by Malavi Sivakanesan • 19 August 2022 • 5 min read
Everyone knows it’s important to visit your dentist for a regular checkup; however, knowing exactly when to go is a little tricky. While the basic rule states that you should go once every six months, this can significantly vary for different people. Going more or less often than needed can have consequences for you, and it is essential to avoid them. We’ve prepared this guide to help you figure out the perfect frequency for your dental hygienist visits.
Why You Must Visit Your Dentist
It is obvious to visit your dentist when you have a problem such as a toothache. However, visiting one when you aren’t going through any noticeable symptoms of oral problems may not be so obvious. Unfortunately, dental problems don’t function the same way as most diseases that show symptoms immediately. Problems such as cavities can stay hidden for a long time before they start to make you feel toothache.
By the time you start feeling the pain, it may already be too late as it’s likely that the cavities would have reached your roots. Instead, visiting a dentist can help you identify such problems right away and treat them before they have a chance to get severe. In some cases, this can help you stop the decay with a simple clean-up while it is still just dental plaque rather than having to undergo a root canal treatment when it has spread.
Apart from tooth-related ailments, regular dental visits can also help identify early signs of oral cancers. If your dentist finds any concerning signs in your mouth during a checkup, they can recommend you to a specialist to take a closer look at it.
How Often Should You Visit Your Dentist?
While the above information may make you want to visit your dentist every month, for most people, that isn’t necessary. Visiting your dentist too often without the need to do so can get rather expensive. Instead, it’s important to know exactly how often you should visit.
For most people with proper dental health, one visit a year or every six months is good enough. These visits would involve a checkup and professional dental cleaning. However, there are cases when more often visits may be needed.
Cases When You Need to Visit Your Dentist More Often
If you have poor dental health, you may need to visit your dentist a lot more often. The exact frequency of your visits would depend on your condition and would be decided by your dentist.
There are also certain lifestyle or health conditions that can require more frequent dental visits.
Smokers
If you’re a frequent smoker, visiting your periodontal dentist more often can help identify and deal with a lot of dental problems caused by smoking. Your dentist can also help you quit smoking by prescribing special gum for it. Smokers would likely need a visit every quarter to maintain their oral health.
Pregnant Women
Pregnancy is an important time for your oral health as it is a time when you’re more vulnerable to tooth decay. It is advisable for most pregnant women to visit their dentist every trimester.
Patients With Immunity Disorders
If you have an immunity disorder, visiting your dentist every two months may be a good idea. Your dentist will help ensure your teeth are completely clean and don’t result in the development of harmful bacteria.
What to Expect When Visiting Your Dentist
When visiting your dentist for a checkup, you need to realize that it’s not the same as visiting them for treatment. A checkup would normally involve a few tests and a cleanup to check and ensure that your oral health is in good condition. Sometimes, your dentist may also suggest an X-ray to verify that your roots and gums are in good condition. X-ray scans can also help identify cavities in the early stages, and your dentist will be able to recommend further treatments during the checkup.
Final Thoughts
Visiting a Complete Smile dentist often will ensure proper oral health. Most people only need to see a dentist every six months. However, if you have had dental complications, you may need to see a dentist in South Harrow more often than that. Seek urgent medical help if your toothache or other mouth problems don’t heal on their own and gets worse each day.
Malavi Sivakanesan
Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.