4 Reasons People Avoid the Dentist – and Why You Shouldn’t

Did you know that about a third of all Americans regularly avoid going to the dentist? It’s true. Despite the important role professional dental care plays in personal oral health, far too many people never avail themselves of the benefits of modern dentistry. The obvious question that we should all be asking is why that happens? To better understand the phenomenon, we have compiled the top 4 reasons people avoid the dentist, and why it’s so important for you to ensure that you get the dental care you need.

Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is a real thing. Millions of people around the world have some level of anxiety when it comes to dental care. Some are worried about imagined pain and discomfort. Others are concerned that they’ll discover that they have serious dental issues that need to be addressed. Still others are fearful of even simple screenings or cleanings. The good news is that most of these worries can be minimized by communicating with your dentist.

Poor Prior Experiences

Of course, there are always people who have had bad experiences in the past, and those memories are often difficult to erase. For example, a child who was promised that a filling would be painless may tend to avoid future dentist visits as an adult if that promise turned out to be untrue. For people with poor prior experiences, it is important to remember that modern dental visits are dramatically different than they were even a few short decades ago.

Cost Concerns

More than 40 percent of patients who avoid the dentist do so because of concerns about cost and a lack of dental insurance. That’s understandable, but annual checkups and cleanings are still essential for sound oral health. Fortunately, that cost can be managed if patients are attentive to daily hygiene, which will help to minimize the need for other types of intervention. Brush, floss, and visit the dentist for annual maintenance.

Busy Lives

Finally, many patients just don’t feel like they have time to visit the dentist. Again, this is understandable. Life is hectic, and most people are extremely busy. However, the inconvenience of regularly scheduled dental visits needs to be weighed against the time required to correct serious dental issues if they occur. It’s always more efficient to prevent dental problems than try to correct them later.

Why You Need to Visit the Dentist

There’s no denying the fact that people often have very sound reasons for wanting to avoid the dentist. Anxiety, cost, a lack of time, and bad memories are all valid concerns. It’s important to remember, though, that professional dental care is a core component of any viable strategy for protecting and maintaining your teeth.

If you’ve been avoiding the dentist for these or other reasons, there’s one sure way to mitigate your legitimate concerns: talk to a dentist. Chances are that she will be able to alleviate your concerns and provide you with the solutions and reassurances you need to get your dental health routine back on track.