With the new year 2019 around the corner, oral health should be a resolution. The ADA usually recommends one to two visits each year. That way, even if your mouth is in perfect health, you can still get a dental cleaning and a checkup to make sure you’re on track for a continually healthy mouth.
Scheduling Regular Dental Appointments
Keeping your teeth healthy with regular dental visits is important. When teeth start to have problems, they can impact life quickly. But what are “regular” dental visits? How often are people supposed to go?
Catching a dental problem early may help reduce the amount of pain, difficulty, and cost to fix the problem. Dentists can also look for signs of oral cancers, and spot signs of other health conditions, such as diabetes.
There’s no “perfect” amount of regular dental visits recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA), especially since dental health varies from person to person. The ADA usually recommends one to two visits each year. That way, even if your mouth is in perfect health, you can still get a professional cleaning and a checkup to make sure you’re on track for a continually healthy mouth.
Changes to Dental Health
In addition to your regular visit(s) throughout the year, you should schedule an appointment when you notice changes to your dental health, particularly when it involves pain. Chipped teeth, sensitivity to hot or cold, swollen or bleeding gums and persistent tooth pain are all issues to discuss with your dentist as soon as you notice them. After all, when it comes to dental pain, letting the issue fester often makes the problem worse.
Dental Work
When you have dental work, you may be asked to make follow-up and checkup appointments to ensure that the instruments are behaving the way they should. Whether it involves getting a crown, having a cavity filled or being outfitted with dentures, a follow-up appointment usually allows the dentist to take a quick peek to make sure the dental work produces results and to answer any questions you might have about personal care following recent dental work.
How Often Should I Visit the Dentist if I am Pregnant?
Postpone Dental Care During Your First Trimester
The first trimester of your pregnancy (the first 13 weeks) is the time in which most of the baby’s major organs develop. If you go to the dentist during your first trimester, tell your dentist that you’re pregnant and have only a checkup and routine cleaning. If possible, postpone any major dental work until after the first trimester. However, if you have a dental emergency, don’t wait! Infections in the mouth can be harmful to you and your baby. See your dentist immediately, and make sure that all dental professionals who examine you are aware you’re pregnant.
Visit the Dentist During Your Third Trimester
If you have postponed seeing your dentist during your first or second trimester, the third trimester is the time to have a dental checkup to ensure that your mouth is healthy. By visiting your dentist at this time, he or she will be able to advise you on what you can do to prevent oral health problems after your baby is born.
To start your routine dental cleaning in Kennewick WA, call 509-579-0759 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Anotnio Lopez Ibarra at Tri-City Dental Care.