A phobia is defined in the dictionary as "an irrational fear or anxiety". Some apprehension about dental treatment is normal, after all who likes to go to the dentist?

Normal apprehension becomes a phobia when it begins to interfere with your ability to function in life. In the case of the dentist, if you have been putting off the dentist because of apprehension, that could be "normal". Putting off the dentist could be considered due to a dental phobia when the need is very great (toothache, inability to eat, or severe cosmetic problem) and you still can’t seem to get into the dentist for treatment. Another sign of phobia could be when the very thought of the dental office causes severe emotional responses:

The severity of the dental phobia helps us decide how to help you. For milder cases, reassurance and oral medication along with gentle treatment and perhaps nitrous oxide (laughing gas) are all that is needed. For the severe dental phobia, however, the person may need strong intravenous medications to deal with these extreme