The question of how often you should visit the dentist and how often you should get your teeth cleaned is an age-old one. There are many different answers from different people, but the reality is that it might depend on each person. Your teeth are a very important feature on your face. So taking care of it as often as you can is something that you should consider.
Getting a dental cleaning is different from just going to the dentist to have your teeth checked. Getting your teeth checked by a dentist is to look at your teeth’ health and see if there is anything to worry about. This is how the dentist will catch things like cavities, gum diseases, and other teeth-related circumstances. But a teeth cleaning is where the dentist takes the time to clean each individual tooth. The processes for these are completely different.
So, how often should you visit the dentist for a check-up? The answer to this is o visit the dentist annually. The same way you visit your doctor for your annual check-up is the same way you should visit your dentist. It’s great to get everything checked to ensure that your teeth are as healthy as they can be. But if you have a past dental or medical history, it’s advised to increase the number of times you visit.
Getting Your Teeth Cleaned
The process of getting your teeth cleaned professionally is much different than what you might do at home. Yes, you are indeed supposed to brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. While this might seem like it should be enough, the truth is that it isn’t. This is why there is professional cleaning.
By brushing, you remove the surface plaque on your teeth. But in a professional cleaning, the dentist works on each tooth. They take off the soft plaque build-up and even the hardened ones. And the reason they are able to do that is because of the kind of tools that they work with.
It’s important to remove plaque because this build-up can increase your chances of getting cavities and even gum disease. By cleaning them, you reduce your chance of getting both of these. Remember that prevention is better than cure, and if you have the ability to get your teeth professionally cleaned, you should.
How Often Should You Get Your Teeth Cleaned?
The American Dental Association recommends that you get your teeth cleaned at least twice a year or every six months, to be more specific. This is the basic recommendation, but you can decide to increase that according to your comfortability. It’s also important to note that if you have insurance that your insurance will most likely pay for those two times.
If you are a patient with past medical history or a chronic disease, then your dentist might recommend that you get a teeth cleaning more often. This is because getting a cleaning more frequently will reduce your risk of getting something like gum disease. As long as you go along with what your dentist suggests and keep up with brushing twice a day and flossing, you should be fine.
Marquette Dentistry
Now you have a solid answer of when you should get your teeth cleaned. If you have any specific questions, then it’s better to visit your dentist. This way, they can give you the best and most specific answer for you. If you are in the greater Houston area, feel free to visit us at Marquette Dentistry. Our dental team is ready to keep that smile looking great.