How often do you have to visit your dentist?

Many believe we must visit dental appointments every six months, regardless of what we do. The question of whether these biannual visits are necessary, but a matter of debate. It needs to be clarified which source the figure of six months originated from. Some think it's from the 18th Century, far before the emergence of trials of random controlled experiments to examine its effects.

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People with many dental issues naturally need to see a dentist regularly. But what about the rest of us? The permanent teeth tend to be more prone to decay shortly after they've been erected; therefore, when kids have just gotten the first set of permanent teeth between the age of 6 to eight, they require periodic examinations. As teens age, teeth are less susceptible until wisdom teeth appear at age 20. The risk of developing a tooth also differs over different times of your life.

In 2000, three-quarters (73%) of dentists within New York were recommended six monthly examinations, despite a lack of research examining whether the frequency of visits affected patients at low risk of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Nowadays, many organizations, like those of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, still recommend a six-month check-up.

However, for several decades, people have argued that choosing six months as a suitable interval between visits is arbitrary. In 1977 Aubrey Sheiham, a professor of public health dentistry from University College London, published an article in The Lancet lamenting the lack of evidence supporting six-month examinations. Forty years later, he's still making that same argument.

In 2003, a systematic review looked at what research had been conducted. The results were conflicting. Some studies did not find any differences in the number of teeth that were decayed and filled with fillings, missing teeth, or even missing teeth among patients who regularly visited the dentist versus those who didn't. In contrast, some studies showed fewer fillings for patients who frequented the dentist. 

Concerning gums, most studies found no difference in the quantity of plaque, bleeding, or gingivitis among permanent teeth. One study revealed that seeing a dentist more often than once per year did not affect the size of the tumors when diagnosed with oral cancer; however, another study found that if patients waited for more than an entire year between visits, tumors might be more advanced by the time they were discovered.

In the past year, the Cochrane Collaboration performed a similarly thorough review of the research and was not pleased with the results they discovered. The quality and quantity of the study need to be improved to prove or disprove the notion of having a check-up every six months. They only found one study that had patients randomly selected to visit the dentist either each year or once at least every two years. 

The patients who visited annually performed better; however, the staff at the dental office could have known if patients were part of the two-year or annual group, which could have affected the care they received and influenced the outcomes.

We also have other things to keep in mind. If a research study concludes, for instance, that children who visit the dentist more often tend to have fewer fillings, there could be other reasons behind it. These children could benefit from other factors; they could be part of an upper socio-economic class, eat healthier, and use better dental equipment.

There's a second purpose for dental visits. Even if the dentist does not detect any issues, they will remind you to keep maintaining your teeth and properly clean them - though there isn't a consensus on the most effective method for doing this either.

What is the best time to visit your dentist? Organizations like Nice, which advise members of the National Health Service in England and Wales, recommend that the frequency of dentist visits depends on the person. They suggest that children visit yearly at least once as their teeth may be more susceptible to decay, whereas adults who are healthy can stay for as long as two years. 

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They even go so in the direction of saying that more than two years of age is acceptable for those who have shown dedication to caring for their gums and teeth. Similar recommendations are given elsewhere. A group of experts who reviewed the evidence from Finland in 2001 suggested that those under 18 with a low risk of developing cancer should be seen between 18 months and two years.

What happens to the rest of us the next time we see a note from the door informing us that our next dental appointment is due? We'd all love a reason to avoid visiting the dentist as often, but the good thing is that if you suffer from any health issues, you could likely wait for a bit more than six months before your next visit. However, how long before you visit the dentist's chair depends on the evaluation you and your dentist will make of your own risk.