Similar to how your car needs periodic tune-ups to ensure it keeps running smoothly, your teeth and gums require regular maintenance to stay healthy! Most oral health issues like cavities and gum disease develop unnoticed until they cause damage or discomfort, and can eventually lead to serious and painful complications. However, visiting your dentist twice a year for a simple dental checkup and cleaning can catch these problems early and put a stop to them before they become larger issues! Here are three practical tips to help you make and keep these important appointments twice a year.
Tip #1: Schedule Your Next Visit Before Leaving the Office
Remembering to schedule your next dental appointment can be difficult in the hustle and bustle of life, especially if you don’t need to visit your dentist again for another six months. It’s all too easy to forget that it’s time for your next checkup until you find yourself with a painful or sensitive tooth! That’s why you should schedule your next visit at the end of your current one. You can always reschedule if you need to, but this will at least ensure your next appointment is on the books!
Tip #2: Set Calendar Reminders in Advance
Six months is a long time to remember and anticipate your next dental checkup. If you’re not careful, it can sneak up on you and cause scheduling conflicts or inconveniences. To keep this from happening, try setting a few reminders a week or two before your appointment. That way, you can plan your upcoming activities around it or reschedule if needed.
There are a variety of ways you can set reminders for yourself. If you have a smartphone, you can set a digital reminder or create a calendar event with a reminder function. Or you can simply write yourself a note or ask your dentist for a dental appointment reminder card and place it somewhere you won’t lose it. In many cases, your dental office will call you to confirm your upcoming appointment a few days ahead of time as well.
Tip #3: Make Dental Checkups a Yearly Habit
If you can schedule your checkups and cleanings for the same time every year, you’ll be more likely to naturally remember when they’re coming up. The back-to-school season and winter holidays are usually very busy, so try to schedule your appointments outside of these windows. Instead, try scheduling your visits during transitional times, like the beginning of summer or right after the new year, so you’ll be reminded that your checkup is coming up.
Visiting your dentist twice a year is essential for spotting and stopping oral health issues as early as possible. Keep your smile looking and feeling its best by using these helpful tips for making and keeping your routine dental checkups and cleanings.
About the Author
Dr. Tommy Murph has been caring for the smiles of Conway and the surrounding communities for over 25 years. He strives to make achieving and maintaining great oral health as achievable as possible for all his patients. That’s why he offers Saturday appointments and same-day emergency appointments to make sure you get the excellent dental care you need whenever you need it. To schedule your regular dental checkup, he can be reached via his website or at (843) 488-4357.