The dentists' waiting room and other scarey places
By 41Combedale
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
Greece
September 10, 2012 3:36am CST
When you are in a wating room situation, an example might be the dentist's, what do you do while you are waiting, to take your mind off the impending pain?
This question is based on the principle that you can only think of one thing at a time. I chose the dentist's waiting room because most people are afraid of the dentist and it is often a long wait with, in the worst scenario, the sound of his drill as he treats the patient already in his chair. The only thing to stop the panic rising and the hands getting wet is to think of something else. I use word games, always take a pencil and paper with me. What do you do? Or are you one of the brave few....
5 people like this
19 responses
@rohanmona (159)
• India
11 Sep 12
fear is only a state of mind, just keeping that in mind that if a year old boy can go to dentist and come smiling than am i so weak to let my fear overcome me. Think positive
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (160875)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Sep 12
It depends on which waiting room. If its the medical doctor I usually read a magazine or book if I brought one. If it is the dentist office I will meditate and try to be brave. I hate dentists. My next experience will be to see about extracting all my teeth and getting dentures. Scarey stuff! I have had some bad experiences in the dentist's office so I am usually pretty nervous.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
11 Sep 12
I read a magazine in the doctor's too,they are usually up to date in there. I'm not keen on dentists either, although my present dentist is very pleasant but he does hurt sometimes. I had a dentist in England who never hurt, but he was a bad dentist and in the end did more harm than good, so I think I shall settle for pain now. I am sorry to hear you are expecting to have all your teeth extracted, that seems drastic, have you thought of getting a second opinion?
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Sep 12
I guess I am one of the brave few, because I know that whatever needs to be done, that it will prevent even worse pain. See, I wasn't able to go to the dentist for a while and ended up with an infection, talk about pain!!! 
So I look forward to going to the dentist so if I have a problem, he can fix it with minimal pain and I won't have to fear getting an infection again.
So I look forward to going to the dentist so if I have a problem, he can fix it with minimal pain and I won't have to fear getting an infection again. 1 person likes this
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
11 Sep 12
There has never been any pain for me to take my mind off of. To keep from being bored, I always bring a book to read.
@squallming (1775)
• Malaysia
11 Sep 12
I have been to some of these scary places you mentioned. I went to dentist several times and I have to admit that I was quite worried about what might happen in the room. Yet, I had never done much to make myself calm and get my attention away from what is really going to happen inside the room with the dentist. I would just sit there and do nothing. Perhaps observing other patients in the waiting room as I like to observe people. 
1 person likes this
@sunshinefame (287)
• Philippines
11 Sep 12
Well as for me I'm bit afraid, tense, there was a time when I have my tooth extraction, it bleeds for almost 5 hours because when it was extracted I was so nervous. I have a free dental services but I didn't avail it because really I'm not comfortable with my dentist. When in dental chair I closed my eyes ... Mmmm topics makes me feel un easy.
1 person likes this
@sylvia13 (1850)
• Nelson Bay, Australia
11 Sep 12
No, I am definitely not one of the brave few! I also postpone going to the dentist, even though after he has finished treating me I always tell myself that I should try to go to him more often! What I do to past the time is usually to take a Sudoku puzzle, as that seems to entertain me for quite a while, as I am more concentrated on numbers rather than thinking of the pain and discomfort!
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
11 Sep 12
The waiting room of my dentist has a TV set and also lots of magazines so I always scan the pages of those magazines while watching TV at the same time. It is better than just thinking of the pain you are about to go through. It is really scary to visit the dentist so I am glad my dentist's waiting room is quite relaxing.
@marguicha (216967)
• Chile
11 Sep 12
I´m not afraid of the dentist. In fact, now that I think about it, I am not afraid of many things in my life. I am not afraid of the doctor although I have an uncurable lymphoma. I´m on remission now, but while I was on chemo I thought that she was doing her part and I was doing mine. I always take a book to the doctor because there I have time to read guilt free. I am very much afraid of earthquakes though and with good reason as my country has the gold medal for earthquakes in the world.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
10 Sep 12
I try not to think about what may be coming next. I try to take each miment as it comes. Having a positive attitutde going into a dictor's office or waiting room eases a lot of the pressures.
@kheydia (882)
• Philippines
11 Sep 12
Well, i haven't been to the dentists and feel scared infact i am excited to see them... Ugh, maybe i just haven't experienced to feel pain being in the dentist... But in general, when i got to wait for something scary like someones gonna pinch a sharp needle on you or when delivering a child, what i do is thati simply do not focus on what i'm about to do, and think other things that would not make me think of painful or scary things that would happen to me. Or better yet i have to have someone with me so that i can have someone to chat with not minding whats to happen next...
@KOSTAS499 (1624)
• Greece
10 Sep 12
I am always calm. Worrying but calm. I realised that when I had surgery in February.
1 person likes this
@gpldeguzman (168)
• Qatar
10 Sep 12
Dental Clinic is one scary place of all time. Yes maybe because you are anticipating the pain, the sound of the drill that is irritating to ears.A good dental clinic should have a very pleasant reception area and a pleasant receptionist as well. There should be a television, magazines and other things that can destruct the mind of the waiting patients especially the children.
1 person likes this
@romzee (937)
• Philippines
11 Sep 12
Whenever I am in a waiting room situation, I try to find some reading materials like magazines or newspaper and immerse my self in reading, or play games in my cellphone, to spend boring times waiting for your turn. Visiting Doctors nor dentists don't scare me.
1 person likes this
@CelticSoulSister (1640)
• Southend-On-Sea, England
25 Sep 12
I do word games too, but in my head, maybe making sentences from the letters of words I can see on the posters in the waiting room. Whilst in the dentist's chair, I just sort of 'unhook' my brain and let it wander wherever it wants to.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
12 Sep 12
I always try to remember to take a book or a magazine like the Reader's Digest, which fits in my purse, with me.
@halfbloodace (587)
• Philippines
10 Sep 12
Well, for me whenever i get the opportunity to wait until it is my turn in the dentist's working area, i observe. I observe behaviors of people and try to know what they are thinking about. Also, if i get tired of doing it, i listen to music loud enough to hear voices around me until it is my turn for teeth surgery. He he he, it's fun that way since i have no problem with dentists, just my eyes, they cry. 
He he he, 
He he he, 
@xiaopinggai (483)
• China
10 Sep 12
Wow,i have went through this situation so many times,because there are four opsigenes in my mouth,and they influenced my daily life,so i have to pull out them.
At the frist time,i was do afraid,then i just keep talking wiht my friend to forget it.When the dentist use a pliers to pull it,even my heart can feel the pain.
After this experience,the other time when i went to see the dentist,i didn't feel afraid anymore.
Because i can tolerate,haha.
1 person likes this
@oyomesan (115)
• Netherlands
10 Sep 12
I am very happy with my dentist - he is very capable, professional, friendly and understanding. I've been nervous before, but there is really no need to be. Whenever I needed treatment, it went smoothly. Of course it also helps that I'm not really afraid of pain, so in the waiting room, I'm probably not as nervous as most other people.
In the waiting room, I just sit, look around, and wait.
