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Myth or Truth: Do You Have to Go to the Dentist Regularly?

“I think about my dentist like I do my car mechanic,” a man said. “If I’ve got problems, I’ll go. But if everything’s running just fine, why bother?”

Was he right? Do you have to go to the dentist every six months , regardless of how your mouth is “running”?

Strictly speaking, the answer is no.

The six-month recall interval (the time between two consecutive visits) should not be seen as a surefire, one-size-fits-all best practice. Indeed, some patients—people who smoke or who have diabetes, for instance, or women who are pregnant—should see their dentist every three months or more .

But regularly going to the dentist is necessary for achieving and maintaining optimal dental and oral health. The CDC recommends a dentist visit for everyone “ at least once a year .”

At Penn Dental Medicine , we understand some people feel reluctant about visiting the dentist . Fitting a dental check up into a busy schedule can be challenging. Worries about discomfort, pain, or blood during dental treatments are common. And many Americans, with or without dental insurance, skip dental visits due to cost concerns .

Responsible dental professionals can and will work with patients to address these and other issues. But even though the “ every six months ” standard is more a good rule of thumb than a hard and fast rule, the answer to the question, “ Do you have to go to the dentist on a regular basis?” remains an emphatic yes!

3 Reasons Regular Dental Check Up s are Important

Visiting the dentist when your teeth and mouth look and feel fine is arguably the best time to go. Why? Because your routine cleaning and dental exam is an investment in making sure they stay that way.

Here are three reasons not to delay dentist visits until you’re having problems.

1. Keeping Your Teeth Clean

Even people who faithfully brush their teeth for two minutes twice a day and floss once a day need regular professional cleanings. Regular, nonemergency dental visits are opportunities for your dental hygienist or dentist to clean your teeth.

Brushing and flossing remove much plaque—the sticky bacterial film always forming on your teeth—but not all of it. Plaque between the teeth and under the gum line can be especially difficult to remove. As plaque builds up, it produces acids that demineralize tooth enamel, and it hardens into tartar (also called calculus). Tooth decay and gum disease result.

As important as your toothbrush and floss are to daily oral hygiene, they are no match for tartar. Only a dentist’s manual or ultrasonic scaler or curette can remove it.

Consumers can buy plaque scrapers, but using these specialized tools yourself is dangerous . You could cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums. Leave the plaque scraping to trained dental professionals .

2. Catching Dental and Oral Health Problems Early

In addition to getting your teeth as clean as possible, regular dental visits are chances for your dentist to spot signs of dental and oral health problems before they become more serious and difficult to treat.

Certainly, dentists can catch and fill small cavities before they become bigger. But dentists will also examine your gums for signs of disease you may not see. They will check for red or white patches in your mouth and lumps in your neck that could indicate oral cancer or other cancers. Other diseases and conditions can also have symptoms that appear in the mouth .

Regular dental visits are preventive, proactive care. Avoiding oral health problems is always preferable to treating them. When detected early, many problems can be treated more easily and affordably.

3. Giving You Customized Guidance and Reliable Advice

The more you visit your dentist, the more they get to know you and your mouth. As a result, the better they can advise you about your specific dental and oral health needs.

For example: If you’re having trouble following a routine oral hygiene plan at home, your dentist can work with you on finding solutions that fit your situation.

Or suppose you want to whiten your teeth or need to straighten them. Your regular dentist, knowing your mouth as well as they do, can give you accurate information about your options and refer you to trusted specialists as needed.

Choosing the Right Dentist to Visit for You

How often should you go to the dentist ? Only a dental professional can determine the recall interval that best suits your oral health needs. But no matter how long it’s been since your last dental check up , scheduling your next one now, whether or not you’re experiencing teeth and mouth problems, is important.

You do have to go to the dentist —but not just any dentist. Choose one who:

• Offers enough scheduling flexibility to fit your lifestyle
• Does all they can to make you feel comfortable while they are delivering dental services
• Provides affordable treatment and will work with you to keep costs within your budget

For more guidance on finding the right dentist for you to visit, download Penn Dental Medicine’s free eBook , The Affordability of Truly Comprehensive Dental Care: How to Secure a Patient-Focused Dentist Office .

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How often should I see my dentist?

Why are regular dentist appointments important?

You consider yourself to have great oral hygiene and regularly brush and floss your teeth to keep your mouth clean. Your excellent oral hygiene habits may lead you to wonder if you still need to visit your dentist on a regular basis. The answer is yes!   Even if you take good care of your teeth and gums at home, it’s still important that you regularly visit your dentist who is professionally trained to check for problems you may not see or feel yourself.

The truth is, many dental problems like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer don’t become visible or cause pain until they are in the more advanced stage, which makes treatment and follow-up all the more extensive. Even if you are healthy today, your risk for dental disease can change over time and can be affected by factors like illness, diet changes, new medication usage, and more. So why risk it?

The frequency at which you visit your dentist should be based on several factors. This includes your current oral health condition, individual oral hygiene habits, general health status and medical conditions, as well as your own self- and dentist-assessed risk for oral health problems.

Assessing your risk for dental disease

When evaluating your risk for dental disease, you should consider all personal health, lifestyle, and genetic factors that contribute to your risk-level. Risk factors include a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, poor oral habits, lack of exposure to fluoride containing water, smoking or use of other tobacco products, heavy alcohol or recreational drug use, and medical conditions including diabetes, Sjogren’s Syndrome, and head and neck cancers.

Delta Dental offers a free online risk assessment tool called LifeSmile Score TM that helps you determine your level of risk for things like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. The tool prompts you with a series of questions about family history and current health status and habits and analyzes your answers to reveal your oral health risk score. You can then print your results and share them with your dentist who can factor those scores in with his or her clinical exam and help you develop a customized oral health plan and dental recall visit schedule.

Regularly scheduled visits

The evidence for the ideal interval for routine dental exams is not clear cut, but once or twice a year has been the general recommendation in the U.S. for many years. However, most people at low risk of oral diseases can visit the dentist less frequently, while others may need to go more often.

Your dental insurance coverage will also play a role in how often you see a dentist. Generally, two oral health exams will be covered by your dental insurance plan on an annual basis, but this will depend on your individual dental insurance plan . Remember – even if you believe your mouth to be in perfect health, you should still get a professional cleaning and annual checkup to ensure everything is healthy and on track!

Other factors to consider

Here are some other factors to consider when you think about how often you should see a dentist.

• Changes to dental health

Have you recently had any changes in your dental health? Certain things to take note of are chipped, cracked or shifting teeth, swollen or bleeding gums, persistent tooth pain and sensitivity to cold or hot beverages. Should any of these instances occur, be sure to check in with your dentist. 1

• Dental work & upkeep

When you receive dental work like a filling, crown, or oral surgery, there’s a chance you will need to go back to the dentist for follow-up appointments to ensure your teeth and gums are healing well. This usually involves a quick evaluation by your dentist and also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the recent dental work. Something to note – if you have active periodontal (gum) disease, you may need more frequent appointments to manage this condition. These appointments may occur every 2-6 months. 2

• Dental visits for kids

Generally, children should get their first oral exam as soon as their first baby tooth comes in or by their first birthday. As the child gets older, dental checkups should occur as often as your dentist advises, with a typical recommendation of every six months to a year.

• Dental visits for adults

For adults, the recommended frequency for dental check-ups varies. In most studies, however, regular attenders are considered to be those individuals that visit the dentist at least once a year. The frequency at which you visit the dentist will depend on your own oral health needs, and if you are prone to cavities, gum problems, or oral health issues. How quickly one develops stain and dental plaque on their teeth will also vary from person to person, and some individuals may benefit from a more frequent cleaning schedule should their teeth be more prone to staining or calculus build-up.

Additionally, individuals who have dental insurance typically visit the dentist more often than those who do not. And, companies with wellness programs will often offer incentives for employees to accomplish certain preventive health steps each year. Companies recognize that cost savings can occur for the company and employee by preventing disease.

High risk groups

The following groups may need to see the dentist more frequently, as oral health issues are more likely to arise in:

• Pregnant women
• Persons with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome, head and neck cancers, HIV/AIDS, and others
• People with current gum disease
• People with a weak immune response to bacterial infection
• People who tend to get cavities or build up plaque
• People who suffer from dry mouth
• Older adults

Regardless of how you feel about your overall oral health, it is important to see a dentist regularly. A reasonable goal is to visit the dentist at least once a year for an oral health checkup, although some evidence suggests that those at a low risk for disease may extend to 18-24 months. Check in with your dentist for more information on how they assess your risk for oral disease and what their recommendation is for your individualized exam and cleaning schedule.

Additional resources

Looking for more information? Learn more about basic oral health.

• Mouthwash 101: what mouthwash does and how to use It
• How to floss your teeth the right way
• Learn the proper technique for brushing your teeth

1 Your Top 9 Questions About Going to the Dentist-Answered! (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/dental-care-concerns/questions-about-going-to-the-dentist

2 Periodontitis. (2018, March 6). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/periodontitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354479

Your dentist may be ripping you off. Here are 7 tips to help you avoid it.

by Joseph Stromberg

There’s an invisible problem in dentistry: some dentists using “creative diagnosis” to perform unnecessary work in the interest of making extra money.

There isn't hard data on how often this occurs, but it's clear that it's a big issue — as highlighted by an op-ed by a dentist in American Dental Association News. Due to a few different factors — a lack of oversight, rising debt incurred during dental school, and the rise of quota-driven corporate dental chains — there's a decent chance that you might visit a dentist who's making decisions based on profit, not the work you really need.

Last year, I interviewed eight dentists for tips on how to avoid this sort of thing. Here are some highlights.

1) You probably don’t need all your fillings ripped out and replaced

Oftentimes, someone visiting a new (and unscrupulous) dentist will be told that he or she needs a ton of work done. Frequently, this involves ripping out all existing fillings and replacing them with new ones.

But the dentists I interviewed told me that you should doubt any new dentist that prescribes a ton of work, unless you’re going in due to pain. And though fillings do crack and decay over time, you rarely need all of them replaced at once. Some will claim that old silver fillings need to be removed for safety reasons — specifically, because they leech mercury — but that idea is a total myth .

2) Beware practices that offer deals to get you in the door

The dental practices that advertise heavily and offer deals — like a free cleaning or free whitening — often do so simply to get you in the door, so they can prescribe you a big treatment plan for work you may or may not need. Disproportionately, they’re corporate-owned, national chains, like Aspen Dental .

“These big chains are kind of dental mills,” Mindy Weinman, a Buffalo dentist and dental school professor, told me for my previous article . “They’re the ones that give you the free cleaning, and the free exam, then they tell you that you need $3,000 worth of dental work.”

Ultimately, it’s usually cheaper to get a cleaning or whitening from a practice that doesn’t offer deals — so you’re more likely to just pay for what you need, and nothing else. Most of the dentists I interviewed recommended finding a dentist through word-of-mouth, rather than relying on advertisements.

3) Fluoride treatments and prescription toothpastes are generally useless

( William Warby )

Unethical dentists rely on all sorts of products and treatments to upsell patients, but two common ones are special fluoride treatments and prescription toothpastes.

These sorts of products might be helpful for someone who gets a ton of cavities — especially a child, who has teeth that are more capable of absorbing fluoride — but for the vast majority of adults, they’re entirely unnecessary. That’s because there’s already enough fluoride in our drinking water and in over-the-counter toothpastes to prevent cavities in most people.

4) Night guards and sealants are often unnecessary

Two other products that are often used as moneymakers are night guards (which stop you from grinding your teeth at night) and sealants (which cover a tooth’s surface so plaque doesn’t accumulate).

It’s certainly true that some people genuinely need a night guard, especially if they have jaw pain. But not everyone needs one — and even though a dentist will often tell you that you’re grinding down your teeth as evidence that you do need one, all people gradually wear down their teeth over the course of their lifetimes. Unless you’re doing so at an especially fast rate, you’re fine.

Sealants are similar: a product that can be useful in some cases (mainly among kids, who don’t brush as well), but definitely shouldn’t be prescribed for everyone.

5) Veneers are often purely cosmetic — like plastic surgery

Lots of dentists also push veneers (artificial tooth surfaces) on many patients, because they’re extremely lucrative. But it’s important to remember that, in most cases, veneers are a cosmetic choice, and one that costs thousands of dollars. If you’re teeth look awful and you’ve been wanting to improve their appearance, that’s fine, but don’t let yourself get talked into them, any more than you’d let yourself get talked into a nose job.

Additionally, if the shape of your tooth is fine, just not the color, it’s generally much cheaper to go for whitening, rather than veneers. And if you do want veneers, it’s smarter to visit a prosthodontist , rather than a general dentist.

6) Dental insurance can end up costing you more

(Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images)

Medical insurance is essential. But dental insurance is often a bad deal. That’s because it can set up a conflict-of-interest for dentists: when you go in to get a cleaning and check-up, their base reimbursement fees from the insurance companies are very low. “To make up for it, some dentists will find work to do,” David Silber, a Dallas dentist, told me. “There’s always going to be treatment, because they mathematically need to do something so they don’t lose money on the cleaning.”

M ost often, this will involve "deep cleaning," or quadrant scaling — an intensive kind of cleaning that requires multiple visits (which aren't covered by insurance) and isn't always necessary.

The best way to avoid this sort of thing, unfortunately, is to visit dentists that aren’t part of insurance networks — and are less likely to do unnecessary work. If you get free dental insurance from your employer, you can try finding an honest dentist in-network, but if you don’t, your best bet is simply not buying insurance and finding a dentist through word-of-mouth.

7) Don’t be afraid to ask to see X-rays and get a second opinion

This piece of advice came up over and over again when I spoke to the dentists. It’s entirely within your rights to temporarily refuse treatment, and get a second opinion, and an honest dentist will never pressure you to do otherwise. Further, your X-rays are legally your property, and your dentist is required to turn them over to you to bring to other dentists. Keeping this in mind and doing it whenever you feel uncomfortable with a prescribed treatment will protect you in the long term.

For more thorough advice and context on unnecessary dental work, see my original article: How to avoid getting ripped off by the dentist

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Do I Really Need to See the Dentist Twice a Year?

Have a health question? Email us at [email protected] and we might answer it in an upcoming Q&A!

We definitely feel your pain (or your urge to avoid pain and skip your appointments, rather). Going to the dentist can be anxiety-inducing or even just hard to fit into your schedule if you’re not having an emergency. To get to the root of this one, we chatted with Maria Lopez Howell, D.D.S., an American Dental Association spokesperson, and Vera Tang , D.D.S., New York City-based dentist. Here’s what they have to say.

How often you should go to the dentist depends on your teeth, gums, and how well you maintain good oral hygiene on your own. “As the American Dental Association points out, there is no one-size-fits-all regimen for anyone,” Dr. Lopez Howell says.

The ultimate goal is to see you often enough to ward off any mouth problems, Dr. Lopez Howell explains. Issues like tooth decay (cavities) and periodontitis (gum disease) can both lead to pain and tooth loss, and they’re very much avoidable. Seeing a dentist regularly can help prevent them altogether or, at the very least, stop them in their tracks. Getting into that chair at least once a year is key.

“I understand that life gets busy, so if you’re on the healthier side, once a year is fine,” Dr. Tang says. “Going twice a year would be on the safe side—any minor changes can be caught early and more easily remedied than if you wait the full year.”

So, how will you know if you’re a one-visit-a-year person or if you need to crank up that number? Easy: Your dentist will tell you. Then it’s on you to listen, and there are good reasons to do just that.

A potentially harmful bacterial film called plaque is constantly forming on your teeth and gums. Plaque is a sticky, colorless substance that can eat away at your enamel (the hard outer covering of your teeth) and cause cavities. If you don’t get rid of plaque often enough, it can harden into what’s known as tartar or calculus, which can cause gum disease .

You really want to avoid plaque turning into tartar, which is where dental appointments come in. Even the most skilled brusher and flosser can’t remove tartar themselves. “It’s very much like barnacles on the side of a ship—after a certain point, you need to power wash it,” Dr. Tang says. “You can brush your teeth, but sometimes you need instruments and power tools in order to really clean them.”

Beyond that, seeing your dentist regularly can help keep more than your teeth healthy. Signs of various conditions like diabetes and anemia sometimes show up in your mouth , Dr. Tang says. If your dentist notices something awry during a visit, they can refer you to a specialist to check you out.

Seeing the dentist might also prompt you to take better care of your oral hygiene. You know how your teeth feel silky-smooth after a cleaning and inspire you to do whatever necessary to keep them that way? Dentists love that. “Some patients lose their motivation [for oral hygiene] over time, but when they come to see dentist, they really get encouraged,” Dr. Lopez Howell says.

“Talk to your dentist,” Dr. Lopez Howell says, recommending that you tell them about your dental fears and ask if there’s anything they or their office can do to help. “The dentist and hygienist are striving for an appointment that will make you healthier, encourage you to have good habits at home, and encourage you to come back to help prevent disease,” Dr. Lopez Howell says. They know that’s less likely if you feel like your appointments are torture, so you really all have a common goal of making them as pleasant as possible. Options might include listening to music on headphones, using nitrous oxide (laughing gas), and more, Dr. Tang says. (Here are other dentist-approved ways to make your next appointment easier.)

It gets better: Going to the dentist regularly can help you become more comfortable with the experience overall. “Over time you might become less anxious and realize it wasn’t that much to be worried about,” Dr. Lopez Howell says. Plus, keeping your teeth cleaner may result in less intense appointments in the future (or fewer appointments, period).

You can help make your dentist appointments run more smoothly by staying on top of your oral hygiene, thereby reducing plaque and tartar, Dr. Lopez Howell says. Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with flouride toothpaste (it strengthens your enamel ) and floss daily. Sure, it might not be the most fun thing in the world. But as anyone who’s had to get a root canal can tell you, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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Featured Review: How often should you see your dentist for a check-up?

Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients

Lead author Patrick Fee explains, “This research is valuable when considering the significant impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic and its effect on dental services worldwide, limiting patient access for dental treatment. Patient access to dental care may remain limited for some time. However, the results of this review provide reassurance to those providing and seeking dental treatment that intervals between check-ups can be extended beyond six months without detriment to the oral health of patients.

This review finds that a risk-based check-up is not detrimental to oral health and is acceptable to patients. There has been a longstanding international debate about the optimal frequency of dental check-ups and this review includes the most current and robust evidence available to investigate this issue. But it should be stressed this is about adults having routine check-ups, not those who need to seek emergency treatment or children.”

Why have a dental check-up? A dental check-up helps to keep your mouth healthy and lets your dentist see if you have any dental problems. It allows your dentist to deal with any problems early, or even better, to prevent problems from developing. Leaving problems untreated may make them harder to treat in the future. What happens in a check-up? At each check-up your dentist will usually:

• examine your teeth, gums and mouth;
• ask about your general health and if you have had any problems with your teeth, mouth or gums since your last check-up;
• advise you about tooth-cleaning habits, and your diet, smoking and alcohol use;
• if appropriate, recommend treatment needed for any dental problems.

After your check-up, the dentist will recommend a date for your next check-up. Traditionally, check‑ups are recommended every six months. However, some people are at higher risk of developing dental problems and may need more frequent check-ups, while others may not need check-ups so often. Why the team did this Cochrane Review Having check-ups every six months might help to keep your mouth healthy and avoid dental problems in future, but could also lead to unnecessary dental treatments. However, having check-ups less often might let dental problems get worse and lead to difficult and expensive treatment and care. The author team wanted to identify the best time interval to have between dental check-ups. What did the authors do? They searched for studies that looked at the effect of different time intervals between dental check-ups. The authors looked for randomised controlled studies, in which people were assigned to different intervals at random. These studies usually give the most reliable evidence.

Search date: included evidence published up to 17 January 2020.

• how many people had tooth decay;
• how many tooth surfaces were affected by decay;
• gum disease (percentage of bleeding sites in the gums); and
• quality of life (well-being) related to having healthy teeth and gums.

No studies measured other potential unwanted effects.

What are the results of the review? In adults, there was little to no difference between six-monthly and risk-based check-ups in tooth decay (number of tooth surfaces affected), gum disease and well-being after four years; and probably little to no difference in how many people had moderate-to-extensive tooth decay. There was probably little to no difference between 24-monthly and six-monthly or risk-based check-ups in tooth decay (number of people and number of tooth surfaces affected), gum disease or well‑being, and may be little to no difference in how many people had moderate-to-extensive tooth decay. The authors did not find enough reliable evidence about the effects of 12-monthly and 24-monthly check-ups in children and adolescents after two years. This was because of problems with the way that the study was conducted.

How reliable are these results? They are confident that there is little to no difference between six‑monthly and risk‑based check-ups in adults for number of tooth surfaces with decay, gum disease and well‑being. They are moderately confident there is little to no difference between 24-monthly check-ups and six-monthly or risk-based check-ups in number of tooth surfaces with decay, gum disease and well-being. Conclusions Whether adults see their dentist for a check-up every six months or at personalised intervals based on their dentist's assessment of their risk of dental disease does not affect tooth decay, gum disease, or well-being. Longer intervals (up to 24 months) between check-ups may not negatively affect these outcomes. Currently, there is not enough reliable evidence available about how often children and adolescents should see their dentist for a check-up.

• Read the full review on the Cochrane Library 
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Looking dental visits in the mouth —

Do you need a dentist visit every 6 months that filling the data is weak, getting evidence-based care may be like pulling teeth, researchers suggest..

Beth Mole - May 7, 2024 5:56 pm UTC

The field of dentistry is lagging on adopting evidence-based care and, as such, is rife with overdiagnoses and overtreatments that may align more with the economic pressures of keeping a dental practice afloat than what care patients actually need. At least, that's according to a trio of health and dental researchers from Brazil and the United Kingdom, led by epidemiologist and dentist Paulo Nadanovsky, of the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

In a viewpoint published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine , the researchers point out that many common—nearly unquestioned—practices in dentistry aren't backed up by solid data. That includes the typical recommendation that everyone should get a dental check-up every six months. The researchers note that two large clinical trials failed to find a benefit of six-month check-ups compared with longer intervals that were up to two years.

A 2020 Cochrane review that assessed the two clinical trials concluded that "whether adults see their dentist for a check‐up every six months or at personalized intervals based on their dentist's assessment of their risk of dental disease does not affect tooth decay, gum disease, or quality of life. Longer intervals (up to 24 months) between check‐ups may not negatively affect these outcomes." The Cochrane reviewers reported that they were "confident" of little to no difference between six-month and risk-based check-ups and were "moderately confident" that going up to 24-month checkups would make little to no difference either.

Likewise, Nadanovsky and his colleagues highlight that there is no evidence supporting the benefit of common scaling and polishing treatments for adults without periodontitis. And for children, cavities in baby teeth are routinely filled, despite evidence from a randomized controlled trial that rates of pain and infections are similar—about 40 percent—whether the cavities are filled or not.

As for the disconnect between common practices and the state of the evidence, the researchers suggest that economic pressures are largely to blame, as well as the training and opinions of practicing dentists and the expectations of patients—"all of which tend to favor excessive diagnoses and interventions," the researchers write. The problem may date back to the 1970s and 1980s when fluoridated toothpaste became common, and the rate of cavities saw an "extraordinary decline." That left dentists with a financial need to find new ways to keep their offices filled, even if teeth didn't need to be.

And this created two problems: People being overtreated or not treated at all, the researchers wrote.

The prevailing dental economic model based on fee-for-service creates an environment of dental overdiagnosis and overtreatment. At the same time, many persons who do not have dental insurance cannot afford to pay out of pocket for dental care, creating a situation where people with low income or who are part of a racial and ethnic minority group are often underdiagnosed and undertreated.

The researchers called for more clinical trials to assess the effectiveness and benefits of treatments and to have dental guidelines updated accordingly. Then, Nadanovsky and colleagues said, resources can be allocated to the patients who need them the most. "The aim is to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment while increasing necessary treatment," they conclude.

In a lengthy statement to Ars, the American Dental Association responded to the viewpoint by saying that it is "dedicated to evidence-based dentistry." The ADA defined evidence-based dentistry as that which "integrates the dentist’s clinical expertise, the patient’s needs and preferences, and the most current, clinically relevant data. All three are part of the decision-making process for patient care."

The ADA did not respond directly to questions regarding the shaky evidence behind common practices and recommendations, such as six-month check-ups. (The ADA does not recommend a specific interval between visits but recommends seeing a dentist " regularly .") Instead, the ADA emphasized that the "dentist-patient relationship is critically important." While noting the "ethical responsibility of dentists," the ADA focused on the role of patients in their care. According to the ADA, patients should be selective in finding a dentist, receive dental care cost estimates upfront, and always ask questions and discuss alternatives. The association also referenced its statement on dental patient rights and responsibilities .

"Patients always have the option to discuss alternative treatment plans, decline care, or seek another opinion," the ADA told Ars.

"The nation’s dentists have long sought to turn the tide of untreated oral disease and advise people to visit their dentist regularly for recommendations specific to their individual needs developed in accordance with the latest scientific evidence available," the ADA said.

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How Often Should You See the Dentist?

Keeping your teeth healthy with regular dental visits is important. When teeth start to have problems, they can impact life quickly. But what are “regular” dental visits? How often are people supposed to go?

Catching a dental problem early may help reduce the amount of pain, difficulty, and cost to fix the problem. Dentists can also look for signs of oral cancers, and spot signs of other health conditions, such as Sjögren’s syndrome or diabetes.

Dental Visits for Kids

Kids should get their first oral exam as soon as their first tooth comes in or by their first birthday. The dentist will give you advice about how to care for your child’s early teeth. As your child gets older, he or she should have dental checkups as often as the dentist advises. Most dentists recommend a dental visit every six months and sometimes more frequently to help prevent cavities and other problems. Talk with your child’s dentist about the schedule that is best for your child.

Dental Visits for Adults

Your dentist can advise you how often you need to visit based on your oral and general health and your risk factors for tooth decay and gum disease. For example, someone with a lot of tartar, cavities or systemic diseases may need to come more often than twice a year.

You may need to see your dentist more often if:

• You’re pregnant. Pregnancy hormones can cause an inflammation of the gums called gingivitis, and other problems.
• You smoke. Tobacco use is a risk factor for a severe gum disease called periodontitis and for oral cancer.
• You’re being treated for cancer. Treatment for cancer can cause oral health problems such as dry mouth and infection.
• You have diabetes. People with diabetes have a higher risk of gum disease, fungal infections, and other oral problems.
• You have heart disease. Dental health is linked to heart health, and frequent dental cleanings may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• You’re HIV positive. HIV and its treatment put you at a higher risk of dental decay and infections.

Time to Call the Dentist…

In addition to regular checkups, see your dentist if:

• You have tooth or gum pain that doesn’t go away or gets worse
• Your gums are red, swollen, and bleed easily
• You have a sore in your mouth that doesn’t heal
• A tooth becomes sensitive to hot, cold, or pressure
• Something is wrong with an old dental restoration
• You lose a filling
• You have dry mouth on a daily basis
• You have pain or clicking noises in your jaw

Frequently Asked Questions. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. http://www.aapd.org/resources/frequently_asked_questions/ Accessed 2013.

Questions about going to the dentist. http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/dental-care-concerns/questions-about-going-to-the-dentist/ accessed 2013., how often should we go to the dentist elizabeth j kay. bmj. 1999 july 24; 319(7204): 204–205. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1116309/ accessed 2013., pregnancy concerns. ada. http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/pregnancy/concerns accessed 2013., gum disease risk factors. american academy of periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/risk-factorsaccessed 2013., periodontal (gum) disease: causes, symptoms, and treatments. national institute of dental and craniofacial research. august 2012. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/gumdiseases/periodontalgumdisease.htmaccessed 2013.                                     , cancer treatment and oral health. national institute of dental and craniofacial research. july 18, 2013. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/cancertreatment/default.htm accessed 2013., chemotherapy and your mouth. national institute of dental and craniofacial research. august 2012. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/cancertreatment/chemotherapyyourmouth.htm accessed 2013., diabetes and oral health problems. american diabetes association. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/oral-health-and-hygiene/diabetes-and-oral.html accessed 2013., diabetes and oral health. j amer dent assoc , 2002 september, vol133, page 1299. http://www.ada.org/sections/publicresources/pdfs/patient_18.pdf accessed 2013., professional dental cleanings may reduce risk of heart attack, stroke. american heart association, november 13, 2011. http://newsroom.heart.org/news/professional-dental-cleanings-217760 accessed 2013., relationship between periodontal disease, tooth loss, and carotid artery plaque. stroke, 2003; vol34, pages 2120-2125. http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/34/9/2120.full.pdf+html accessed 2013., oral health and hiv. the ryan white hiv/aids program, u.s. department of health and human services. http://hab.hrsa.gov/abouthab/files/oral_health_fact_sheet.pdf accessed 2013., mouth problems and hiv. national institute of dental and craniofacial research.  july 18, 2013. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/topics/hiv/mouthproblemshiv/ accessed 2013., oral health issues. u.s. department of health & human services, october 17, 2012. http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/staying-healthy-with-hiv-aids/potential-related-health-problems/oral-health-issues/ accessed 2013..

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Ask the Dentist

Health Begins in the Mouth | Dr. Mark Burhenne

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Spot These Warning Signs of a Bad Dentist [Don’t Get Ripped Off]

Get Dr. B’s Dental Health Tips

The subjective nature of dental diagnosis, the way dental insurance works, lack of oversight, 1. urgency without details, 2. heavy work that comes out of the blue, 3. deals that are too good to be true, 4. diagnosing a lot of procedures not covered by insurance, 5. not showing you x-rays, beware of in-network, choose a dentist based on referrals, not who your insurance company tells you to see, stay away from practices that advertise, look for a name on the door, ask for a second opinion, ask how long your appointment will be, price check and do your research, be skeptical of a new dentist that prescribes a ton of treatment, trust your gut, ask about loupes, be choosy: pick the best dentist for you.

It’s one thing to figure out how to find a good dentist your family loves…And an entirely different question to make sure your dentist’s office isn’t going to commit fraud at the expense of your checkbook.

I’ll never forget the long nights I spent poring over x-rays and charts in order to assist the lawyer paying me as an expert witness on a case of fraudulent dentistry.

The case was an elderly mother against a dentist in practice for 20 years. The dentist had sold his practice to another dentist, inflating the margins and inflating the value of the practice with procedures that people didn’t need.

I had seen this plenty of times before, but this abuse of patient care was egregious. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach.

Fraudulent dentistry doesn’t go on in the majority of practices, but I still see it far too often.

The dentist you have can make a huge impact on your life—positive or negative.

A good dentist is your partner in health who works with you to optimize your well-being and prevent disease. The right dental health partner for you is the dentist who is wholly concerned with your overall health and not the health of her pocketbook.

The wrong dentist can wreak havoc on your mouth and do permanent damage with too much work you don’t need.

So, how do you differentiate between the two?

This is my advice on how to find an honest and ethical dental practice that will be your partner in health for a lifetime.

How Common Is Fraudulent Dentistry?

The vast majority of dentists are honest. For one thing, building a successful practice takes years of hard work, and it’s exceedingly foolish to risk losing it.

But, like many industries, a potential for taking shortcuts for financial gain will attract a small but not insignificant number of people who feel they can take advantage of others.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud describes the problem as involving “a small but disturbing number of dentists.”

Free weekly dental health advice in your inbox, plus 10 Insider Secrets to Dental Care as a free download when you sign up

Why Is Dentistry Vulnerable to Fraud?

There are certain aspects of dentistry that leave the profession more vulnerable to fraud than, say, the medical profession.

The decision as to whether you need a dental treatment is often in a gray area. One dentist will say one thing, one will say another. This is normal, and it’s to be expected.

But it means that the usual signs of insurance fraud—a practitioner prescribing more procedures than his or her colleagues—are more difficult to detect. There is inherently more variation in treatment standards, and it’s more difficult to pin down a procedure as truly unnecessary.

Here’s one example:

Lori visits her primary care physician and finds out that her A1c and blood sugar levels indicate a diagnosis of diabetes. She is prescribed a blood sugar-lowering medication, a prescription she’ll have to fill once a month. Lori’s insurance company recognizes this as a non-fraudulent transaction because the treatment lines up with the diagnosis, which was reached with specific data points (A1c and blood sugar levels).

Then, Lori goes to the dentist. She’s told she has signs of receding gums , gum disease, and several cavities that need filled. Lori takes it for granted that her dentist has her best interests at heart, so she goes forward with the four root canals and three fillings she’s prescribed, as well as a scaling and root planing .

Unfortunately, because her dental insurance only covers 50% of the cost (after she’s met a deductible), so Lori is stuck with a large bill after her many procedures. She has no idea that her records didn’t indicate such extreme treatment and that her insurance company would refuse to pay their portion of these costs.

This kind of example is one reason you should make sure you trust your dentist and s/he has a great reputation in the community.

Before a patient first comes to a dental office, a member of the office staff will contact their dental insurance company to find out what’s covered under the dental plan. So before you walk in the room, a dentist has a list of everything he can bill for during your dental visit.

This leaves patients vulnerable to receive a treatment that may not be best for him or her, but is the most likely to be reimbursed by an insurance company.

Gray line between whether the tooth needs a filling or a root canal? A root canal and subsequent crown is more lucrative and easy to pass by an insurance company if the dentist claims the patient was in pain…Even if a filling would have done the job.

Pro tip: It’s a common “insider secret” that root canals are easier to pass through an insurance company than a filling. Plus, a root canal approval means you’re automatically approved for a crown.

In other words, recommending a root canal is an easy way to bill for the big-ticket crown…Even if the root canal isn’t the only viable option and a dental filling might do.

If you need a root canal, it’s not a bad idea to get a second opinion, just in case you could resolve the cavity with a less expensive and invasive procedure.

Medicare/Medicaid is notorious for requesting very little proof of the need for many types of procedures.

A reader who worked in a dental office once shared with me the story of her dentist who prescribed a rare procedure (called a “pulp cap”) every time he filled a tooth. Because most of the patients were covered by Medicaid, no questions were asked.

Except…That dentist didn’t actually need to (or even perform) this procedure. The only benefit was the added $26 per tooth on the bill sent to Medicaid—which is a tax-funded program.

HMO dental insurance plans work by paying “capitations” to dentists per person assigned to that provider. It’s a few dollars each month to the dentist, whether the patient shows up or not. To be profitable in this scenario, dentists need to diagnose and prescribe things beyond a standard cleaning. For some, this could result in the “development” of many dental problems that don’t actually exist.

In general, some types of dental insurance are a bit of a scam to many of the people who have it. It’s great for prevention, but don’t expect it to cover much of your major work.

If you’re looking into getting dental insurance through your workplace and you know you’ll probably need more than two standard cleanings a year, choose a PPO. This will pay for a larger percentage of treatments beyond prevention and doesn’t come with as many issues for you as a patient as HMOs or Medicare/Medicaid plans.

For a medical procedure, any diagnosis will be subject to a lot of review, from doctors to nurses to specialists to other clinic or hospital staff.

In dentistry, the only people “in the know” are you (who presumably is not an expert), the staff who work directly for the dentist, and the dentist him or herself. There’s much more potential for abuse when there’s less chance of being challenged.

The reality of how dental care works is that it’s up to the patient and the insurance company to make sure the right treatment plan is prescribed and implemented. With lower “dental IQ” than dental staff and providers, both you and your insurance company aren’t in a great place to make sure everything is above board.

4 Warning Signs of a Fraudulent Dentist

If your dentist tells you that you need to have a procedure done immediately, ask why. A dentist who is vague about this could be pressuring you into a procedure.

The number one warning sign is when you sit in a dentist’s chair for the first time and are told you need a bunch of procedures of a type or quantity you’ve never needed before. Trust your gut on this one. If you’ve never had a cavity in your life and at your first appointment with a new dentist, she tells you that you need 12 fillings, that’s a red flag.

A common pattern I see is dentists that use a deeply discounted or even free cleaning or checkup to get you in the door, and once you’re in the chair, hit you with thousands of dollars of work that you don’t need.

A lot of treatment that isn’t covered by insurance is a red flag. Read the section above on how dental insurance pushes some dentists to bill specifically based on how they can make more money.

Does your dentist show you what s/he sees on your x-rays and point out the lesions and how they differ from healthy tooth structure? They should!

Looking over x-rays to talk through a treatment plan should be a group effort between the dentist and patient. Avoid working with a dentist who is hesitant to show you their findings on an x-ray.

How Can I Protect Myself Against Dentistry Fraud?

Insurance plans put incentives in place for in-network dentists, like the capitations I described above. When dentists become part of these networks, they agree to extremely low reimbursements for cleanings and exams, in exchange for a steady stream of patients.

To make up for it, some dentists will perform procedures that have a significant patient portion or heavily promote cosmetic work as being necessary.

As with any other profession, the way to maximize your chances of having a good experience is by relying on the advice of others who’ve had a good experience.

If you’re new to the area, you can always ask for a recommendation from your local dental society or health professional. Don’t rely on the fact that a dentist is covered by your insurance plan; this is not the same thing as a referral.

The best referrals come from friends, family, and co-workers that have had procedures other than teeth cleanings at the dentist.

Heavy advertising and deep discounts are come-ons. Billboards and TV advertisements should also make you wary. Advertising-driven offices often use deals as a way to get patients in the door and then pressure them to accept an expensive treatment plan.

I call this Wall Street Dentistry. Often, they’re corporate-owned chains, like Aspen Dental. These chains are like dental mills. They give you the free (quick) cleaning, the free cursory exam, and then tell you that you need $4,000 worth of unnecessary dental work.

Many of these franchise-based practices you see in ads rely on a quota-based work model. These sorts of incentives lead dentists to err on the side of extra treatment.

Choose a clinic where the dentist has his or her name on the door, which often implies that personal ownership and that, reputation-wise, they have a lot to lose because their name is on the line (or the door). It’s easy to hide behind a sign that says “Big Smiles Dental.”

Even just observing a dentist’s reaction to being told you’d like a second opinion can be telling. If they truly have nothing to hide, they won’t discourage you.

New patient appointments should take at least an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half. Offices trying to cram in more patients than they can take might only keep you in the office 45 minutes.

Established patient appointments shouldn’t be as long, but you should still pay attention to how work is done. If you feel rushed, or that your providers aren’t taking enough time on your work, ask questions.

Even established patient cleanings should be 45-60 minutes long. If your cleaning only takes 20 minutes, start asking questions.

Tooth pain is a great motivator. When you’re in pain, you’re often willing to fork over any sum to find relief. But take steps to make sure you’re paying market rate.

First, check the Healthcare Blue Book , a respected online tool that provides a fair price for thousands of medical and dental procedures in your ZIP code. And don’t be shy to call around to other dentists in your area to price shop.

Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations, and check out any potential dentist with your state’s dental board to ensure he or she is licensed and to find out if any disciplinary action has been taken. Most board websites offer an online search tool.

If you’re located in New York City, you might want to try a new tool called Smylen . They offer the option to quote your own price to get matched with a dentist you can afford. (Use coupon code ASKDENTIST for $10 off your first appointment booked through Smylen.)

A common pattern of fraud is a patient visiting a new dentist for a checkup and being told he or she needs a ton of work. Of course, if you’re in lots of pain, or haven’t been to the dentist in years, this might not apply.

If you have a bad feeling, walk away. Dentists are there to help you, they should not be pressuring you. You can always come back if you decide you are overreacting, but with something that can potentially put you out of pocket for a large sum of money, it’s best to trust your instincts.

No dentist should be practicing without loupes, which are little surgical telescopes that magnify. It has nothing to do with ailing eyesight, it’s the magnification factor that lets you see more than you could with 20/20 vision.

If you can’t see it, you can’t treat it! Ask your dentist if she or he uses 2.5x or 4.4x power on her loupes. The higher, the better! An LED spotlight on the forehead is even better.

Choosing the right dentist isn’t just a matter of not getting ripped off. The right dentist understands the mouth-body connection and enables you to have a healthier, longer life by maximizing your oral health.

Do not underestimate the value of a dentist who is your partner in health—it will extend your and your family’s lifespan, quality of life, and well-being.

About Mark Burhenne, DDS

I’m on a mission to empower people everywhere with the same evidence-based, easy-to-understand dental health advice that my patients get. You can read my story here. I have been a dentist in private practice for 35 years. I graduated from the Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, CA in 1987 and am a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), Academy of General Dentistry (Chicago, IL), American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH), and Dental Board of California.

Dr. Mark is the author of the best-selling book 8-Hour Sleep Paradox

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Is Going to the Dentist Every Six Months a Scam or Nah?

Do I have to go to the dentist twice a year? Can I go once a year?

Hello. First, I love that you’re questioning everything. Skepticism is one of our greatest assets as humans. So are our chompers!

Short answer: You're probably safe going once a year. My first instinct was to call my beloved dentist. She’s great. Because of a confusion that I could not correct, because there were sharp metal objects in my mouth, she believes I work for The New Yorker and spends our time together reviewing the New Yorker articles she likes. It’s wonderful and she should have a podcast. However, I did not call her because I very much understand procrastinating about the dentist, which is what you are writing about.

Your question is also coming hot after a recent hullabaloo about flossing , after the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services dropped mention of it from dietary guidelines for Americans, because there wasn’t much evidence it helped with gum health over a significant period of time. At best, there is “mediocre evidence” that it helps reduce bloody gums and inflammation (gingivitis), but the evidence quality was “very low.”

This felt like a seismic betrayal: WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TERRIBLE MINOR THING FOR SO LONG AND NO ONE IS SURE WHY? And the truth remains out of grasp. The most convincing rebuttal was from Matt Simon on Wired , which was highly philosophical and basically amounted to: Well, the evidence isn’t there, but it has never been there, and also, it isn’t not there. There is truly no possible way to argue with that. On a discourse level, this is an inaccessible argument.

Going to the dentist every six months, as a rule, is similarly unsupported. The dental hygienist is there to scrape off the tartar that builds up in the average of six months. Higher-risk people, who should go to the dentist more, include: smokers, pregnant women, diabetics, people with immune systems that are susceptible to bacterial infection, people who currently have gum disease, people who often get cavities or plaque problems. I did some research about whether there is evidence that people outside of this list should go every six months.

In 2000, three-quarters of dentists recommended checkups every six months, even without evidence to support its effectiveness . In 2002, there was an examination into whether going every half-year was linked to healthy teeth. There wasn’t much evidence for that. In 2003, there was a systematic review of the research about six-month check-ups. Mixed results . In 2013, there was another systematic review, and they found that the evidence was too paltry and too poor quality to even look into. My personal favorite piece of knowledge: This go-every-six-months suggestion has been possibly floating around since the 1700s . I believe this discredits the whole operation, because I don’t trust anyone from the distant past about anything.

This new proclamation about the untested effects of flossing begat much rage. The rage is about frustration that we never know the truth, even when we think we do, and things are out of our control even when we think they're in our control. If we floss, we floss to be in control of our gum health. Turns out maybe it doesn't! If we go to the dentist, it's as a ritual to have super-healthy teeth. But maybe it doesn't! Hearing that there is no evidence, after you believed that there must have been, is infuriating. Why would someone have told us to do something if they didn't have the support to back it up? The base of this rage was: WHO IS IN CHARGE?

This made me think of something I read about authority and truth and unknowability, by Daniel Hiddleswift, who writes for the Colbert show and seems wise. I think about it every day. Anyway, he wrote: “When I was a kid I found a pocket dictionary that defined 'bucket' as 'pail' and vice-versa and realized that no one's in charge of anything.”

No one is in charge of anything. This is dizzying . So who do you trust? I trust my dentist, who deserves her own podcast, and during our last visit she told me I could wait a year before I saw her again. I was too scared to call her to ask her to confirm. But also, two years ago, she told me to floss to prevent a cavity that was just forming, and then I did and then she said it was gone! So, who is ever to know anything. Good luck to you, good luck to your biters, and I apologize on behalf of evidence.

Are you skeptical about whether you have to do something? Send your leading questions to [email protected]. It’s a weekly thing!

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How Often Should You Go to the Dentist?

Top articles, more articles.

Almost one in five UK adults do not see their dentist at least once every two years, even though visiting the dentist regularly is essential in maintaining your oral health. With that being said, you have probably received a text, email, or phone call at some point in your life reminding you that you are due for your 6-month check-up with your dentist. You might be wondering, "how often should I really go to the dentist?"

The typical twice-a-year recommendation to visit the dentist originated from an advertisement for toothpaste, and there's little to no research that supports it. The twice-yearly rule isn't necessarily the best option for everyone. Read on to learn more about how often you should get dental check-ups, why you might need to visit a dentist more often, why going to the dentist is essential, and what you can do to stay healthy and minimise your visits.

How Often Should You Visit the Dentist?

While it's true that visiting the dentist twice a year is a good rule of thumb for many people, the truth is that you have your own unique smile needs. So it depends on your oral hygiene, habits, and individual medical conditions.

Some people only need to visit the dentist once or twice a year, while others may need to go more often So, always remember to ask your dentist when you should schedule your next appointment. And don't worry! They'll probably tell you when they want to see you next anyway.

Who Should Go to the Dentist More Often?

Some people need to visit the dentist more than twice a year. But who? People with a greater risk of dental disease and other health conditions may need to see the dentist every three months or more. This higher-risk group includes:

• Pregnant women
• People with gum disease
• People with a weak immune response
• People who are prone to cavities or plaque build-up

Why is Going to the Dentist Important?

Even if you brush twice a day and floss daily, you still need to visit a dentist regularly! Your dentist, dental therapist and dental hygienist are trained to check for problems that you might not see or feel on your own. Some things, like cavities or gum disease, aren't even visible or painful until they're more advanced. When it comes to oral cancer , dentists are often the first to find it for many patients.

Because the issue might either be preventable or more easily treated when caught early (like oral cancer), seeing a dentist regularly matters. With regular visits, your dentist will find solutions to any red flags that will save you time, discomfort, and even money in the long run.

What Can You Do to Keep Dentist Appointments to a Minimum?

The best thing you can do to keep your dental visits to a minimum is to maintain good oral hygiene. So, make sure to brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes. And guess what? If your dentist doesn't see any cavities or signs of gingivitis for several years, they might even lengthen the time between your visits.

Now you know that how often you need to visit the dentist depends on your unique smile situation. For some people, like smokers and diabetics, it may be more often. But no matter what, visiting the dentist is a preventative measure that improves your overall health and makes things easier for you in the long run. If you keep up with your daily hygiene, your dentist may even cut back on your required dental appointments. Remember to always follow your dentist's advice in terms of your next appointment. And if it's been a while, it's time to respond to that text, call, or email from your dentists' practice for your next dental check-in.

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This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

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How often should you see a dentist? The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think and can depend on your individual circumstances and risk factors.

Some dentists recommend that you visit for a check-up and clean every six months, while other clinics may schedule annual appointments. If you have an ongoing oral health problem, your dentist might suggest more frequent visits.

In fact, there are currently no Australian or World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines concerning the frequency of dental visits. 1 In Australia, the national evidence-based recommendation for dental check-up frequency is:

Everyone has different oral health needs and risk levels which should be reflected in the frequency of check-ups. Talk with your oral health professional about your risk level and how frequently you need to visit for an oral health check . 2

What does the evidence say?

There have been many studies into the ideal frequency of dental visits. But, according to systematic reviews, the quality of research is not sufficient to draw any meaningful conclusions. 3

Many dentists recommend a recall period of six months. That's because many dental professionals find this to be the safest amount of time to detect possible oral health problems at an earlier stage, when treatments or preventive care may be more effective. While these types of recommendations are typically based in dentists’ professional experience, there is no high quality research to support or refute this claim as a blanket recommendation for everyone. 3

This has led to the recommendation that recall periods should be based on individual patient needs, with a suggested minimum period of three months for more complex needs and two years as the longest interval. 3

Why are regular check-ups important?

Regardless of the exact frequency, regular visits are still important. Dental check-ups give your dentist the chance to check your mouth for any possible signs of oral health problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer.

If your dentist finds a problem, they’ll discuss treatment options with you, including cost estimates. You can lower your risk of a dental problem by maintaining good oral hygiene and seeing your dentist on a regular basis. 4

Scaling and cleaning treatments ("dental cleans") often follow a check-up. These treatments remove hardened plaque (calculus) from your teeth and help prevent gum disease. Based their assessment of your teeth and gums, dentists and hygienists may offer advice for improving your oral hygiene at home. 4

There's no guideline for the ideal dentist cleaning frequency, but they're usually part of a routine check-up and hygiene appointment. 4 Again, your dentist or hygienist should be able to recommend a frequency that’s right for you.

When should children visit the dentist?

The frequency of dental visits for children tends to be the same as for adults – often it’s more convenient for families to visit the dentist together. But, as usual, this depends on everyone's individual oral health needs.

Australia's National Oral Health Plan and the FDI World Dental Federation recommend that children have their first dental visit before the age of two. 1

Regular dental visits in childhood may help children to feel more comfortable around dentists. 5

How often do Australians visit their dentists?

This revealed that just over half of adults (55.5%) had visited a dentist in the preceding 12 months, increasing to 73.9% for children aged 5-11 and 78.4% for young people aged 12-17. Children and older adults tended to visit the dentist more often, as did people in higher income families. 1

How often should a dentist x-ray my teeth?

During your oral health assessment, or as preparation for a treatment, your dentist may recommend taking an x-ray of your mouth. This helps them to see the areas between your teeth and below your gums, which can be useful for diagnosing problems not visible to the naked eye, such as bone loss 4

Although the radiation dose of a dental x-ray is very low, your dentist will only take x-rays if they feel it's strictly necessary. Depending on your situation, an x-ray may not be needed if you had one in the past few months. They're also usually avoided if you're pregnant (especially in the first three months) and for young children. 6 Learn more about receiving dental treatment while pregnant .

When should I visit the dentist?

The bottom line is that your dentist will determine the most suitable time interval between your check-ups based on your individual needs. Since your individual needs can change over time, your dentist's recommendation may change over time too.

If you haven't visited a dentist for longer than 12 months, you should consider making an appointment for a complete oral health assessment and teeth cleaning. 1

Tags: Prevention , Gum health

1 Australian Health Policy Collaboration and the Australian Dental Association. Australia's Oral Health Tracker - Technical Paper [Online] 2018 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: www.ada.org.au

2 The National Oral Health Promotion Clearinghouse. Review of Evidence [Online] 2016 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: www.adelaide.edu.au

3 Mark G Gussy, Stacey A Bracksley and Dr Anne-marie Boxall. How often should you have dental visits? [Online] 2013 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: ahha.asn.au

4 Better Health Channel. Dental treatment [Online] 2018 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

5 Australian Dental Association. Kids [Online] 2016 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: www.ada.org.au

6 Oral Health Foundation. X-rays [Online] 2018 [Accessed June 2018] Available from: www.dentalhealth.org

1 You can receive 100% back on dental check-up and cleans (select dental items only) once every 6 months at Members First Ultimate Providers. Waiting periods, service restrictions (clinical reasonability rules), policy and fund rules apply. Excludes orthodontics and in-hospital treatments. Available on all eligible extras products which includes General Dental (excluding FLEXtras and Your Choice Extras 60 where General Dental is not included). If you choose or require any additional dental services, any health insurance benefits will also be subject to your yearly limits.

2 You can receive 100% back on direct restorations or fillings (select dental items only), up to yearly limits, at Members First Ultimate Providers. Waiting periods, service restrictions (clinical reasonability rules), policy and fund rules apply. Benefits are payable up to yearly limits or on available remaining limits in relation to your product. Some out of pocket costs may apply if a claim exceeds your yearly limits. Excludes orthodontics and in-hospital treatments. Available on all eligible extras products which includes General Dental (excluding Simple Start – Basic Plus, OSHC Extras, FLEXtras and Your Choice Extras 60 where General Dental is not included). If you choose or require any additional dental services, an out-of-pocket cost may apply.

3 Members First Ultimate Providers are not available in all areas.

ø Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.