Why you should see your dentist twice a year

There’s more to oral health than a consistent oral hygiene regimen. While brushing your teeth and flossing regularly are a central part of being certain that your smile will always shine brightly, seeing your dentist regularly is vital to catching problems before they arise. Gum disease and cavities can be sneaky and insidious, and there can be other health concerns that simply won’t make themselves apparent until the damage is done. It is for these reasons that a twice yearly visit to your dentist is important to keeping up with your oral health.

Why Twice A Year?

Because your dentist is a lovely person who deserves to see his favorite patient twice a year. Ok, perhaps there’s more to it than that. During the 20th century it was discovered that regular visits to your dentist were instrumental in eliminating and identifying dental health problems before they had a chance to take hold. In fact, research revealed that a person’s overall health was improved by taking meticulous care of their oral health. While there is no recorded point where preventative dentistry became codified, Pepsodent is often credited with popularizing the idea through a commercial.

For Some Patients, More Visits May Be Necessary

For most patients, two visits a year would be more than sufficient to keep a shining, beautiful smile. In some cases, however, underlying causes may result in more than two visit being necessary, and in even rarer cases one a year may be sufficient. The kind of conditions or habits that will make multiple visits necessary are as follows:

• Diabetics – Certain facts about diabetic health make more frequent visits to the dentist necessary.
• Periodontal Disease – If a patient is suffering from periodontal disease, multiple visits will be necessary to help battle the disease and see to the complications it can cause.
• Smokers – Along with being terrible for your heart and bones, smoking can damage your teeth as well.
• Pregnant Women – The pressures placed on a woman’s body during pregnancy make extra dental visits necessary, especially as poor oral health can be detrimental to the pregnancy.
• Weakened Immune Systems – A weakened immune system affects every aspect of the patient’s body, including their teeth.

If you have any of the above conditions or habits, consult with your dentist to determine if greater frequency visits are necessary for you. Once you have spoken to them, follow their advice to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Home Hygiene Between Visits

Needless to say, on top of these visits you’re going to need to maintain a high level of oral care. Brush your teeth for two minutes a day, floss regularly, and use mouthwash following every brushing, if not more frequently. To be completely thorough, be sure to include the roof of your mouth, your tongue, and those often forgotten spaces between your gums and your cheek. With regular maintenance and consistent care you can maintain a healthy, happy smile for years to come. Have you seen your dentist recently?