Dental guide
How often should you have a dental check-up?
Why the right interval between check-ups depends on your own oral health, and what guidance says about it.
Draft. This guide is not yet approved clinical advice. It awaits review by a named clinician before it can appear on the clinic's official website. It draws on UK (NHS and NICE) guidance; the reviewer will also check how that guidance applies under local requirements and practice.
What this means for you
- There is no single right interval for everyone. UK guidance ranges from 3 months to 2 years for adults.
- Your dentist should explain why they suggest a particular interval, and it can change over time.
- Don't wait for a scheduled check-up if something new appears or doesn't heal.
Many people grow up with the idea that everyone should see a dentist every six months. Current clinical guidance is more personal than that. The right interval between check-ups depends on the health of your teeth and gums, and on your risk of developing problems.
What the guidance says
The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that the interval between oral health reviews is set for each patient, based on an assessment of their disease levels and risk. Under that guidance:
- the shortest recommended interval is 3 months;
- for adults, the longest recommended interval is 24 months;
- for children, the longest recommended interval is 12 months, which gives more chances to reinforce preventive advice while teeth are developing.
Someone who has kept their mouth healthy for years may, over time and by agreement with their dentist, move to a longer interval. Someone with active gum disease, frequent decay or other risk factors may be asked to come back sooner.
What affects your interval
Your dentist will usually consider things such as recent decay or fillings, the condition of your gums, how well you are able to clean your teeth, your diet, smoking, dry mouth, and relevant medical conditions or medicines. The interval can change as your circumstances change.
Questions worth asking at your next visit
- When should I come back, and why that interval?
- Is there anything about my teeth or gums you would like me to keep an eye on?
- Is there one thing I could change at home that would make the most difference?
If something changes between visits, such as pain, bleeding gums that don't settle, a broken tooth, or a mouth ulcer that hasn't healed after three weeks, don't wait for your next check-up. Contact a dentist sooner.
Sources
- NICE: Dental checks: intervals between oral health reviews (CG19) (no review date shown on the page; checked 26 September 2026)
- NICE: CG19, section 1: Guidance (no review date shown on the page; checked 26 September 2026)
- NHS: Dental check-ups (page last reviewed 1 April 2025; checked 26 September 2026)
- NHS: Mouth ulcers (page last reviewed 11 March 2024; checked 26 September 2026)
General information, not a diagnosis. This guide can't take your individual circumstances into account. Please speak to a dentist about your own situation.