Dental Phobia and Hereditary Problems

Hello all,

Dental phobia is often associated with a lot of guilt. Us dental phobics beat ourselves up over how long it has been since we've been to the dentist, about our dental hygiene, about not flossing (or not flossing twice a day... or whatever) about eating between meals ... you name it, some of us will be feeling guilty about it and its effect on our teeth or gums.

So today I want to point out that it ISN'T ALL YOUR FAULT!!! You have done the best you could do with the information, abilities and genes you've been given. A lot of dental phobics have mild, medium or severe malocclusion of some kind. If you have any malocclusion, or wonky teeth, then your ability to keep your teeth clean is compromised. It's not your fault if you parents didn't or couldn't give you the very best in dental treatment when you were a kid!

It's not your fault if you inherited a tendency to gum recession and bone loss. Yes, these things ARE affected by your genes. I know someone who has not been to the dentist for longer than me, and who only brushes his teeth once a day. Yes, he has dental problems. But he doesn't have gum recession and bone loss. See? Life isn't fair and your dental problems are NOT all your fault.

So let's give ourselves a break, continue to do the best we can do within the practial and emotional limits of our teeth and our dental phobia.

Wishing you dental health,

Jake
http://www.dental-phobia.com