07 Jul 2020 It’s highly recommended to visit your dentist twice a year. Is there a logic behind it? Why is it recommended to go to the dentist twice a year?
Six monthly checkups are recommended to the majority of the population, but it can be more or less frequent depending on multiple factors, such as, oral hygiene, dietary habits, general wellbeing, habits of smoking and many other factors. Your dentist will be best to advise the frequency of checkups.
The reason to attend regular appointments is that some serious problems can go undetected, if there are longer gaps between checkups. There is a strong need for regular checkups to reduce the chances of a dental problem going unnoticed. Within six months, a majority of people will produce enough plaque and calculus build up to cause inflammation and damage of the gums. This calculus needs to be cleaned off regularly to prevent gum damage, gum disease and bone loss. The bone loss starts off slowly but will accelerate if left undiagnosed leading to loosening of teeth and eventually tooth loss.
Failure to treat a dental problem in time can lead to some irreversible conditions. For example: Decay left untreated will worsen the cavity to the point of needing root canal treatment. To avoid the occurrence of such a problem, it is advisable to see your dentist at least twice a year. Also, having your mouth checked regularly can help detect any oral cancers at an early stage.
Sometimes there is a factor of finances. There are many patients who would want to receive dental treatment, but they fear the financial aspect which goes along with the treatment. Many people chose to totally forgo their regular treatment on the issue of finances. This makes it impossible for them to have the check up twice a year. Call our surgery to find out how we can help with this.
Regular 6 monthly checkups or even sometimes at 3-4 monthly are recommended for:
- Smokers
- Poor oral hygiene and poor dietary habits
- Dry mouth
- Past extensive dental treatment
- High caries risk
- Chronic health issues like diabetes or heart disease,
- Pregnant and nursing mothers
- Older people
- Taking bisphosphonate medication for osteoporosis
- Radiation in head and neck area for cancer
- History of gum/periodontal disease that has caused damage and loss of bone levels around the teeth.
- Older people with less manual dexterity to brush teeth properly
- Crowded and overlapped teeth and find it hard to clean
- Inadequate saliva flow
- Acidic saliva
- People on non fluoridated water
Sticking to your 6 monthly dental check up, will ensure dental treatment can be done at the right time. Solving the problem in its early stages helps in treating the problem in the least invasive manner as possible. An act that saves you time, money and pain. Make the smart choice today – visit your dentist. It only takes an open mind!