Not visiting a dentist allows for tartar to build up in areas your eyes alone could not see. Also, a damaged or infected tooth can cause severe problems to the mouth, gums, face, and even go as far as causing brain damage. The importance of receiving a checkup every six months can prevent already damaged teeth from getting any worse by receiving a cleaning. Although you may be very afraid of the dentist, there are steps that can be taken to calm you down before and during a dentists visit so that you can still have your teeth looked at. According to Peter Milgram, DDS, director of the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle and author of Treating Fearful Dental Patients, between 5% and 8% of Americans avoid dentists out of fear (Sine). The dentist’s office is usually avoided by two thirds of people because of a bad experience they may have had as a child. A higher percentage of Americans, perhaps 20%, experiences …show more content…
Research shows receiving a cleaning or a scraping, may reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Researchers found that out of 100,000 adults in the Taiwan national health insurance database, half of them had their teeth professionally cleaned and scraped and half of them did not (Pearson). The researchers also found that those who had received a cleaning and a scraping, at least once in their lifetime, had a twenty-four percent lower risk of a heart attack and thirteen percent lower risk of a stroke than those who had never gone (Pearson). According to Dr. Zu-Yin Chen, a member of the Taipei Veterans General Hospitals divisions of cardiology, "We knew that dental health contributed to heart attack and stroke, but didn't know that tooth scaling would have more effect on other places in the body and not just the teeth and mouth -- especially not in subjects that did not have dental problems." (Pearson). Gum disease, which is also referred to as periodontal disease, is the inflammation of the gums and bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. This occurs when bacteria in the mouth infects tissue surrounding the tooth. In the early stages, gingivitis, the gums may become swollen, turn red, and even begin to bleed. Warning signs of gum disease include bad breath or bad taste that won't go away, painful chewing, loose and sensitive teeth, and any change in the way