How Often Should You Have a Dental Checkup?

Well the short answer is... It depends! Read on to learn more.

We all ask ourselves questions about how often we should see our dentist for a checkup and a cleaning. Every 4, 6 or even12 months?

Nowadays, with all the various dental commercials, it is hard to keep track of what we have to do in order to have and maintain proper oral hygiene.

We all want that nice and white smile! How do we go about it the healthy way?

Having the Right Routine

Brushing your teeth daily, flossing, and using adjuvants such as a water flosser can help you maintain proper oral health. You should aim for brushing at least twice per day. Brushing three times a day or after every meal is even more ideal but can be difficult with the kind of busy lifestyles that we have nowadays. Flossing for its part is recommended once a day. As we've seen in our previous blog, most people don't bother with flossing or the ones that do, unfortunately are not doing it properly. However, even if you do these daily things, a visit to your dentist for a dental examination and cleaning is still essential.

Visiting Your Dental Professional

A professional cleaning, done by your hygienist, removes hard deposits called dental calculus. Even if your teeth look perfectly clean, there may be hardened deposits accumulating below the gum line along the root of your teeth. Only a dental professional can verify this and it is impossible to remove except with the proper tools of a dental professional.

Having dental cleanings and checkups help prevent gum disease such as gingivitis and periodontitis. Tartar underneath the gum-line, which is made up of bacteria, can eat away at the bone that supports your teeth and cause bone loss as well as inflammation and bleeding of the gums.

During your dental appointment, the dentist will examine your teeth and tell you if you have gum disease, cavities or any other dental problems. We all have different dental health. Visits to the dentist car vary between 4-6 or even 12 months. It depends on the types of problems that affect you. For example, those who have braces (orthodontic treatments) will be monitored more closely since the risk of cavities or gum disease is greater given their situation. The same applies to people who are prone to cavities or periodontal problems.

In addition, during your visit to your dentist, your dental professional will be happy to inform you about all the available means such as the oral water flosser to help reduce your risk of problems related to your gums. In addition, they can guide you on the ideal frequency of your examinations and cleanings adapted to your personal needs.