How often should I visit the dentist? Well, a regular dental check-up is crucial to maintaining good oral health. Regular check-ups will allow early detection of oral health concerns such as tooth decay, gum disease and problems with the bite or jaw alignment. Regular dental check-ups also facilitate the management of smaller concerns like plaque and yellowing and can prevent these conditions from becoming increasingly serious. Serious oral health problems often require expensive and invasive treatments so it is best practice to schedule a regular appointment with your local dentist to avoid them.
Depending on the sensitivity of your teeth and bones, a general dental check-up is recommended either every six or every twelve months. Sensitive teeth should be inspected by a dentist twice per year, while low-risk teeth should be checked every year. During a general check-up, your local dentist will inspect the condition of your teeth and gums, identify and problems and recommend a treatment plan. A general check-up also includes a scale and clean and fluoride rinse.
How Often Should Children Visit The Dentist?
The Australian Dental Association recommends that children are seen by a dentist every year following their first birthday. Low-risk children should see the dentist once per year, while children with sensitive teeth or who have had oral health concerns identified early should have an appointment booked for them every three or six months, depending on the state of their oral health. During a general check-up, other factors that may play a role in a children’s future oral health condition, such as thumb sucking, teeth grinding or mouth breathing, will be identified and remedied as required.
How Often Should Teenagers Visit The Dentist?
The time of adolescence often manifests a range of oral health hazards that can negatively impact the state of a teenager’s oral health. These include soft drink consumption and smoking as well as alcohol consumption when a person has reached the age of eighteen. Teenagers stereotypically also have a poor track record of brushing their teeth regularly enough to maintain good oral health: 45% of adolescents brush their teeth less than twice per day.
Teenagers should visit the dentist frequently to identify if orthodontic treatments are necessary to correct the shape of their bite and their jaw alignment. Children with a low risk of tooth decay and gum disease should visit their local dentist once per year and children with sensitive teeth should visit the dentist at least twice per year.
How Often Should Adults Visit The Dentist?
Adult patients need regular monitoring to ensure tooth decay and gum disease do not manifest. Previous dental work also needs to be evaluated during an adult’s regular dental check-up. This is because fillings and other work like crowns and veneers may need to be replaced over time. If you have a history of poor oral health, you may have bi-annual or quadrennial dental check-ups recommended. If your oral health condition has been good historically, then only an annual check-up is needed.
Contact Glowing Smiles Dental
Your oral health is important to us and we will ensure you feel looked after when you schedule a regular general dental check-up at Glowing Smiles Dental. Please feel free to contact us on (03) 9704 1979 to book your first general appointment. We look forward to helping you and your family maintain a bright, sparkling smile.
