Many people consider themselves to have excellent oral hygiene as they regularly brush and floss their teeth to keep their mouths clean. However, despite having excellent oral hygiene, you must visit your dentist regularly. Even if you take good care of your teeth at home, it’s still important to periodically visit your dentist, as they can check your mouth for any problems you may not see or feel yourself. Many dental problems don’t become visible or cause pain until they’ve reached a more advanced stage, which makes treatment and follow-up visits more extensive. Early detection is vital. Therefore, even if you are healthy today, your risk of dental issues can change over time and be affected by various factors. As such, it’s vital to know when you should see your dentist. Please continue reading to learn how many times a year you should visit your dentist and how our skilled general dentistry/dentists located in Basking Ridge & Morristown, NJ, can help you maintain your oral health.
How often should I see my dentist?
As mentioned above, despite your good oral hygiene habits, you should regularly visit your dentist for routine check-ups. The number of times an individual should see their dentist yearly depends on several factors. This includes their current oral health condition, general health status, medical conditions, as well as your risk for dental disease. To determine the frequency at which you visit your dentist, you should evaluate your risk for dental diseases. You should consider your health, lifestyle choices, and genetic factors. Individuals who engage in a lifestyle where their diet is high in sugar or refined carbohydrates have poor oral habits, smoke, or have medical conditions such as diabetes are more at risk of developing dental diseases.
Although there is no clear-cut answer to how often you should see your dentist, as everyone has different oral health needs, on average, individuals should at least see their dentist twice a year. However, most people with a low risk of developing dental diseases can visit the dentist less frequently than individuals with a higher risk of oral diseases. Essentially, the following groups are considered individuals who should see the dentist more regularly as oral health issues are more likely to arise:
- Smokers
- Pregnant women
- Individuals who have gum disease
- Individuals who frequently get cavities
- Individuals who suffer from dry mouth
- Individuals with diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome, head and neck cancers, and HIV/AIDS
- Older adults
As you can see, regardless of how you may feel about your oral health, it’s vital to regularly visit your dentist to ensure that any oral problems that arise are handled promptly to prevent further issues. If you haven’t done so already, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with the experienced dentists at Dental Associates of Basking Ridge. We are prepared to assist whether you need a simple routine cleaning or help addressing a significant oral health issue.
