traumatic event. It harks back to my early childhood experiences. I recall the stark terror of those needles, the buzzing drills, and the gas when an extraction was needed. Shudder!
Before I left Thailand to retire back to Australia I had all my teeth checked and fixed, or so I thought. That was back in 2007. A few weeks ago one of my crowns broke off including the post underneath (as I was eating muesli!). I had no choice but to go see a dentist. All the anxiety came rushing back… I was aware that I was holding my hands together so tightly that my knuckles were white. The procedure didn’t really hurt, so I had no reason to be afraid. The anxiety (fear/terror) was coming from those long ago and forgotten memories.Quite a reminder that childhood memories continue to affected our responses in the present.
The dentist did a great job. He was also gentle and kind. And, there wasn’t anything that should have fed my fears.
I must say I am reeling from the cost of having dental work done here. Phew! My health fund covers some of the cost but not enough.
