Every six months is the standard answer for how often you should visit your family dentist, but did you know that dental checkups and cleanings aren’t a one-size-fits-all approach? Every patient is unique, and their dental care should be tailored to their needs. While most dental offices schedule cleanings and dental checkups every six months, how often you should go to the dentist depends on your oral health, age, and whether you have oral health concerns.
So how often should you go to the dentist? Continue reading for a guide for kids, adults, and seniors.
Why Schedule Dental Visits?
Routine dental visits are crucial not only for your oral health but also for your overall health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), oral health plays a vital role in overall well-being. Poor oral hygiene can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss, as well as other overall health conditions, including an increased risk of infections and certain health problems, such as heart disease and other diseases. Failing to schedule routine dental visits can cause poor oral hygiene and increase your risk of infection, tooth loss, and poor overall health.
Scheduling routine dental visits with your family dentist ensures your oral health is a priority. Your family dentist will schedule regular cleanings, x-rays, and other necessary services and treatments as needed, ensuring your oral health is well maintained. Not only do regular trips to your dentist result in clean teeth, healthy gums, and fresh breath, but they can also help detect gum disease and tailor treatment accordingly. Regular dental check-ups are also key to early cancer detection. Early identification of oral cancer during dental check-ups can greatly improve a patient’s chances of survival.
Dental Visit Guide
Ready to schedule regular dental visits but aren’t quite sure how often you should book them? Your family dentist can help, but below is a general guide to how often you should schedule dental check-ups according to your age:
Kids
Children should have dental visits regularly, starting at an early age. Some parents choose to schedule their child’s first dental visit when their first tooth pokes through, while others wait until toddlerhood. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that children have their first dental appointment either when they get their first tooth or when they’re one year old. Thereafter, children should visit the dentist every six months, scheduling routine cleanings and exams to ensure their teeth are in excellent condition.
A child’s jawbones, bite, tooth alignment, and chewing continually change as they grow, and a family dentist should check how their oral cavity is developing as they age. Dental check-ups every six months ensure preventative treatment and make children more comfortable with routine visits, reducing the risk of dental anxiety.
Adults
Visiting the dentist regularly should be a priority for every adult in conjunction with an excellent home oral care routine. Adults should generally visit their family dentist twice a year for an oral health exam if they don’t have any oral conditions. Biannual visits to your dentist ensure your teeth are clean and prevent cavities and gum disease. Not only do biannual visits include cleanings, but they’re also preventative, saving you money and discomfort in the future. However, if you have gum disease, mouth sores, gingivitis, oral cancer, or other oral health concerns, you’ll likely need to visit your dentist more often.
Seniors
Caring for the elderly’s dental health is paramount; we love our senior patients, and many have been patients of Rhoades Family Dentistry for decades, and we genuinely care about their oral health. Staying up-to-date with dental visits and senior dental care is crucial for their overall health, especially when they’re at an increased risk of bone loss. Senior patients can visit us twice a year for cleaning, more if they require special treatments for oral health concerns. Elderly dental health is important, and we want the very best for our senior patients!
Generally, most patients should schedule biannual dental cleanings, more if they have oral health concerns or diseases. Our patients’ oral health is of the utmost concern, and we’ll never over-treat patients. We’ll tailor your dental services and treatments to your needs, ensuring each patient receives exceptional dental care.
Schedule Your Next Dental Visit with Rhoades Family Dentistry
Rhoades Family Dentistry’s team of professionals includes dentists, hygienists, and assistants who have extensive schooling and training to perform dental treatments for patients of all ages. Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll are members of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the International Association of Orthodontics, among many other organizations.
Rhoades Family Dentistry offers dental care for the entire family, including routine cleanings, preventative maintenance, fillings, and more. Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll care about your family’s oral health and are here to help recommend the best type of oral hygiene practices for your entire family, including Invisalign and braces, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, whitening, and more.
Book an appointment today by scrolling up and clicking “BOOK AN APPOINTMENT” on the top left of your screen or by calling (913) 782-8900. We look forward to serving you by providing excellent dental care and giving your family healthy smiles!
