How Often Do You Really Need to Visit a Dentist?

Do I really need to visit a general dentist in Eugene once every six months? That’s a question some of Dr. Feldmanis’ patients ask, especially if they currently enjoy healthy teeth and gums. After all, if you brush and floss daily so you don’t develop cavities, do you really need to regularly visit a dentist?

While Dr. Feldmanis often recommends that patients visit our general dentistry in Eugene at least twice a year, it can largely depend on a patient’s own unique oral health needs. For you to determine how often you need to visit a dentist, you need to consider your oral health history, hygiene habits, and the current state of your teeth and gums.

Let’s take a look at a few factors that come into play when determining how often you should visit Dr. Feldmanis.

Why Do I Need a Checkup?

Every patient, regardless of the current state of their oral health, needs to receive regular dental checkups. These types of routine visits allow Dr. Feldmanis to spot any signs of dental disease, or any potential underlying health problems, you may not have noticed. Without regular trips to see Dr. Feldmanis, untreated conditions, such as early stage gum disease, may become more difficult to treat later on.

Allowing Dr. Feldmanis to regularly examine your teeth and gums can help to prevent any surprise developments from cropping up that could significantly derail your long-term oral health. Dr. Feldmanis and her team can also provide instruction on ways to improve your oral health, if needed.

Research even backs up the need for regular exams. One survey done in the UK found that children who only visited the dentist when they had developed an oral health problem were more likely to have cavities when compared to kids who received regular care.

Another survey found that adults who received regular dental care had significantly fewer missing teeth when compared to those who regularly visited the dentist.

While there are many factors that help to determine a patient’s oral health, regular dental visits are a key to helping protect the long-term health of your teeth and gums.

How Does a Dental Cleaning Differ from Brushing at Home?

While having your teeth cleaned at the dentist may seem like a slightly more thorough means of brushing, a dental cleaning actually does far more work.

During a dental cleaning, our hygienists can work to remove plaque deposits that have developed on the surface of a patient’s teeth and beneath the gum line. Plaque deposits, known as tartar, cannot be removed during brushing, only during a professional cleaning.

When left to accumulate, tartar can irritate gum tissue, causing it to become inflamed. Inflamed gum tissue can contribute to the development of gum disease, gum regression, and other types of dental disease. To keep your smile looking and feeling its best, you need to receive regular cleanings.

So, How Often Do I Need to Visit?

A variety of factors determine how often a patient should see Dr. Feldmanis. If you stay committed to brushing and flossing daily, two visits a year is probably enough. However, there are underlying factors that could mean more dental care is required.

Depending on your diet, current state of your oral health, daily habits, and any underlying health factors, you may actually need to visit Dr. Feldmanis more frequently.

To determine how often you need to visit a general dentistry in Eugene, Dr. Feldmanis will work to create a customized oral health plan designed to meet your individual oral health needs. Dr. Feldmanis will work to identify any potential risk factors or underlying health conditions that may negatively impact your oral health. Once the current state of your oral health has been fully assessed, Dr. Feldmanis will provide a recommendation on how often you should schedule an appointment.

While visiting a dentist twice a year may seem unnecessary, especially if you enjoy quality oral health, the benefits you receive makes each and every visit indispensable to maintaining a healthy smile for a lifetime.