If you’re afraid of going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Most don’t enjoy getting their teeth scraped by metal tools or having water jets spray down their throat. But as we grow older, we learn ways to conquer fears in order to do the necessary tasks to maintain good health and hygiene. For me, I was finally able to get over my fear of sitting in the dentist’s chair by focusing on my fear of the dentist’s billing department instead!
While I may not have completely gotten over my fear of the dentist as a whole, at least my new fear has made it easier to sit back and relax in that dentist’s chair and worry about something else for a change.
Getting my teeth drilled, cleaned, and extracted is a breeze now that I only have space in my mind to worry about the bill that I’m going to receive in the mail about a week later that will always be hundreds more than I expect. Why would I be scared of the pain from getting my teeth pulled when I could be scared about not having dental insurance instead?
Instead of worrying about corporeal fears like whether or not the dentist is going to poke me in the gums or hit a nerve, I can now focus on bigger and better fears, like a lifetime of credit card debt or bankruptcy. Try it; it really works!
Plus, this new fear is so much better for my health. Before, I had to fight my fear of the dentist in order to get emergency dental procedures, but now I’m so afraid of the price that I take such good care of my teeth now (I can even perform my own root canals)!
All my life, people have told me that I shouldn’t be afraid of the dentist. After all, they’re “just trying to keep your teeth healthy” or whatever. Now I finally understand that, and I really respect the work that they do, but I’m still just as scared to go to the dentist anyway for very different reasons. And that’s growth, kind of.
While I’m still afraid of going to the dentist because of the high price, I actually think my dentist is really cool now! Hi, Dr. Gregory! Got any friends and family discounts? No? Okay, see you in four years!
