During many peoples’ childhoods, annual dental visits were inevitable. They were simply part of life; their parents would schedule the appointments and provide transportation to the dentist and then back home.
Adulthood, however, is a different story. Many adults delay their dental visits until a problem has arisen, while others simply do not go at all. While understandable, this is an unfortunate trend that puts them at risk for dental issues as well as greater health problems.
Luckily, with some preparation, your dental visits can be quick, straightforward and easily managed. You can make them so by adhering to a routine appointment schedule.
How often should I book dental visits?
The general rule of thumb is that the average adult should visit the dentist twice per year, i.e., every six months. Everyone’s body, genetics and oral health are different. Therefore, your dentist may recommend seeing you more or less frequently, but generally speaking, you should plan on biannual visits.
With this knowledge in mind, you can book your next few appointments far in advance so that you can make the proper accommodations with your work and family. Your dentist should remind you of the appointments as they draw closer.
What do these regular visits entail?
Your routine twice-yearly visits will usually include an examination and professional cleaning.
During the examination, your dentist will assess the health of your mouth through visual analysis, X-rays and/or three-dimensional imaging. The cleaning will provide advanced brushing, flossing and removal of plaque and tarter using the office’s advanced technology. Professional dental cleanings help clean your teeth in a manner more thorough than you are capable of achieving with your home oral healthcare routine.
Why are twice-yearly visits important?
Regular dental visits are vital not only to your oral health, but also to your overall physical health. They can also help you prevent more severe conditions while saving you a significant amount of money in the long run.
Regular dental examinations allow your dentist to identify potential issues that can be prevented. Additionally, these exams help catch existing issues in their early stages so that they can be dealt with quickly and effectively.
Routine cleanings help prevent the buildup of plaque, tartar and bacteria that can strip your teeth of enamel, cause cavities and eventually compromise the health of your teeth.
When you avoid these regular visits, bacteria and other harmful elements can run rampant in your mouth, even if you have a consistent home oral healthcare routine. This can cause minor dental issues to become more significant. For example, when left unchecked, a small cavity can increase in size and expose the core of your tooth. This allows it to become infected. This can require a root canal or even a full extraction.