The Dentist and Why People Avoid Going

Dec 3
16:37

2011

Antoinette Ayana

Antoinette Ayana

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We should see the dentist every six months, but few people actually follow this schedule.

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Although most of us have had it drilled into our heads from a very young age that we should see the dentist every six months,The Dentist and Why People Avoid Going Articles surprisingly few people actually meet this standard. For some, the problem extends well beyond missing an appointment or two. Many people are chronic avoiders of the dental chair, to the point where they may have never made an appointment in their adult lives. This is a major problem and can lead to unfettered tooth decay and gum disease. To someone who keeps their appointments regularly, it could seem hard to imagine cutting professional dental care out of their lives altogether, but it happens. Here are some of the reasons why.

Money

Naturally, the number one reason why people avoid going to the dentist is a financial one. A tooth cleaning appointment usually costs under $100, even without insurance. Still, in an economy where many people are struggling to find work, even this amount can prove difficult to come up with. When you multiply that number by the members of a family, the price of dental care can indeed begin to rise steeply.

Time

This is a poor excuse, but it is nonetheless one of the reasons people cite for not going to the dentist when they should. With money, at least, there is a valid reasoning behind the motivation. If you don't have the cash, you don't have the cash. Granted, many people these days lead extremely busy lives, packed with activities from morning to night. This is still no reason that you can't find an hour or two twice a year to get professional care for your teeth. If you're using time as a reason for neglecting your oral health, you should realize that it is not a valid excuse.

Fear

Second to money, this is probably the biggest reason people avoid going to the dentist. It falls somewhere between money and time when it comes to valid excuses. Some people have a real, legitimate dental phobia that those without it can hardly understand. This isn't "Oh, I can't stand the sound of that drill" fear, but real, night-sweats and shaking, crippling fear. If you suffer from something like this, you should seek psychological counseling for your irrational phobia and seek out a dental professional that will take every precaution to ensure your comfort. Even the worst fears can be overcome with patience and professional care.

Apathy

The final reason (for the purposes of this article) is that people simply don't care. They don't quite see why they should have to go to the dentist so often, so they don't. If someone legitimately doesn't care about their health, this is perhaps an insurmountable excuse. If you do care about your health, but don't think getting dental care is that important, it's simply a matter of educating yourself.

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