Does it seem like every time you are done at the dentist they want to book your next appointment, leaving you feeling like you’re always at the dentist? Your dental hygienist and dentist, even, are likely pushing for regular dental visits, but you might not know exactly why. If you’re wondering why, exactly, your Richmond Hill dentist wants to see you more often then here’s what is going on with the push for regular dental visits, and why they are really necessary.

How often do dentists want to see you?

For years, dentists have recommended a regular check-up every 6 months. Some dentists, more recently, though have moved to seeing patients every 4 months or so.

What happens during the check up?

Usually, when your dentist schedules an appointment for you, you will first see the dental hygienist and then your dentist will check to make sure you don’t have any cavities or other pressing dental health issues.

Do you really need to do this so often?

There has been evidence, recently, that once yearly visits – as an adult – to your dentist are completely sufficient if you don’t have any other dental health issues. Children’s dental health schedules are much different as their health and mouth are still developing so they have different needs than just once a year.

Now, that being said, almost half of adults (that are 30 years or older) have some form of chronic inflammatory gum disease that can lead to cavities or, ultimately, tooth loss.

So, what does this mean for me?

Ultimately, if you are not living with any kind of gum disease and have an otherwise healthy mouth, then you might not need to see your dentist more than once a year. If, during the checkup, your dentist finds something that needs to be monitored they might suggest you come in more often than once a year.

The ultimate decision as to how often your Richmond Hill dentist sees you is based on the status of your individual oral health. Your dentist will design a treatment plan based on your individual needs, so unfortunately there isn’t a right answer for each person.

Should I not see my dentist as often then?

The bottom line that the number of times you have a check-up each year should be tailored to your individual needs. If you have multiple risk factors for tooth loss or serious gum disease, then perhaps you do need checkups every 4 months to make sure it’s managed well and any kind of major dental work is prevented.

Your Richmond Hill dentist will take the time to discuss their treatment plan for you and why they are recommending the options they are. If you have any questions about what your individual needs are or whether you’re at risk for certain types of gum disease. If you have any concerns in between checkups, you can also call to schedule an appointment so that you don’t let any small issues become big issues if they aren’t looked at.

Is it time for you to see your Richmond Hill dentist again? If so, contact us today to schedule and appointment.