Did you know the standard recommendation for dental checkups is one to two times per year? WebMD states that seeing a dentist every six months is a good general guideline for most of us to follow. And at a minimum, you should aim to have your teeth checked and cleaned at least once a year. This is because dental checkups can help catch oral health issues early, leading to easier, less painful treatments. While this is a general recommendation to follow, certain factors can also help you determine frequency, such as drinking or smoking, genetics, and access to quality oral healthcare products. Discussing these factors with your dentist can help them determine how often you should schedule your visits.
Additionally, sometimes cost might be a barrier for some, or it may be hard to justify a visit to the dentist if your mouth feels great. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a little more than half of U.S. adults had private dental insurance. Even 4.4% of those who had dental insurance didn’t get the dental care they needed because it was too expensive.
So, with all these factors in mind, you may wonder how often people really go to the dentist for routine visits. Health Digest asked 583 poll participants to be honest about how many times a year they get their teeth cleaned. Here’s what we found.
Most poll participants see the dentist every six months
According to our survey, roughly 58% of people who were polled reported getting their teeth cleaned twice a year. Coming in at a distant second were the roughly 18% of people who saw their dentist at least once a year. Some people, about 11% in total, said they only saw a dentist when it was necessary. Others opted to see a dentist every other year, accounting for nearly 8% of our survey participants. Less than 5% of people said they never get their teeth cleaned.
Having clean teeth isn’t just about having a great smile. A regular trip to the dentist will allow your provider to catch cavities or gum disease, monitor your fillings, detect oral cancer, and more (via Cigna). And these needs extend to dental health for children as well. Kids may be more prone to cavities if they eat a lot of sugars and starches, have poor oral hygiene, or little saliva production, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
