Some individuals avoid their dentist and only schedule appointments if they suffer a dental emergency. Others are skipping their usual appointments due to the stress and restrictions associated with the ongoing global pandemic.
Attending regular dentist appointments is crucial to keeping your teeth clean and healthy, and therefore looking and feeling their best. But how often should these visits occur? Dr. Sahil Goyal, a dentist located in Columbia, MD, provides further information about routine dental appointments and why they are important for your oral health.
Why Do I Need Regular Dentist Appointments?
We learn from a young age that we should visit our dentist’s office on a regular basis to keep our teeth healthy. But what happens during these appointments that is so important for our smiles? During a routine dentist appointment, your dental professional will perform a thorough cleaning and examine your smile for potential problems.
The dentist will remove plaque and tartar from spots in your mouth that are often missed with typical brushing and flossing routines. This stops dangerous plaque and bacteria from causing permanent structural damage if it remains on your teeth.
Your dentist also conducts an oral health evaluation during these visits, in which they check your teeth and gums for signs of decay, gum disease, and other concerns. They can provide prompt treatment if they find any issues, preventing them from becoming more severe and requiring more extensive and expensive dental work down the road.
When Should I Schedule These Appointments?
For the average dental patient, dentists recommend scheduling routine dental cleanings and exams every six months. This provides an ideal window where dentists can spot and treat dental issues before they can cause irreversible and serious harm to your smile.
Some individuals may need to visit their dentist more frequently. Senior patients, those with a higher likelihood of forming tartar, and people with underlying medical conditions might need to schedule routine dentist appointments three or four times each year.
Can I Schedule an Emergency Dentist Appointment?
Though we may adhere to thorough preventative dental care, accidents may occur that create damage to our smiles in between these routine dentist appointments. If you have any dental concerns, you should not hesitate to contact your dentist or schedule an emergency dentist appointment.
Even if an issue may seem minor, such as tooth sensitivity or bleeding gums, it could be a symptom of a larger dental problem. Call your dental professional if you notice any persistent dental concerns. If you ignore these kinds of problems, they could worsen and cause serious harm to your oral health.
Visit Your Family Dentist Today in Columbia, MD
Columbia Family Dentist offers both preventative and emergency dental care to patients of all ages in Columbia, MD. Dr. Goyal specializes in general, implant, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry, including orthodontic treatment. To schedule a consultation with our practice, contact our staff online or reach us by phone at 410.670.8211.