Depending on who you ask, the number of times you need to visit your dentist’s office in any given year can vary from once, twice or even three times. So how often should you go to the dentist? As always in the matter of health, there is no “one size fits all.”
Popular opinion and our own, is that you need to visit the dentist as often as we ask you to. How often that is depends on your health. Not just of your teeth, but your gums and jawbone too, as well as your overall physical wellbeing. We appreciate that your health insurance may stipulate a different checkup interval, but we are the ones who know you best, not your insurance company!
For those without any dental issues, an annual visit to your dental clinic will be enough. For those who have underlying issues or predisposition to certain conditions, we may suggest more regular checkups. In dentistry, especially holistic dentistry, prevention is far better than having to do a cure and regular checkups help prevent disease.
If you have no dental issues, follow a strict oral hygiene regimen and have no problems between visits, it’s okay to only see us once a year. That regimen should include regular flossing as well as brushing to ensure gums and teeth remain in perfect health.
For those with previous or current problems, we would prefer to see you more often. As well as monitoring your wellbeing, we can offer practical advice, provide more frequent cleaning to remove plaque, address any gum issues and closely monitor infection and your overall health.
There are other influences with holistic dentistry, such as whether you’re predisposed to certain conditions, whether you drink, smoke, are overweight, or have any other conditions that can impact your health.
With the growing understanding that your oral health can impact your overall health and vice versa, plus our own holistic approach to health, it’s important to follow our guidance on how often you need to visit us. We don’t schedule visits if they are unnecessary, we don’t suggest procedures if you don’t need them, we’re here to keep you and your mouth as healthy as possible.
There is growing evidence that oral health has a deep influence over the rest of your body, including your heart. Current evidence suggests that gum disease, left untreated can have an adverse effect on your heart, making regular dental checkups essential.
That’s why you should follow our advice about how many times per year you visit your dentist and not rely on your insurance policy or what friends and family do to ensure your own oral health.
