No matter how confident you feel about your oral health, it's important to visit the dentist regularly. A good rule of thumb is to go for a dental checkup at least once a year, although some evidence suggests that people with a low risk of dental diseases may be able to wait up to 18 to 24 months. However, if you want to know exactly how often you should have a dental checkup, you must consider your mouth, hygiene habits, and overall wellbeing. During your regular dental checkup, your dentist will assess any damage caused by bad habits such as smoking or vaping, teeth grinding (bruxism), brushing your teeth too hard, and poor diet.
Your dentist can then provide tips on how to improve your oral health. If left untreated, gingivitis can develop into gum disease. Symptoms of gum disease include swelling, bleeding, and pain in the mouth. It can also cause the bone that holds the teeth in place to decay, leading to loose or missing teeth.
In this case, a dental specialist may be required and treatment could involve surgery, deep cleaning, and medications - all of which can be expensive and time-consuming. Regular dental cleanings are essential for detecting and treating gingivitis before it gets out of hand. If you're considering skipping a dental checkup due to cost or other factors such as time or dental anxiety, it's important to consider the risks. Regular cleanings can help prevent plaque and tartar from becoming destructive.
If you're keeping up with your dental cleanings and checkups, you're doing yourself a big favor in the long run. And if it's been a while since your last visit, it's time to respond to that text message, call, or email from your dentist's office for your 6-month dental checkup. Unfortunately, 100 million Americans don't go to the dentist every year - even though regular visits are essential for maintaining oral health. People with a higher risk of dental diseases and other health conditions may need to see the dentist every three months or more.
Regular visits also help children get used to dental instruments and ensure their teeth develop in a healthy way. Skipping dental appointments can have serious consequences as oral problems can develop quickly without any visible signs. X-ray images allow dentists to detect and diagnose problems that may not be visible to the naked eye. Regular checkups also provide an opportunity for dentists to examine the neck and thyroid gland - something that is often overlooked when people don't visit the dentist regularly.
If you've ever wondered what's really the point of getting regular dental checkups and cleanings, consider this: early detection of oral problems can prevent or treat them more easily - such as oral cancer - so it's important to see a dentist regularly.
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