The six-monthly check-up is so familiar that it feels like a rule. It isn’t one. Guidance in several countries recommends setting the interval by risk — anywhere from three months to two years for adults.
What changes your interval
Recent decay, gum disease, a dry mouth (often a side effect of medication), smoking, diabetes and orthodontic treatment all shorten it. A long run of healthy check-ups lengthens it.
Why not just wait for a problem?
Decay and gum disease are painless until they are advanced. A small filling found at a check-up costs a fraction of the root canal and crown that the same tooth may need two years later.
At your next visit, ask us what interval we would recommend for you and why. It is a fair question and we are happy to answer it.