If you dread going to the dentist, you can blame your parents.
A new study from the University of Madrid, Spain shows that fear of the dentist is passed on from parent to child. According to the study, fathers who fear the dentist were more likely to pass on those fears to their children. Mothers can pass on the fear as well, but the mother is also influenced by her husband.

Fear of the dentist often starts from a bad experience, the feeling of not being in control or just being uncomfortable. According to one study, it is estimated that about 5% of people have severe dental fear.