Dealing with Dental Anxiety

I'm afraid of the dentist

Seriously, deathly, ridiculously scared.

Why?

I don't really know... it could me my crappy teeth, or the seizure I had from an anxiety attack when they gave me Novocaine. It could be that chair, it could be anything.

All I know is that as soon as I'm faced with a cavity or Novocaine, or any drilling, I panic, to the point where I am crying and sobbing worse then my 18month old daughter when I tell her no more chocolate.

I still haven't found a way to deal with this, some dentists are kind and will give me an anti-anxiety medicine. Others are not. I guess maybe its the other dentists that I'm afraid of the ones that insist that it doesn't hurt and that I'm ridiculous.

It bothers me when people don't understand my fears, its not something that I want to be afraid of. Its not like I think 'hey I really hate the dentist' I try to go in optimistically and think that its going to be okay, but my fear takes over. And I'm a heap of tears on the dentist chair while the poor man has to try to reach in my mouth and try to ignore my sobs and screams.

I feel terrible for the children that have to be in the waiting room while I'm in the back

Any of you out there afraid?

How do you deal with you or your kid's fear of the dentist?

I'd love some insight