Is it OK to go to the dentist once a year instead of every six months?

For some people, yes. A Cochrane systematic review (2020) found that annual recalls may be sufficient for low-risk adults with no history of decay or gum disease. However, patients with risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, dry mouth, or a history of cavities benefit from more frequent visits. Your dentist can assess your risk profile and recommend the appropriate interval.

What happens if you don't go to the dentist for years?

Skipping dental visits allows plaque and tartar to accumulate, increasing the risk of decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. A study in the Journal of Dental Research found that patients who skipped regular visits had three times the rate of tooth loss over 16 years compared to regular attendees. Early-stage oral cancer may also go undetected without routine screening.

Do pregnant women need to see the dentist more often?

Yes, ideally at least once during pregnancy, with the second trimester being the optimal time for a routine checkup and clean. Pregnancy hormones increase the risk of gingivitis (pregnancy gingivitis affects up to 75 per cent of pregnant women), making professional monitoring important. Dental checkups during pregnancy are safe and recommended by both the ADA and RANZCOG.

Does going to the dentist regularly actually save money?

Yes. Preventive dental care is significantly cheaper than treating advanced problems. A checkup and clean costs $200 to $350, while a single root canal costs $800 to $2,000, a crown costs $1,200 to $2,000, and a dental implant costs $4,000 to $6,500. The Australian Dental Association estimates that every $1 spent on preventive care saves $8 to $50 in restorative and emergency treatment.

How Often Should You Go to the Dentist? Evidence-Based Guide

Q: How often should you go to the dentist?

The Australian Dental Association recommends dental visits at intervals based on your individual risk. Low-risk patients may only need annual visits, average-risk patients benefit from six-monthly checkups, and high-risk patients (smokers, diabetics, those with gum disease) may need visits every three to four months. Your dentist will recommend a recall interval tailored to your oral health.

How Often Should You Go to the Dentist?

The short answer: it depends on your individual risk. The traditional advice of visiting the dentist every six months is a reasonable starting point for most people, but modern evidence-based dentistry recognises that one recall interval does not suit everyone. Some patients can safely visit once a year, while others need appointments every three to four months.

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) recommends that dental recall intervals be determined by a risk assessment rather than a fixed timetable. This approach, supported by a 2020 Cochrane systematic review, ensures that higher-risk patients receive more frequent monitoring while lower-risk patients are not over-treated.

At Townsville Dental Clinic, your dentist assesses your individual risk at each dental checkup and recommends a personalised recall interval. Here is the evidence behind those recommendations.

ADA-Recommended Recall Intervals

The ADA’s position statement on recall intervals aligns with international best practice: the frequency of dental visits should be determined by an assessment of the patient’s risk for dental disease.

Risk Level	Recommended Interval	Typical Patient Profile
Low risk	Every 12 months	No active decay, healthy gums, no significant medical conditions, good oral hygiene, non-smoker
Moderate risk	Every 6 months	Occasional calculus buildup, mild gingivitis, history of one to two fillings per year, moderate plaque control
High risk	Every 3–4 months	Active gum disease, diabetes, smoker, dry mouth (xerostomia), heavy calculus former, history of frequent decay, immunocompromised

Your dentist may adjust your recall interval up or down over time as your oral health improves or risk factors change.

Factors That Affect How Often You Should Visit

Smoking and Tobacco Use

Smokers are two to six times more likely to develop periodontal disease than non-smokers (Journal of Periodontology, 2019). Smoking impairs blood flow to the gums, reduces healing capacity, and masks early signs of gum disease (bleeding gums) because nicotine constricts blood vessels. Most dentists recommend smokers attend every three to four months.

Diabetes

Diabetes and gum disease have a well-documented bidirectional relationship. People with poorly controlled diabetes are approximately three times more likely to develop periodontitis (Diabetes Care, 2018). Conversely, active gum disease can make blood sugar levels harder to control. Diabetic patients benefit from visits every three to six months, depending on glycaemic control.

Pregnancy

Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase susceptibility to pregnancy gingivitis, which affects up to 75 per cent of pregnant women. The ADA and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) recommend at least one dental visit during pregnancy, ideally in the second trimester. Read our detailed guide on dental care during pregnancy.

Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

Saliva is the mouth’s natural defence against decay. Medications (antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure drugs), radiation therapy, and certain medical conditions can reduce saliva flow, dramatically increasing decay risk. Patients with dry mouth may need visits every three to four months.

History of Gum Disease

Patients who have been treated for periodontitis require ongoing supportive periodontal therapy (SPT), typically every three to four months. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (2014) found that patients who adhered to three-monthly SPT had significantly less tooth loss than those who attended less frequently.

Age

Children, older adults, and patients with extensive dental work (crowns, bridges, implants) may need more frequent monitoring. Children’s teeth and jaws change rapidly, and older adults face increased risks of root decay and dry mouth from medications.

What Happens During a Regular Dental Visit?

Understanding what your dentist checks at each visit helps explain why regular attendance matters. A typical dental checkup at Townsville Dental Clinic includes:

Visual examination — checking every tooth for signs of decay, cracks, and wear
Gum assessment — probing for pocket depth, bleeding, and recession
Oral cancer screening — examining soft tissues for abnormalities
X-rays (when indicated) — detecting decay between teeth, bone loss, and other issues invisible to the naked eye
Scale and clean — removing plaque and tartar that brushing cannot reach
Risk assessment — evaluating your overall oral health and adjusting your recall interval

For a detailed walkthrough, see our article on what a dental checkup includes.

What Happens If You Skip Dental Visits?

Skipping regular dental visits allows problems to develop undetected. Here is a timeline of what can happen when preventive care is neglected.

Timeframe Without a Visit	What Can Happen
6–12 months	Calculus (tartar) builds up in areas you cannot clean, early decay starts between teeth, mild gingivitis develops
1–2 years	Small cavities progress to larger ones requiring bigger fillings or crowns, gingivitis may advance to early periodontitis with bone loss
3–5 years	Advanced decay may require root canal treatment or extraction, moderate to severe bone loss, tooth mobility
5+ years	Multiple tooth loss, severe gum disease, potential systemic health effects (cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications), possible undetected oral cancer

A longitudinal study in the Journal of Dental Research (2013) followed patients over 16 years and found that those who had regular professional cleanings experienced significantly less attachment loss (a measure of gum disease severity) and fewer tooth extractions than irregular attendees.

The Cost of Skipping: Prevention vs Treatment

Scenario	Approximate Cost
Six-monthly checkup and clean	$200–$350 per visit
Small filling (detected early)	$150–$300
Large filling or crown (delayed treatment)	$350–$2,000
Root canal + crown	$2,000–$4,000
Extraction + dental implant	$4,500–$7,000
Full arch replacement (All-on-4)	$20,000–$35,000

Two checkups per year cost approximately $400 to $700. A single dental implant to replace a tooth that could have been saved costs $4,000 to $6,500. Prevention is overwhelmingly more cost-effective than treatment. For a detailed cost breakdown, see our dental cleaning cost guide.

How Often Should Children Visit the Dentist?

The ADA and the Australian Academy of Paediatric Dentistry recommend:

First visit: by age one or within six months of the first tooth erupting
Regular visits: every six months for most children
High-risk children: every three to four months (high sugar diet, developmental issues, history of early decay)

Children eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) can receive up to $1,095 in dental benefits over two years, covering checkups, cleans, X-rays, fissure sealants, fillings, and extractions at no cost when bulk-billed. Learn more in our CDBS guide.

Regular childhood dental visits are important not only for cavity prevention but also for monitoring jaw development, assessing the need for early orthodontic intervention, and building positive associations with dental care.

Special Populations: Who Needs More Frequent Visits?

Patients with Dental Implants

Dental implants require ongoing professional maintenance to prevent peri-implantitis (inflammation around the implant). Most implant patients benefit from visits every three to six months, including professional cleaning of the implant components.

Cancer Patients

Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy (especially head and neck radiation) face dramatically increased risks of decay, mucositis, and dry mouth. Pre-treatment dental assessment and frequent monitoring during treatment are essential.

Patients with a History of Frequent Decay

If you have a history of needing multiple fillings, more frequent visits allow early detection and intervention before small problems become large ones. Combined with preventive measures like fluoride treatment and dietary counselling, increased visit frequency can break the cycle of repeated decay.

How to Make Dental Visits a Habit

Book your next appointment before leaving the practice — this removes the friction of remembering to call later.
Set a calendar reminder — if your recommended interval is six months, set a recurring reminder.
Use your insurance benefits — most health fund annual limits reset each year. A checkup and clean is the best use of these benefits.
Pair visits with another routine — many patients book their dental checkup around their birthday or the start of each school term.
Bring the whole family — booking family appointments together makes it easier to keep everyone on schedule.

Book Your Next Dental Checkup

Whether you are due for a routine six-monthly checkup or it has been a few years since your last visit, the best time to book is now. At Townsville Dental Clinic, we provide thorough, evidence-based dental examinations and tailor your recall interval to your individual needs.

Ready to book? Contact Townsville Dental Clinic to schedule your next checkup and clean. New patients and families are welcome, and we bulk-bill CDBS for eligible children.