How often do I need a dental check-up?
Visiting the dentist can be quite a chore for the average person. Not only do you have to leave the comforts of your home on a resting day, but you’re also having someone poke and prod at your teeth. While this can be quite inconvenient, regular visits to your family dentist are vital for your health.
Going for a regular checkup is common knowledge, however, knowing how often is “regular” is another matter. Dentist visits that are too often can be overkill while going on a sporadic basis can be dangerous for your oral hygiene.
Having a better understanding of the health of your teeth can point you to the appropriate timing between your dental appointments. In this article, we will share with you a quick guide to follow to space out your dentist visits at optimal intervals.
Minimal-Risk Condition
People that properly and regularly maintain their teeth to the fullest extent can fall under the minimal-risk category. These are people that only have a minimal risk of getting oral health issues, supplementing their healthy teeth with proper tooth brushing techniques and flossing.
If your teeth are perfectly healthy, then the recommended interval is to visit your family dentist at least once every six months for check-up and cleaning. This will readily reduce bacteria and plaque build-up, which would halt the progression of many oral issues. However, should you have tooth-aches, chronic bad breath, and gum soreness, you may need to increase the number of visits.
High-Risk Condition
For those who live vicariously and aren’t particularly careful with their teeth or have unhealthy oral habits, then they may fall under the high-risk category. Smokers, diabetics, people with weak immune systems, and gum disease, pregnant women, and those with degenerative tooth conditions are considered as those with a high risk of having an oral issue.
If you fall under this category, then a visit to your dentist every quarter (around every three months) should suffice. This is done more regularly depending on the condition of your teeth and the particular ailment you’re suffering from. A dentist’s goal is to ensure that your teeth and gums don’t degenerate further, so they may recommend more frequent visits to assure proper maintenance.
Emergency Condition
Undoubtedly, if you’re facing an emergency situation, then rushing to the dentist is the only viable option. Putting a dental emergency on hold for your next dental appointment is extremely unwise because it could cause further degeneration and decay of your tooth. If your tooth is shaky or dislodged or if there’s excessive pain or obvious signs of decay, then head to your family dentist immediately.
Conclusion
Going to the dentist really depends on the condition of your teeth and how well you maintain them. It is highly recommended to visit once or twice a year and to have a check-up whenever you see any problems that could arise with your oral health. If you think it’s not urgent but want to be assured anyway, then phoning your family dentist is a perfectly valid option as well.
If you are looking for a private dentist in Milton Keynes, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!