All of the most important things in life need a little bit of routine care. You have to change the oil in your car, swap the air filter in your house, and, of course, get biannual dental checkups for the sake of your teeth. With everything you have going on, it can sometimes be difficult to make time for these important things. But frequent preventive visits are vital, because finding oral health problems early ensures that they won’t get out of hand. If you aren’t convinced, here are three reasons why you should see your dentist at least twice a year.

There’s a well-documented psychological phenomenon called the “spotlight effect.” The idea is that we hyperfixate on our flaws to such an extent that we think they’re more noticeable than they are. We feel like there’s a spotlight on us all the time. It’s natural; we know ourselves more intimately than anyone else does, so we’re more acutely aware of our problems than others.

Many people stay away from the dentist because they’re embarrassed by their teeth and think that they’ll be judged. This simply isn’t true. A good dentist just wants to facilitate your oral health. If you’re still nervous, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t avoid the dentist out of shame.