[Closed] how thorough are you with dental checkups?

My dentist actually leans more toward visual checks and patient feedback, saying x-rays are helpful but shouldn't be overused. Honestly, I've found that approach practical—sometimes you can spot issues early just by paying attention to how things feel day-to-day...

Yeah, my dentist is similar—he usually relies on visual checks and asks how things feel. But I gotta say, one time an x-ray caught a cavity forming between two teeth that neither of us noticed visually or through symptoms yet... Glad we caught it early.

Yeah, visual checks are helpful, but honestly, x-rays are a total lifesaver. I had a similar experience—my dentist thought everything looked fine, but the x-ray showed a sneaky cavity hiding between my molars. No pain, no sensitivity, nothing. Catching it early saved me from a bigger headache (and probably a bigger bill) down the road. I get why some dentists might skip them occasionally, but personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry... teeth are sneaky little things, lol.

"teeth are sneaky little things, lol."

Haha, seriously... teeth are masters of deception! I totally agree about x-rays being worth it. A couple years ago, I switched dentists and the new one did an x-ray right away—even though I'd just had a visual checkup a few months earlier. Turns out I had a tiny infection brewing under an old filling that neither I nor my previous dentist had noticed. Zero pain, zero symptoms. It was wild how something so small could've turned into a major issue if left unchecked.

I get why some might hesitate about the radiation, but honestly, the amount is pretty minimal compared to the peace of mind it brings. Plus, dental problems always seem to wait until the worst possible time to flare up (like vacations or weekends, ugh). Better to catch things early and avoid that drama altogether, imo.

Yeah, teeth definitely have a way of hiding issues until it's almost too late. Had a similar experience myself—went in for a routine cleaning, no pain or anything, and the dentist casually mentions there's a cavity forming between two molars. Couldn't see it, couldn't feel it, but there it was on the x-ray. Made me realize how much can slip past a visual check alone.

I do get the radiation concern, though. Even if it's minimal, I still find myself wondering sometimes if yearly x-rays are always necessary, especially if someone's never had dental issues. Maybe spacing them out a bit more would still catch problems early enough without overdoing it? Curious how often everyone else gets their dental x-rays done...