How Often Should You Get Your Teeth Cleaned?

"I always get my teeth cleaned every six months - why would I need to come more often?"

It's a fair question. You've heard it your whole life: go every six months. But here's what surprised us too, early in our careers - for most people, six months isn't actually enough.

According to the Canadian Dental Association, "7 out of 10 Canadians will develop gum disease at some point." That's not a scare tactic - it's just biology. And the interval between your cleanings is one of the biggest things you can control.

It starts quietly. Plaque (a soft mix of food and bacteria) builds up near your gumline. If it's not fully removed with daily brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar, the rough, calcified buildup you can feel with your tongue.

The bacteria in plaque and tartar produce toxins that cause your gums to get red, swollen, and bleed easily. This early stage is called gingivitis, and it's fully reversible.

Left alone, gingivitis turns into periodontal disease, where the infection destroys gum tissue and the bone holding your teeth in place. Once you're there, you can manage it but not reverse it.

The best cure? Prevention.

Studies in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology show that plaque bacteria recolonize to pre-cleaning levels about 8 to 10 weeks after a professional cleaning. That's why a 3 or 4 month interval works better for most people, especially if you have any bleeding or tartar buildup.

But it's not one-size-fits-all. Our goal is to find the interval, whether that's 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, or 12 months, where you consistently have no bleeding and no calculus. When that happens, you've found your number.

If you answer "yes" to any of these, talk to your dentist or hygienist about shorter intervals:

• Are you skipping more than 3-4 days of flossing per week?
• Do you notice bleeding when you floss?
• Did your hygienist mention inflammation at your last cleaning?
• Do you experience persistent bad breath?
• Do you smoke or use tobacco?
• Have you been told you have a pocket depth of 4mm or more?
• Do you have a health condition that makes thorough brushing difficult (arthritis, Alzheimer's, or similar)?

Six months works for some people. But if your gums are telling you otherwise, bleeding, redness, buildup between visits, listen to them. A shorter interval now can save you from much bigger problems (and much bigger bills) down the road.

Not sure where you stand? Book a cleaning and we'll figure out your interval together. No lectures, just a plan that works for your mouth.