Your college anxiety thing reminded me of my worry about throwing up in college. I hate throwing up and was terrified I'd have to at some point in college and my mother wouldn't be there with the cold washcloth, etc. Of course, the actual experience, when it came, was much different. I forget that my imagination's machinations aren't anywhere need what the actual experience ends up being like? When I work to keep my imagination out of there I do better.

Eventually something is going to be wrong with your teeth or gums, etc. Wisdom teeth don't get "dismissed" they are there no matter what and sometimes have to be dealt with and sometimes not, sometimes the experience is okay and sometimes it his horrendous, no way to tell. You lived through the filling; which was worse, the experience of getting it filled or all the anticipation and worry before and after? I bet it's the worry and looking stuff up on the computer and "waiting" in case something is wrong? When I get to worrying too much I focus my mind "after" the event. If I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday, for example, I'll think about what I am going to do on Wednesday or next weekend or whenever or even just how relieved I'll feel then and that much more relaxed with it over.