Okay, so I was chatting with my sister yesterday and we got into this whole debate about how often kids really need to go to the dentist. She takes her kiddos every six months like clockwork, but honestly, I've been a bit more relaxed about it. My oldest is 7 and my youngest just turned 4, and we've been going maybe once a year or so unless there's an issue (knock on wood, nothing major yet).
I mean, I brush their teeth twice a day (well...most days, lol), and we floss pretty regularly. But now I'm wondering if maybe I'm being too laid-back about it? My sister was all "you HAVE to go every six months or you're risking cavities," but I dunno...my kids' teeth seem fine so far.
Anyway, figured I'd throw up a quick poll here to see what other parents are doing:
How often do you schedule dentist visits for your kids?
- Every 6 months religiously
- Once a year is enough
- Only when there's an issue
- Um...dentist visits? Oops.
Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences below. Maybe I'm not the only one who's been winging it a little bit here and there, haha.
We've been pretty consistent about every 6 months, but honestly, sometimes life happens and it turns into more like 8 or 9 months...oops. I think as long as you're keeping up with brushing and flossing, once a year probably isn't gonna hurt. But now I'm curious—anyone else's dentist ever push for extra stuff like sealants or fluoride treatments? Always wondered if those are really necessary or just upselling...
"I think as long as you're keeping up with brushing and flossing, once a year probably isn't gonna hurt."
Honestly, I'd be careful with that. My dentist always says cavities can sneak up fast, especially in kids. We tried stretching visits to once a year for a while, but ended up with surprise fillings...ugh. About the sealants and fluoride stuff—yeah, it feels like upselling sometimes, but after our experience, I'm too anxious to skip them now. Better safe than sorry, I guess.
We've been going every six months, mostly because I'm a bit paranoid about dental stuff myself. 😅 But honestly, if you're nervous, maybe try scheduling a quick check-up at the halfway mark? That way you can catch anything small before it turns into something bigger (and pricier...). It helped ease my anxiety a lot knowing we're staying ahead of things, especially since cavities really do pop up outta nowhere sometimes.
