As soon as we grow baby teeth, we begin to see our dentists for routine dental care. When we age and our schedules get busier, these visits to our local dental practice may seem less of a priority. However, these regular appointments play a major role in preserving and protecting our teeth and gums.
But how often are we meant to visit our dentists? Read on to see why you should see your dentist for preventative dental care on a regular basis to keep your smile looking and feeling its best.
What Happens During a Routine Dentist Appointment?
Routine appointments at your dentist’s office are crucial parts of maintaining good oral health. During these visits, a dentist will clean plaque and tartar build-up from your teeth.
Though you may have a diligent oral hygiene routine at home, these residues can accrue on your teeth in spots of the mouth that a toothbrush and floss cannot reach. If they remain on your smile, they can erode your teeth and leave them vulnerable to dental dangers like cavities.
Therefore, you will need to attend these teeth cleanings to keep your smile free of dental problems. Your dentist will also examine your smile for signs of dental concerns like gum disease or decay. Then they can provide treatment before the issues worsen and leave you with irreversible dental damage.
How Often Do I Schedule Routine Dental Visits?
For the average dental patient, a dentist will suggest scheduling routine appointments every six months. This provides the ideal window to clean plaque and other residues from their smiles before they can cause dental damage. It will also allow dentists to spot the early stages of dental problems and give them swift treatment before they progress into severe cases.
Not every patient will receive optimal preventative dental care this way, however. Some patients may need to see their dentists for cleanings and oral exams three to four times each year. Examples include senior patients, those with a higher propensity for tartar development, and people with underlying medical issues.
What Do I Do in the Event of a Dental Emergency?
Despite your careful attention to your smile and regular visits to the dentist, accidents can happen. These may result in an injury to your tooth or to your dental work. If this occurs before your next scheduled routine appointment, do not hesitate to reach out to your dentist anyway.
They may ask that you come to their office for an emergency visit so that they can provide urgent care to restore your smile and minimize dental damage. Even if you do not have a major tooth injury, you should contact your dentist if you notice any issues in your smile.
Ignoring a potential dental problem could mean that the issue will worsen, putting your smile at risk of severe concerns that may need expensive and invasive dental solutions. If you have any questions, feel free to call your dentist at any time.