As a general rule of thumb, we recommend that you should go to the dentist twice a year, or every six months. This schedule helps us keep a close eye on your oral health to make sure that everything is looking as it should! Going for too long without a dental visit can exacerbate existing problems, such as gingivitis (the swelling of the gums), a cavity, or other infections that you may not know are happening inside your mouth.
Dental visits every six months help you stay on top of cavities
Unfortunately, once you get a cavity, there’s no way that it can go away on its own. And, despite the misconception that you can get a filling whenever you find the time to go to the dentist, time is certainly of the essence. A ‘cavity’ is actually an infection in the form of an ‘abscess’ (or a hole) in your tooth. This continues to decay if left untreated, meaning that your cavity isn’t just something you can put off until later. It gets worse slowly and consistently, and can result in the need for a total tooth removal if you go for too long without a dental visit.
Additionally, it can be hard to know when you have a cavity. Even if everything seems good to go when you open wide and peer into a mirror to check, cavities can be sneaky and imperceptible to the naked eye. Cavities can occur in between teeth and deep within the grooves of the molars. A dentist looks diligently throughout every crevice of your mouth to find and identify any potential problem areas.
Keep your oral health and hygiene in check
Aside from staying on top of cavities and other oral infections, visiting the dentist twice a year is also advised for your oral hygiene. Each dental visit includes a thorough teeth cleaning, which provides for a ‘clean slate’ for your teeth! Teeth cleaning and flossing by your oral hygienist can access hard-to-reach spots where food and other debris may have been stuck. Your teeth will thank you!
While a visit every six months is the gold standard for dental visits, it’s also advisable to have a talk with your dentist and see what they recommend. In some cases, more frequent visits may be necessary if you have other needs. Additionally, if you have braces, Invisalign, you recently had oral surgery, or you’re looking for other dental services, more frequent visits are typically recommended.
