As they say, prevention is better than a cure and that’s especially true when it comes to protecting you and your family’s dental health. This includes maintaining good oral hygiene practices at home as well as ensuring you visit the dentist regularly for check-ups. Dental conditions can sometimes develop long before any pain or other symptoms appear. These can be easily dealt with if found early.
The professional dental cleaning you receive during your regular check-ups is very effective in removing plaque, tartar and staining, ensuring your mouth remains healthy and fresh.
How Often Should You Visit the Dentist?
Everyone has different needs when it comes to dental health as well as different risk levels which should be reflected in the frequency of your check-ups. For the best answer, you should talk to your local dentist about your risk level and how frequently you should be visiting them to maintain your dental health. You should visit your dentist for a check-up and clean every six months or once a year at the very least.
The frequency of dental visits for children is usually the same as for adults. It’s often most convenient for your family to visit the dentist together. Once again, this depends on everyone’s individual needs. Children and teenagers may require orthodontic treatment for example, which may require more frequent visits. Regular dental visits can help children to feel more comfortable with visiting dentists.
Why are Regular Check-Ups Important?
Regardless of how often you choose to visit the dentist, regular check-ups are crucial. They give your dentist the chance to check your mouth for any signs of dental health problems such as cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, orthodontic issues and oral cancer. Early intervention is essential if any of these issues are discovered. When problems are caught earlier, their treatment options are usually faster, cheaper and less invasive.
Maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist on a regular basis also substantially lowers your risk of having a dental health problem in the first place. Dental cleans are usually a standard part of a check-up. This involves removing hardened plaque (calculus) from your teeth, helping to prevent gum disease. Dentists can also offer some specific tips and advice for improving your oral hygiene at home.
How Often Do Australians Visit the Dentist?
There’s a good reason why we’re reinforcing the importance of regular check-ups. During a National Dental Telephone Interview Survey in 2010, it was revealed that only 55.5 per cent of adults had visited a dentist in the preceding 12 months. Meanwhile, 73.9 per cent of children aged 5-11 and 78.4 per cent of young people aged 12-17 visited a dentist in the last year.
Children and older adults tended to visit the dentist more often while younger adults tend to neglect their dental health. Don’t be a part of the population that avoids visiting the dentist often enough only to regret it later when problems start to occur.
Your Friendly Family Dentists in Melbourne
If you haven’t seen your dentist lately, there’s no better time than now to make an appointment for a check-up and dental cleaning. At Hawthorn Road Family Dental Clinic, we take the time to ensure our patients are well looked after with high-quality dental x-rays and treatments. Our professional and friendly team will take care of your oral health needs in Melbourne.
Book an appointment at our dental clinic today by calling 03 9533 0996 or contact us online.
