Most people wonder how often they should see the dentist to have their teeth checked. Some people only consider going to the dentist if they have some type of pain or discomfort. Others only go when “the insurance pays for it” and still others don’t set foot in a dentist’s office for years without giving it a second thought.
Most people should see the dentist at least twice a year for routine checkups and cleanings. Much like your car getting a tune-up at recommended intervals, so should the teeth. Some patients need to see the dentist more frequently for the treatment of chronic diseases (like gum disease) and such.
People often “fear the dentist” because of the anticipated pain. This same group of people often refuse to go to the dentist ’til something is really wrong and hurting them. So they are already primed with pain and fear of what will happen even before they see the dentist.
Ignoring an occasional toothache or a small chipped tooth can lead to bigger problems in the long run. Visiting the dentist at least twice a year will help catch and detect these problems when they are smaller and easier to fix.
If you haven’t seen a dentist for a while now, contact our staff and schedule an appointment for a dental check-up.
I certainly know a few people who don’t like going to the dentist because they are scared it will hurt. However, I think that you are right that they tend to wait until there is a problem before going which is the reason they end up with some pain. I try to go regularly and I honestly don’t normally ever have pain from the cleaning.