You were eating lunch with some friends along University Avenue when one of them offered you a piece of her fruit salad. Hesitantly, you declined, explaining that certain foods agitate your teeth and gums. While your friends suggested a few different dentists and preventive dentistry measures, you started to tune them out. You haven’t failed to see your dentist due to a lack of ideas or practices near you. You’ve developed a sense of dental fear that has prevented you from scheduling an appointment. Here are 4 of the most common reasons patients avoid seeing their dentists and how to overcome them. 

You were flipping through a family photo album, grinning at your childhood memories and relatives, when you noticed a common trend. Slightly disturbed, you leaned forward and analyzed the toothy smile of one of your great aunts. Sure enough, her dental issues resembled many of your other relatives. This begs the question: Can bad teeth run in the family? Here are a few reasons why your teeth may be predisposed to dental problems and what to do about it.