How Often Should You Visit the Dentist?

Prevention is key to maintaining excellent oral health. To maintain excellent health overall, choosing to prioritize a healthy mouth is vital. A Plainview dentist will recommend you visit your dentist consistently to help maintain a healthy mouth and prevent uncomfortable and unsightly dental situations from developing. When you are searching for your new favorite dentist, be sure the practice you choose cares for your teeth with the latest and greatest technology in a clean state of the art office.

Proper daily oral care at home is the first step in preventing dental problems and maintaining a healthy mouth. If you keep up well with great oral hygiene habits at home, you may be wondering if it is truly necessary to regularly visit the dentist and have professional cleanings done by a dental hygienist. Although you maintain the first step of great oral care at home, visiting the dentist regularly is still vital. A dental expert should regularly examine your teeth and gums to evaluate for potential problems you would not be able to identify. 

Many dental issues such as periodontal disease, cavities, or serious concerns like oral cancer are not readily notable until those develop to the point of causing discomfort and pain. When identified and addressed at an early stage, these problems are simpler to treat and less uncomfortable for you to experience overall. Once oral issues reach an advanced stage, treatment, healing and subsequent follow up appointments can become more extensive. 

When it comes to how often dental check ups should occur, there is a general guideline but also to be considered is the individuality of your particular mouth. Several factors come into play to determine the frequency at which your regular dental visits should occur. In addition to your daily oral hygiene habits, your general medical history and current conditions play a role in how often your dental health needs to be assessed. The condition of your current oral health depends on more than only your daily habits. Genetics are a factor that cannot be controlled and some oral concerns should be kept in check even with perfect daily habits. 

In general, twice yearly is the minimum recommendation on average for most people to visit the dentist for exams and cleaning. These visits every six months are important for keeping plaque and tartar build up at bay. It is also beneficial because having the pockets of your gum line evaluated regularly can alert your dentist to any changes that should be noted and addressed. Changes to your gum line can indicate developing or progressing periodontal disease, which can be slowed but cannot be stopped entirely. If your risk for gum disease and tooth decay appears to be of more serious concern than average, your dentist will want to evaluate your dental wellness more often. The reality is that the frequency at which you visit your dentist depends upon your individual oral situation, but at absolute minimum, always plan to see the dentist at least twice a year.

Some patients may need to have professional cleanings done by an expert hygienist more often than twice yearly. The frequency with which cleanings are needed is determined by the health of your gums as well as the amount of plaque and tartar that builds up between cleanings. A patient with healthy firm gums only needs cleaning done every six months. However, a patient with more concerning gum issues needs cleaning more often in order to maintain the current health of the gums and slow down further gum disease progression.

How often your dentist recommends having you go in for cleanings is determined on a case by case evaluation. It really comes down to your individual needs. Dental care needs to be customized to the current state of your oral health for best results. So if your dentist recommends you be seen in-office more often, rest assured that the goal is to maintain a healthy mouth and in your case, more frequent care is likely the key to preventing receding gum lines and progression of periodontal disease. Heeding their recommendations is a good choice to maintain a healthy mouth.

If you're ready to brighten your day with a fresh smile, be sure to choose dental professionals who use the best dental technology available and prioritize patient comfort and care. A great smile is just within reach when you make healthy oral habits a part of your daily routine at home, in addition to regular dental exams and cleanings.