How often do you really need a checkup and cleaning?

Every six months is the answer most people have heard. In reality, the right gap between checkups depends on your teeth, your gums and your habits. Here is how dentists decide, and what a visit should include.

A dental checkup is short, painless and one of the best ways to avoid expensive treatment later. The question patients ask us most is how often they actually need one.

Is every six months the rule?

Six months is a sensible starting point, but it is not a medical rule. Dental guidelines such as those used in the UK by NICE recommend that the gap between checkups is set for each person, from as often as every 3 months up to every 2 years for adults with consistently healthy teeth and gums. For children and teenagers, the gap is usually no longer than 12 months, because their teeth change quickly.

At your visit, your dentist looks at your history and current mouth and suggests an interval that makes sense for you. If your teeth and gums are healthy and stable, you may not need to come every six months. If you have active gum disease or new cavities, you may need to come more often for a while.

Who may need checkups more often?

• People with gum disease or a history of it
• Anyone who has needed several fillings in the last couple of years
• Smokers and people who use shisha or chewing tobacco
• People with diabetes, a dry mouth, or medicines that reduce saliva
• Pregnant women, as hormone changes can make gums more prone to bleeding
• People wearing braces or aligners, who find cleaning harder
• Children with a lot of sugary snacks or drinks in their diet

What happens at a dental checkup?

A good checkup is more than a quick look. At our clinic it usually includes:

1. A chat about any pain, sensitivity, changes to your health or medicines.
2. A careful look at every tooth, your existing fillings and crowns.
3. A check of your gums, measuring any pockets around the teeth where needed.
4. A look at your tongue, cheeks and the rest of the mouth for anything unusual.
5. X-rays only when they are needed to see between teeth or under the gum.
6. A clear explanation of what we found and a plan you agree with before anything starts.

Checkup and cleaning: what is the difference?

A checkup is the examination. A professional cleaning, also called a scale and polish, removes the hard tartar that your toothbrush cannot shift and polishes away surface stains. Many people have both in the same visit.

Tartar forms at a different speed for everyone. Some people need a cleaning every six months, others once a year, and people with gum disease may need deeper cleaning more often. If your gums bleed when you brush, that is a sign plaque is building up and a cleaning is worth booking.

Signs you should book before your next checkup

• Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
• Sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet that is new or getting worse
• A tooth that hurts when you bite
• A broken or rough filling
• Bad breath that does not go away
• A sore or patch in the mouth that has not healed in two weeks

Between visits: the habits that matter most

• Brush twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, last thing at night and one other time.
• Spit after brushing but do not rinse with water, so the fluoride stays on your teeth longer.
• Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or small interdental brushes.
• Keep sugary snacks and drinks to mealtimes rather than sipping or grazing through the day.

Booking a checkup in Al Qasimiah

We are in Al Mahatta, Al Qasimiah and open every day until 11 PM, so a checkup fits around work and school. If it has been more than a year since your last visit, or you are not sure, message us and we will find a time that suits you.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Every mouth is different, so please see a dentist for advice about your own teeth.