How Often Do You Need to See Your Dentist and Why

When was the last time you saw your Clermont dentist? According to a survey conducted by the Delta Dental Institute, just 58 percent of participants reported that they see their dentist at least once per year. While skipping your appointment may not seem like a big deal, visiting your dentist regularly is important to prevent many oral health problems.

How Often Should You Visit Your Dentist?

When it comes to how often you should visit your dentist, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are several factors to keep in mind when determining how often you should see a dentist in Clermont, including:

• Oral Health Habits – How often do you forget to brush your teeth? Do you floss daily? Depending on your oral hygiene habits, you may be at a greater risk for tooth decay, gum disease, and more.
• Lifestyle – People make certain lifestyle choices that affect their oral health, such as the use of alcohol and tobacco products. Countless studies have shown that people who smoke and drink have a higher rate of oral diseases.
• Genetics – Genetics play a key role in a person’s oral health. If “bad teeth” run in your family, there is a chance that you will also experience dental problems throughout life.
• Access to Supplies – There may be a chance that you don’t always have access to the supplies you need to properly care for your teeth, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. This can increase your risk of dental disease.

As a general rule of thumb, you should have an appointment every six months. However, you may need to see your dentist more often if you experience frequent dental problems or less frequently if you tend to maintain great oral hygiene on your own.

Some groups of people may need to visit their dentist more often as they are at a greater risk for oral health problems. High-risk groups like smokers, pregnant women, diabetics, people with weak immune responses, people with gum disease, and people who are prone to plaque buildup or cavities should consider visiting their dentist every three months or as recommended by their dentist.

Why Is It Important to Visit Your Dentist?

Regular dental visits are not only designed to help you achieve a whiter, brighter smile. By seeing your dentist in Clermont FL, you can also detect cavities early on, making the procedure less invasive and less costly. In addition to tooth decay, regular visits can help detect gum disease early on before it has the chance to cause extensive tissue damage.

There are also other key advantages to regular dentist visits, such as detecting early-stage oral cancer. It is not always possible to know that you have oral cancer, especially in its early stages. As the disease progresses, you may develop symptoms like mouth or lip sores that never heal, mouth pain, ear pain, lumps inside the mouth, and even loose teeth. During your normal checkups, your dentist will look for these signs.

Another reason to visit your dentist regularly is to evaluate prior procedures. If you have had a filling, crown, or other dental procedure performed, your dentist will want to check that they are still in good condition. Catching these problems early on can help prevent further discomfort and result in less costly treatment.

During your visits, you’ll also have the chance to address oral health problems you experience. Maybe you’ve developed chronic dry mouth or noticed that you have bad breath no matter how much mouthwash you use. Your dentist can help you determine the underlying cause and recommend the appropriate treatment.

Schedule a Visit to Your Clermont Dental Office

Hancock Village Dental is a family-owned and operated dental practice in Clermont, FL, offering preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry services. To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 352-989-5815.