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How often should you see your dentist? That’s a simple question with a complicated answer. As it turns out, there’s not just one correct answer. It all depends on your specific situation and goals.
There’s a huge range of frequencies that will work for you, from annual checkups and cleanings to only seeing your dentist once every five years.
Dental Checkups vs. Dental Treatments
Not all dental visits are alike. Some appointments are simply routine checkups and cleanings to ensure that you have healthy teeth and gums. Other appointments include more significant work, such as fillings, crowns, and other procedures to correct dental problems.
It’s essential to understand the difference between these two types of visits and choose the right flow for your own situation.
Dental Checkups: The Benefits
A routine checkup is a lot like a physical checkup. Your dentist or dental hygienist will examine your teeth and gums and give you a professional cleaning, all to make sure that your teeth and gums are healthy. These are the basic services you’ll receive at every checkup:
- Examination of your teeth and gums
- Professional cleaning with a dental instrument
- Oral cancer screening, if needed
- Examination of the inside of your mouth
- Examination of your tongue, throat, and neck
- Examination of your jaw joint
Your dentist will also be able to check your overall oral health.
Dental Treatments: The Benefits
On the other hand, a treatment visit has more to offer than a checkup. In addition to professional cleaning, you’ll also get any necessary dental work completed. This includes:
- Visual examination to make sure that you don’t need any further treatment
- Professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar
- A few restorative procedures, if needed
Why Do You Need a Dental Checkup?
After all, why go to the awkward and uncomfortable visit to your dentist when you don’t have any problems to address? But, there’s a lot to be gained from a visit to your dentist, even if you don’t have any immediate issues.
The first reason for dental checkups is that it gives you a chance to assess your oral health. Your dentist will be able to tell you whether your teeth and gums are healthy and if you’re at risk of developing any problems.
It’s also a chance to catch problems before they become serious. For example, dental problems like gum disease can only be diagnosed if you see your dentist regularly. If you see your dentist once every 5 or 10 years, you may not notice gum disease until it’s progressed to a severe level.
When you constantly see your dentist annually, you can catch these problems early on and prevent them from becoming too serious.
How Often Should You Go to the Dentist?
As a general rule, you’ll need to visit your dentist a few times a year. This will vary, depending on your specific health, but a good rule of thumb is to go to the dentist every six months.
For people who want a more specific number, go with once a year. This is the maximum time between visits.
You should also go to your dentist immediately after any dental procedures. These include fillings, crowns, and any other type of dental work. Most dental problems take weeks or months to show up, so getting it checked out right away is important.
Keep Your Oral Health in Check
When it comes to the length of time between visits to the dentist, the specific answer varies depending on your unique situation. Routine checkups are a great way to ensure that you don’t have any problems and help you identify dental issues before they become too serious.
Have an excellent dental routine checkup done by a reputable Waterford and Ann Arbor dentist. Dental House MI offers a wide range of dental services, including checkups. Set an appointment today.
