The dentist called today to let me know that BigZabba’s dental cleaning had been approved with our insurance so I need to make an appointment to come in. Am I really up to this again? Since last time was such a success I have high hopes that this time will go better. Not.

I really don’t know what to do. My Dad, from what I have been told, had similar fears of the dentist as a child. He to this day is anxious about the dentist, although he doesn’t kick and scream about it now. I don’t want her to have this fear all her life. Will she grow out of it? Will she learn to control it, as my Dad did? I don’t think it is all that necessary for her to go to the dentist now. She has great dental hygiene, she even loves to floss. Should I force her to go now and hope that she will one day suddenly love going to the dentist? Or should I just wait until either a) her teeth have problems and she has to go or b) she is old enough to control herself? She is already worked herself into quite a tizzy. She went to bed in tears knowing that I was going to call to make an appointment. She is truly afraid, of what I don’t know. Nothing bad has ever happened at the dentist, mostly because she has never completed a visit. It is hard to have a dental exam when you don’t open your mouth.

What do I do? I need advice.