Not to go to the dentist for 6 month check ups

[60andsomething]

Well, I am in my 60s now, so it is a bit late if IABU! As children we went every 6 months, but I am not sure why. It was expected back then.

In the last 40 years I have been twice, both times because of side effects of other non-dental treatments.

The dentist I saw last year, to get a clean bill of health before starting on a powerful drug, now wants me to come back, as it is 6 months since I last went, and this is seen as enough justification to try and insist I go again.

I have never had any problems with my teeth, and generally go to the dentist once every 20 years or so.

I am a teacher, when it comes up in lesson, have asked my classes about their experience of dentists - I would say most teenagers these days have never seen a dentist, and don't have toothache.

AIBU to think the need for a six month check up is a myth? And if it aint broke, don't fix it?

I would go it I had a problem, or toothache.

Weird that your students don’t go. All 3 of mine went to the dentist from as soon as their first teeth came in. Initially just to get them used to going and the dentist had a quick peek. They’ve been going regularly ever since. I’ve gone regularly since being a child too. I usually go about once every 9 months now. Though I’ve never seen a hygienist! We’re lucky to still have an NHS dentist.

I don’t think you need to go every 6 months OP, but I do think more regularly than every 20 years (maybe yearly) would be prudent. As we age, everything deteriorates so it would be good to be aware in case anything started to change. And as others have said, they can check for mouth cancers and other conditions.

My relative was diagnosed with mouth cancer due to the dentist spotting it during a 6 monthly check. Luckily it was caught early.

I go every 6 months purely so I’m not struck off the list. I’m very lucky to have an NHS dentist so don’t want to lose it!

Otherwise in all likelihood I’d probably go once every couple of years for a checkup, although as pp said, it’s weird that we have a ‘checkup’ for our mouths but that’s not expected for other parts of the body (a smear test and a mammogram are I guess ‘check ups’ in a sense too…)

although as pp said, it’s weird that we have a ‘checkup’ for our mouths but that’s not expected for other parts of the body (a smear test and a mammogram are I guess ‘check ups’ in a sense too…)
And eye tests, though I suspect a scary number of people don't have those often enough either. And when you reach a certain age the GP starts asking you to go in for your blood pressure to be checked and well woman/well man checks to be done. My DH has just had a problem identified at a well man check that he wasn't aware of.
There are other screening programmes too, such as bowel cancer screening and aortic aneurysm screening. Plus at the other end of the age range we check well children periodically for various things don't we? (Or at least we used to when there were still school nurses and health visitors.)

I go every 9 months but I’ve had a few problems over the years. It didn’t take long or cost much to have a check up and it reassures me any problems will be picked up early. Plus keeps me registered with an NHS dentist.

you sound v lucky with your teeth so I can see your pov, however once every year or two seems like a good compromise rather than no check up ever.

I don't know anyone who doesn't take their children to a dentist every 6 months. I go every 6 months too. Of course things can happen in that short time. A cavity doesn't take years to show itself, and you want to catch that early before it gets any bigger, or start hurting. And as others have said, a dentist can spot other issues such as cancer and gum disease too. A check up only takes 10-15 minutes. My dentist takes annual x-rays, I find it reassuring.

Like you I am in my 60s, and I only visit the dentist when I have a toothache. There were 15 years between my last two visits and I was a bit worried - however, the only work I had done was a replacement filling in the tooth which was hurting. I had knocked a bit off two front teeth years beforehand and thought the dentist might not be impressed that I hadn't had them looked at - he didn't even notice until I mentioned it and then told me they were fine, no sign of any decay!

I had a lot of dentist visits when I was young - small mouth, large teeth - and I hate having to sit there while they poke about now. I keep saying I will at least make a yearly hygienist appointment, some day .......

When I was a child I visited the dental nurse a couple of times a year, but dentists are all private here (not the UK) and I rather begrudge spending the money tbh.

I go ever 6 months and haven't needed any dental work since my teens. I did take a break for a while after one horrible experience.

I go out if fear tbh. I hope that if something goes wring, it will be a small problem if only 6 months old, but could be a big one if I leave it year. Would rather a filing than root canal etc

Yes I go every 6 months for a check up and to avoid being taken off the NHS list.

I also take my kids every 6 months - not because they have a problem, but mainly to instill good formative habits of looking after their physical health (and also to make sure they don't grow up being afraid of the dentist).

Call my cynical but I'd be willing to bet that with the shortage of NHS dentists, the government has changed the recommended visit to 12 months instead of 6 months.

Interesting that here in Scotland this is exactly what is happening since the Scottish government introduced the NHS dentistry reform.

As a dentist I have mixed thoughts on this. Fair enough if you have a low caries risk, keep healthy, rarely need work done and have good oral hygiene and a healthy low sugar/acid diet.
But honestly.. that's rare. Some medications cause dry mouth, mronj, make you more prone to bleeding gums or infection.
And then there's mouth cancer. So so important that this can be spotted early.
Unless you are really really low risk, I'd say 6 months is wise.

You’re lucky to have the option 😂 I hadn’t been in 3 years as my nhs dentist can’t give me an appointment as my dentist went private and they said they haven’t been able to replace him

couldn't afford private, I work part time and I’m a single mum but decided enough was enough and cut back on outgoings to pay privately today and wow I must say the difference in length of appointment and assessment when you’re paying for it! Turns out I should have gone sooner though as I’ve had a vomiting condition for the last year and it’s wrecking my enamel 😩 I’d still go 6 monthly if you can as surely it’s a lot worse when problems start, plus my gp asked me to ask my dentist to check my tonsils and they always check my jaws and bite too so it’s not just teeth they’re checking

@nothingsforgotten
“When I was a child I visited the dental nurse a couple of times a year, but dentists are all private here (not the UK) and I rather begrudge spending the money tbh. “

It’s rather sad that you feel that way, as oral health is actually vital to our general health. Poor dental health is a contributing factor in cardiovascular and digestive disease, it’s also been linked to Alzheimers etc….the list goes on…..

There is a medication for osteperosis that can be really bad for your teeth. It can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw. So if it's that then I'd say it's good to go at least once a year to monitor the possible onset of that. But if your teeth are healthy then you may just be lucky!

A few PP have said they are dentists, and have expressed the importance of seeing a dentist for at least an oral health screen, to check for oral cancers etc.

Except, it is hard to even find an NHS dentist to start with. There are none where I live.
I have a friend who had an appointment with her private dentist, who discovered a mass in her jaw via X-ray. She ended up seeing NHS under the 2 week referral thing... huge panic about it maybe being cancer. Thankfully, it was not. But had she not had a dentist at all.... for some, it might have been cancer.

We are a vitally important health service. It is truly sad what our current service has come to. what is even worse is that the majority of the public don’t understand how important dental health is and certainly don’t value it.

I saw a 36 year old male, father of three, a month ago, he had been turned away by his gp surgery for a niggly sore throat. At his routine 6 Month Dental Check up his tonsil was not quite normal ( right at the back) I referred him on a two week wait……B Cell Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Your Dental checks are important.
Lobby for change!

I think six monthly checks are essential. Problems can be identified early and treated. Sadly dental health isn't a priority for many Brits, the results of which most of us can clearly see on a daily basis.

Well, money only goes so far and as I rarely ever have anything done when I do visit the dentist I'm afraid they are down my list of priorities, rightly or wrongly. I do understand that oral health is vital to our general health, but also feel I am intelligent enough to be able to gauge if I actually need to have a check-up.

I also rarely visit the doctor as I am rarely ever ill enough to need to - and that costs as well (although fortunately not as much as a dental visit!).

If it wasn't so bloody extortionate to see a dentist more people would go. Honestly it's absolutely crippling financially for some people if they get toothache.

Nearly £30 just for someone to have a look and a poke around is daylight robbery.

Surely the 6 monthly check ups are mostly a cash cow / scam.

Maybe they are necessary for people who eat a shed load of sugar and or have poor hygiene or maybe modern toothpaste is better and they are a hangover.

A bit like car stopping distances in the highway code?

I haven't been to a dentist for a check up in 25 years and the only problem I ever had was a wisdom tooth infection about 20 years ago

thirty pounds for a few minutes poking around? And you can full up the surgery all week with them?

definitely a cash cow

I'm not in the UK, and it costs even more here. It's a big problem as the people who most need to visit a dentist are often the people who can least afford it.

It's more than doubled over the last 10-15 years, along with prescription costs.

Many people genuinely cannot afford to be ill or have toothache.

I know someone who had an unexpected illness that required 4 different items on prescription and she absolutely crumbled at the cost and decided to take the antibiotics and leave the rest.

No one has ever suggested I need a dental hygienist including my dentist who I see every six months! Dentist occasionally removes a bit of plaque but most comes of with teeth brushing?

I go every 6 months purely because my teeth aren't great. Obviously I brush twice a day and do extra cleaning everyday with interdental brushes too. Also go to hygienist at least once a year (as that appointment is covered by my Denplan), I often can't afford to pay for a second appointment.

From age 17-32 I only went to a random dentist when I needed work due to dental phobia. I finally found a dentist who was understanding and I trusted and went on Denplan. There were no spaces for NHS patients anywhere in my area.

hmm, well, maybe I should look into a check up every couple of years or so...