{"id":62,"date":"2020-10-19T19:25:21","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T19:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/?p=62"},"modified":"2020-11-18T19:25:28","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T19:25:28","slug":"no-need-for-dental-fear-this-halloween","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/19\/no-need-for-dental-fear-this-halloween\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Shouldn\u2019t Fear the Dentist This Halloween"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_181987576__1603797588_78476-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"smiling young woman giving a thumbs up in the dentist\u2019s chair \" class=\"wp-image-63\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_181987576__1603797588_78476-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_181987576__1603797588_78476-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_181987576__1603797588_78476.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>From haunted houses to creepy costumes, October is filled\nwith spooky things. However, there\u2019s one thing you shouldn\u2019t be afraid of this\ntime of year, and that\u2019s visiting your dentist. Unfortunately, dental fear has become\nincreasingly common \u2013 up to 1 in 5 Americans has avoided seeing their dentist\nout of fear or anxiety. Whether you\u2019ve had a bad experience with a dentist in\nthe past, you\u2019re afraid of needles, or you simply don\u2019t like the sounds the\ninstruments make, it\u2019s important that you don\u2019t let dental fear stop you from\nattending routine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">preventive<\/a>\ncheckups. Keep reading to learn why frequent visits are crucial and how your\ndentist can alleviate your worries! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Routine Visits Are Important <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you brush and floss daily, you might not see the point in\ngetting your teeth professionally cleaned. However, these appointments are just\nas important in keeping your mouth healthy as daily brushing and flossing. They\ngive the hygienist an opportunity to remove plaque from your teeth that, if\nleft alone, could lead to cavities or gum disease. Plus, your dentist can detect\noral health problems early enough that treatment is still relatively easy (and\ncost-effective). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While missing one dental exam every once in a while is probably\nnot a big deal, consistently skipping these appointments can be catastrophic\nfor your teeth and gums. Decay or infection can spread to multiple teeth, requiring\nextensive (and costly) treatments. Not to mention, these issues often cause a\ngreat deal of pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe it or not, poor oral health can even contribute to\nmedical problems in other parts of your body. Gum disease has been linked to a\nhost of other conditions, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Heart disease <\/li><li>Type 2 diabetes <\/li><li>Alzheimer\u2019s disease <\/li><li>Osteoporosis <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Left untreated, bacteria from an infection in your mouth can\nwreak havoc. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to see your dentist at least twice a\nyear! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Your Dentist Can Help with Your Anxiety <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you struggle with dental anxiety, keep this in mind \u2013\nyour dentist just wants to provide you with the care your smile needs to stay\nhealthy. They\u2019re not there to pass judgment. In fact, most dentists are willing\nto do whatever they can to ensure you feel comfortable during your appointment.\nIf you\u2019ve been having trouble keeping up with your appointments due to anxiety,\nbe sure to let them know. They can discuss options to help you feel relaxed at\ntheir office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While dental fear isn\u2019t bad in and of itself, its consequences\non your oral health certainly can be. To keep your mouth and body as healthy as\ncan be, ask your dentist about scheduling a checkup and cleaning before the\nyear ends. That way you can start off the new year with a bright, healthy\nsmile! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/meet-your-dentist.html\">Dr.\nKathy Lam<\/a> is a dentist in Wheaton, IL who obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery\ndegree at the Howard University College of Dentistry in 2002. Her compassionate\nnature helps set patients at ease and make them feel comfortable while\nreceiving the care they need. To schedule a checkup or learn more about the\nimportance of good dental health, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/contact.html\">contact<\/a> Dr. Lam\u2019s office at\n(630) 653-7720.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From haunted houses to creepy costumes, October is filled with spooky things. However, there\u2019s one thing you shouldn\u2019t be afraid of this time of year, and that\u2019s visiting your dentist. Unfortunately, dental fear has become increasingly common \u2013 up to 1 in 5 Americans has avoided seeing their dentist out of fear or anxiety. Whether [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions\/64"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kathylamdds.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}