Although most dental experts typically recommend a visit every 6 months, some people allow those months to turn into years and sometimes even decades. We find people avoid the dentist for several different reasons: You might fear the dentist because of a bad childhood experience or because of the movies.
So How Often Do You Really Need to See the Dentist? Usually, the recommended maximum amount of time between dental appointments is six months.
Skipping the dentist for two years
Now let's say it's been two years. At this point, your dental cavities might be getting to the point of needing more than just a filling. “Patients can begin to have tooth sensitivity and pain, possibly needing a root canal and crown to save the tooth,” Gargano says.
Patients who don't visit the dentist risk their gingivitis turning into the much more serious periodontal disease. It is common that patients with advanced stages of periodontal disease experience jaw bone loss and tooth loss.
If you haven't been to the dentist in several years, there's a good chance you may have one or two cavities that require attention. If you are visiting the dentist due to severe pain, you may need root canal therapy to address an infection that has entered the underlying pulp.
Without good dental care, your oral health declines, further embarrassing you and keeping you even farther from the dentist, creating a cycle that's hard to break. It's important to remember that dentists don't go into their profession to judge people; they go into it to help them.
Even though routine dental visits are the surest way to prevent and treat oral health issues, only 35% of working-age American adults visit the dentist annually.
Another side effect of gum disease is tooth loss, but advanced decay can also cause someone to lose their teeth. Preventive dental checkups and cleanings can help protect your oral health from advancing to this serious level and help you keep your teeth for life.
Unfortunately, once plaque hardens into tartar, it is not likely a toothbrush and floss will remove it. Scraping tarter off your own with other tools is not a good idea. Because these tools require special training to use properly, you could do more harm than good to your smile.
After two years of untreated tooth decay, the infection will probably spread to other teeth and the gums. You may also notice swelling around the cheek, jaw, or chin. At this stage, the untreated cavity would have seriously damaged the tooth, surrounding teeth, gums, and other structures.
Individuals not brushing their teeth regularly will not remove plaque and bacteria that cause gum disease; this, in turn, can lead to cavities and loss of teeth.
Although deep tooth decay often leads to extraction, it is not the only solution. Several options, such as dental crowns, fillings, inlays, and onlays, can restore the tooth's structure, appearance, and integrity once the decay has been removed. However, in some cases, tooth decay does require extraction.
While it is usually difficult to see a cavity in its beginning stages, some cavities start with a whitish or chalky appearance on the enamel of your tooth.
How Long Can You Leave Tooth Decay Untreated? Many people often leave tooth decay untreated until pain sets in. Unfortunately, as with everything else, the longer you leave tooth decay untreated, the worse it gets. On average, it takes about 3 to 6 months for cavities or tooth decay to start affecting your nerves.
Cavities, root canal problems, or periodontal issues won't go away on their own. They will, however, get worse, causing more time, money, and pain. While it might be frustrating to find out there are dental issues that require more visits, the important thing is that you've gotten the ball rolling to get them fixed.
In a span of 3-6 months cavities can reach the nerve of your tooth. That's not good. Really not good. That's by no means a definitive point either.
COST. Cost is the number one reason why people avoid seeing the dentist, according to a recent survey from the American Dental Association. But what many people don't realize is that postponing a dental appointment and care can actually cost more money in the long run.
While most people assume the teeth will go with them, this isn't usually true. The dentist has to follow local, state and federal guidelines regarding tooth disposal. Teeth contain saliva, blood and tissue so it's considered medical waste. This means that most times it cannot be given to the patient.
More often than time, people avoid going to the dentist because of the cost. Maybe they don't want to spend the money on a cleaning, or think that because they don't have dental insurance it will be too expensive. Again, the issues snowball and become much larger the longer they wait.
Dental anxiety is fear, anxiety or stress associated with a dental setting. Being scared to visit the dentist can result in delaying or avoiding dental treatment. Things like needles, drills or the dental setting in general can trigger dental anxiety.
According to a recent survey conducted on the market research platform DentaVox and taken by 18,000 people worldwide, 61% of the respondents are suffering from dental fear, and almost 4% of them have never been to a dentist.
If your teeth have not had a professional cleaning by your dentist's hygienist for several years, an extended cleaning will be necessary on your first visit back. The extra cleaning will be necessary to remove the significant amount of plaque that has settled on your teeth' surfaces.
We'll conduct a comprehensive mouth examination
Our exams involve taking a comprehensive look at your teeth, gums, and jaw and discussing your x-ray findings. Your dentist will review your bite and evaluate your risk of gum disease and tooth decay. We'll also check your tongue and gums for early signs of oral cancer.
If a person doesn't do what they're asked, removal may well be the next step. And where someone has been violent or particularly abusive, they may be removed from the list without any warning. The practice should always explain why someone has been removed.