General Dentistry |4 min read

How Often Should You Go to the Dentist? Your Top Questions – Answered!

Female patient in dental chair wondering how often should you see the dentist.

Do you have questions for your dentist?

You’ll learn the answers to your top questions in this quick blog.

Let’s get started!

At what age should my child first see the dentist?

Kids can develop early childhood tooth decay from six months to six years old. Baby teeth usually erupt at around six months old.

At this stage, they’re at risk for tooth decay.

The Canadian Dental Association… This text opens a new tab to the Canadian Dental Association website… recommends taking your child to the dentist within six months of the first tooth coming in (erupting), or by one year of age, at the very latest.

This will allow your dentist to detect any early dental problems right away and treat them.

It’ll also allow you to ask the dentist any questions and find out techniques to prevent early childhood tooth decay and thus, optimize your child’s overall health and well-being.

Schedule your child’s first dental visit today.

Request An Appointment

How often should you go to the dentist?

Most people think that a dental checkup and cleaning are recommended once or twice a year.

While this is a good rule of thumb, it’s important to note that oral health needs and goals vary from person to person.

Some people may need to see their dentist more than twice a year. These individuals have a higher risk of developing dental or periodontal disease and may need to visit the dentist every three to four months.

This high-risk group includes:

  • Smokers
  • Diabetics
  • Pregnant women
  • People who are more susceptible to developing cavities or have a dry mouth
  • Immunocompromised individuals
  • People with gum disease.

Therefore, it’s always best to check with our dental team to determine how many checkups and cleanings you need per year to optimize your oral health.

The best dentists will tailor your treatment recommendations to your specific individual needs.

Call us today to schedule your dental checkup or find out how often you should be going for checkups.

Call Us: 403-282-9141

How do I whiten my teeth?

There are several ways to whiten your teeth.

For more in-depth information on teeth whitening, please check our blog on the topic.

Teeth whitening options range from in-office to at-home kits.

You can purchase at-home whitening kits from your Calgary dental clinic, the drugstore, or online, such as:

  • Whitening strips
  • Whitening trays
  • Rinses
  • Brushes

These whitening kits typically contain hydrogen peroxide, which acts below the tooth surface to whiten tooth enamel over several days to a few weeks. A popular and effective at-home teeth whitening option is Crest Whitestrips.… This text opens a new tab to the Crest website…

Professional teeth whitening or in-office whitening is typically stronger and faster than at-home whitening because they contain a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the solution.

Some teeth whitening options can lead to enamel damage and even tooth sensitivity, so it’s best to first schedule a teeth whitening consultation with your Calgary dentist near you.

Using a whitening toothpaste daily is a good option to maintain the colour of your teeth, but it’s not the best option if you are specifically looking to whiten your teeth.

Instead, it works best in conjunction with other teeth whitening methods.

It’s important to note that teeth whitening doesn’t work on all teeth.

Therefore, it’s essential to check with your Calgary dentist to determine the right treatment for your teeth. Depending on the type of discolouration, certain teeth whitening options may not be effective.

Yellowed teeth typically respond well to whitening agents. Brownish teeth may not respond as well, and teeth with gray tones may not respond at all to teeth whitening.

For internal discolouration or in cases where professional teeth whitening has been ineffective, you should consider the following for a more predictable and permanent teeth whitening solution:

With so many dental options available, contact our teeth whitening dentist Dr. My Le to find out which teeth whitening treatment option is best for you.

Book an appointment with us today.

Request An Appointment

Or:

Our office is located in Calgary, AB… This text opens a new tab to the Google Maps website…. We happily welcome patients from all over, including Mount Pleasant, Crescent Heights, Hillhurst, Sunnyside, Kensington, West Hillhurst, Capitol Hill, Rosedale, Tuxedo, Briar Hill, Renfrew, Rosemont, and Downtown Calgary.