Want to keep your teeth healthy and sparkling white? Who doesn’t?
While regular brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean, a dental checkup can reveal potential problems in early stages.
You may be surprised to know that nearly half of American adults suffer from some form of gum disease. This is mostly due to infrequent visits to the dentist and the failure to get regular cleanings and basic checkups.
Don’t become part of this statistic!
Read on to learn about how often you should visit the dentist.
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How Often to Get a Dental Checkup
Not all teeth are created equal, and different people must see the dentist at different intervals. There are some general rules for how often to see a dentist, but you should consult yours on an individual basis to determine how frequently you should visit.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding when to visit your dentist.
3 – 4 Months
If you’re a high-risk patient, you may need to see the dentist as often as every three to four months. This may sound extreme, but if you’re at risk for gum disease, it’s better to be safe than sorry. And your doctor will likely encourage this kind of frequency.
People who tend to be high-risk include smokers, diabetics, individuals with a weak immune system, and those prone to cavities or plaque buildup.
6 Months
Most dentists will tell their patients it’s best to come in for a cleaning every six months.
While there’s no hard and fast rule about how often you should come in, twice a year seems to be working well for patients to receive preventative care.
Gum disease and cavities can be avoided altogether with regular visits. Unfortunately, many dental problems can mask themselves and go unnoticed until it’s too late and you’re in pain.
Yearly
While most dentists won’t recommend this, some people can get away with seeing a dentist once a year. This will largely depend on their oral hygiene.
But more than anything, it will depend on the natural state of their teeth and gums, how susceptible they are to cavities and gingivitis, and how quickly plaque builds up on their teeth.
If you go to the dentist every six months for a cleaning and they say you have little or no plaque, you may be a candidate for a yearly visit.
Be sure to get on the same page with your dentist before you make this decision for yourself.
Schedule Your Appointment
No matter how often you decide to go in for your dental checkup, it’s important to make it happen.
Oral hygiene not only affects the health of your teeth and mouth but it can have a lasting effect on your entire body. Poor oral health can result in other more serious problems down the road.
Be sure to check with your dentist and make regular appointments to keep your teeth healthy and clean.
Check out the rest of our site for more health tips today!
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