dental clinic

When Should You Go To Your Willoughby Dentist?

Oral Health

It might surprise you to know but there is not actually any single agree upon standard for how often you should get your teeth checked out. Conventional wisdom suggests that you should visit your Willoughby dentist at least every six months or so. This ensure that any oral health problems are quickly and easily identified by your Willoughby dentist and also that you receive regular cleanings which are a preventative measure for things like plaque build up which can hurt your oral health. Read on below to find out in more detail why you should visit your Willoughby dentist every six months.


The studies suggest you should

The normally recommended six-month period between visits to your Willoughby dentist is mostly based off anecdotal evidence and not concrete research but studies do suggest that the six-month period is the safest choice for making sure that issues are picked up and for that reason many dental offices will suggest that you schedule and appointment twice a year. This time frame is not generally what will be recommended for everyone though. Some people will need to visit their Willoughby dentist more often because of ongoing health issues whilst others may find that they need to visit less often.


Why do regular check ups matter?

Visiting your Willoughby dentist on a regular basis is very important because it gives your dental provider the best chance of identifying any issues early on. If you leave large gaps between visits then problems like oral cancer, gum disease or decay can become quite advanced before you’re next check up which could mean the problem is much more difficult and costly to fix and you might experience a lot more pain. With regular visits to your Willoughby dentist, problems can be addressed before they start to become advanced and treatment plans can be put in place to help you take care of any issues. Regular visits to an oral heath professional will help you to stay on top of your dental health. With regular appointments you’ll be able keep your teeth in good condition and will likely find that you’ll spend a lot less on caring for your teeth over the course of your life.


How often should I bring my children to the Willoughby dentist?

Young boy's teeth being checked by a Willoughby dentist

Some people don’t know that kids need to visit their dental provider as frequently as adults. They assume because they are young and healthy or still have all their baby teeth that a check up isn’t needed as often but the oral health of children does need to be monitored on a regular basis too. Kids can actually be quite prone to cavities which can cause infections, pain and other issues and problems like crowding need to be monitored in case kids need braces in the future.


How often do you need x-rays?

X-rays are an important part of monitoring oral health and can help to pick up issues that might not be noticed from an exam alone. You won’t need to have an x-ray every time you go to see your Willoughby dentist but you should aim to have one at least once a year as this can help to identify any serious issues that are going on underneath your gums.

Looking after your oral health is one of the most important things you can do and is well worth your time and investment. Bad oral health can be very dangerous and can make you seriously ill so you should make time to go to your dental practitioner.