Realistically, how often should an adult get their teeth cleaned by a dentist?

My husband thinks I'm buying into "marketing" by insisting that the appropriate amount of cleanings per year is two--every six months. What is the right amount of times per year for a healthy adult with healthy teeth?

Realistically, how often should an adult get their teeth cleaned by a dentist?
i'm a dentist.





It's twice a year. There are strict guidelines that are recommended based on periodontal diagnosis (gum and bone, hygiene, etc)of your mouth.





If you have periodontal disease or gum disease, more frequent recall appts are required. We have patients on 3 to 4 month reall/recare appts who have been able to keep their teeth.





It is also based on caries(decay) history. The greatest prediction of future cavities is past history. People who have poor hygiene or have active decay need to be seen more frequently.





Problems with health can also increase the amount of time you spend at the dentist. For example, if you are a patient undergoing any radiation or chemotherapy, you should be seen by the dentist to clear any dental infection. Any immunocompromised patient should also be seen more frequently.





The greatest thing about dentistry as compared to the medical field is that dentist and patients are geared towards PREVENTION. We can diagnose decay at the "incipient" stages (basically before it breaks through the enamel). We can remove this decay painlessly and efficiently. When the decay is broken through the enamel, the lesion is already moderate to severe and may need numbing, a large filling, a crown , or root canal treatment or worse extraction.





If we do our job well, and the patient follows our instructions, we are actually decreasing our profit. It is cheaper for the patient to have great hygiene at home and have 2 dental cleanings and exams than wait for something to happen.





Go ahead and wait for your cavities to get bigger. Avoid the dentist for as long as you can. Get one cleaning a year. Do the minimal. I guarantee you that you will spend more money in the long run. Instead of being a simple cleaning (prophylaxis), the next time the dentist/hygienist will have to charge you a debridement and prophylaxis because there is just too much calculus.





Go ahead and wait for the cavities to get bigger, most cavities are based on size and location. A simple filling is usually one surface. Go ahead and make it bigger. I'll charge you twice the amount. The more you wait, the more expensive it gets.





It's ironic that we give you the tools to make it cheaper for you and less profitable for us. You get a free toothbrush and floss and toothpaste. We'll give you a prescription for flouride. We'll remove the contaminants that make you susceptible to gum disease.





Don't believe that you can remove calculus/tartar on your own. It is a natural byproduct of calcium deposits from your saliva. Hygienist go to school for two to four years to learn how to diagnose and remove calculus. The word we learned in school to describe calculus is "tenacious." No amount of toothbrushing and flossing can remove calculus.





But go ahead and get the one year cleaning. Your dental insurance comes out of your pay no matter if you use it or not, even if your boss is paying for it. The insurance company loves patients like you.





I always tell patients that you have to love your body more than your car. Most patients get their car oil changed every 3000 miles. What would you say if I said I changed my oil every 10 thousand miles. You would say that would be ruining your car. Most cars last 5-10-maybe 15 years. Your teeth should last you your whole adult life-50+ years.





Nothing is better than your original healthy tooth. Why woud you spend less money and have less maintenance on your teeth that you use all day than you would your car? You can replace a car but any replacement of teeth will be some sort of compromise. Make a small Investment in the health of your body, teeth and gums. Everybody misses their teeth once they're gone.
Reply:go 2 times a year
Reply:I used to have my teeth cleaned once a year, but then my dentist said I should go twice a year, because I drink a lot of coffee. If you smoke you should also try to go twice a year. Not every ones teeth are the same!
Reply:I used to have my teeth cleaned every six months, but the last time I went in my dentist told me it wasn't necessary and could fix a filling in my appointment time instead. I do take very good care of my teeth, brush twice a day, floss and rinse once. Now I only go every year, even though my insurance would pay for a second one.
Reply:It really depends on your mouth. Most people cannot go a full year without building up tartar/calculus or without forming a cavity. So, 2 times a year is the norm for this reason. A cavity can form within 6 months so 2 times a year helps catch it while it is small and can still be filled. Also, most people form calculus/tartar within 3-4 months after a teeth cleaning so it needs to be cleaned off. Some people with gum disease need to have this cleaned off at that 3-4 months mark to prevent further bone loss so they do not lose their teeth. For most people that do not have significant gum disease, twice a year helps prevent the calculus/tartar from causing bone loss/ starting gum disease. For a few people that do not tend to make a lot of tartar/calculus buildup or get cavities, once a year is ok.



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