How often should we go to the dentist?

The oral health care is increasingly focused on. However, a question for many people is: How often should we visit a dentist to maintain the best oral health?

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Many people believe that we should go to the dentist every 6 months, even if that is not what we are applying in practice. Still, whether these two-year tests are really necessary is still a controversial topic.

In fact, it is not yet clear where this six-month figure comes from. Some believe that, since the 18th century, long before randomized trials, the benefits of regular dental visits can be tested.

Of course, people with multiple dental problems need to visit the dentist regularly, but what about it with others?

According to experts, permanent teeth are more susceptible to deepening after papillae, so when children begin to grow their first permanent teeth at the age of 6-8, they need regular visits. In adolescents, teeth are less likely to be damaged, until wisdom teeth emerge when their owners are over 20 years old. Therefore, the risk of tooth decay changes at different times in our lives.

In 2000, 3/4 of the dentists surveyed in New York, the United States proposed to check the periodic teeth every 6 months, despite the lack of research to see if the frequency could make a difference. For patients with low risk of tooth decay or gum disease. Currently, many organizations, such as the American Institute of Pediatric Dentistry, still propose to check that every 6 months.

However, over the past several decades, some have argued that choosing 6 months as the ideal time interval between dental visits is relatively subjective. Back in 1977, Aubrey Sheiham, a community dental health professor at University College London (UK), published an article in The Lancet magazine, expressing disappointment about the lack of evidence for Dental checkpoint every 6 months. Nearly 40 years later, he still maintains this idea.

In 2003, a study of the system to review the research at that time was conducted. The results are very confusing. Some studies found no difference between the number of decayed teeth, fillings or tooth loss between those who regularly visit dentists and those who do not. Meanwhile, other studies have found fewer cases of dental fillings in people who visit dentists regularly.

About gums, most studies do not detect any difference in the level of bleeding, plaque and gingivitis in permanent teeth. Even according to one study, more than 1 dental examination per year did not make any difference in terms of tumor size diagnosed with oral cancer. Another study found that, if people waited for more than a year between visits to dentists, tumors could progress as they were discovered.

Last year, the Cochrane Collaboration conducted a study of the same system and expressed disappointment with the results. The quality and number of studies is simply too poor to support or deny the point of view. They found that only one controlled study, in which patients were randomly selected for annual dental exams or every two years. People who visit annual dentists get better results, but it may be because dentists know they are on an annual or two-year dental check-up - which could affect the treatment applied to them and bias results.

One thing that we all need to note is that, even if there are research discoveries, such as children who visit the dentist more often with less fillings, there may be other factors that work. Those children may also enjoy other advantages, such as belonging to a class with a higher socio-economic status, healthy eating or better quality dental equipment.

Experts also believe that there is a secondary purpose when visiting a dentist. Even if the dentist does not detect any problems, they will most likely remind us to maintain dental care and brushing properly, although experts still have not agreed on the best way to do that.

After all, how often should we go to the dentist? Agencies like Nice, which provides guidance for the National Health System in England and Wales, stated that the frequency of visits to dentists depends on each individual. They suggest that children should go at least once a year because their teeth can get deeper faster, while adults without dental problems can wait up to 2 years to get a dental check-up.

Nice even said that delaying dental examination for more than 2 years is still acceptable for those who maintain their regular dental and gum care.

Similar recommendations are given elsewhere. A group of evidence-based experts in Finland in 2001 also suggested that people under 18 years of age, who are at low risk of dental problems, can see their teeth every 18-24 months.

Therefore, the time you can delay between 2 dental visits will ultimately depend on your assessment and your dentist's personal risk at the most recent visit.