How Often Should You Get Your Teeth Cleaned?

Q: My gums bleed when I floss, do I need to come in more often?

Bleeding when flossing is a sign of gum inflammation, usually gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. It's worth having it evaluated. In many cases, consistent flossing combined with a cleaning resolves it. But it's not something to ignore.

For most adults: twice a year. But there’s real clinical reasoning behind that number — and it’s not right for everyone.

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The short answer

For most healthy adults, twice a year — every six months — is the right cleaning frequency.

That’s not arbitrary. Tartar (hardened plaque that only a professional instrument can remove) forms on a roughly six-month cycle for most people. By the time six months have passed, there’s meaningful buildup to address — particularly below the gumline, where it can irritate gum tissue and start the conditions for gum disease.

Two cleanings a year also means your dentist sees your mouth twice a year. Any change — a cavity forming, gum pockets deepening, a crack developing — gets caught early, when it’s still simple to address.

What to expect

Curious what actually happens at the appointment?

We walk through every step — from the gum check to the exam to the clean — so there are no surprises.

See what’s involved

When twice a year isn’t enough

For some patients, every six months doesn’t keep up with what’s happening in their mouth. More frequent cleanings — typically every three to four months — are recommended when:

You’ve had gum disease. If you’ve been treated for gingivitis or periodontitis, more frequent cleanings help maintain the results and prevent recurrence. After a deep cleaning, gum disease patients are often placed on a periodontal maintenance schedule of 3–4 visits per year.

You’re a heavy tartar builder. Some people simply accumulate calculus faster than others. If your hygienist consistently finds significant buildup after six months, coming in more often keeps it manageable.

You have diabetes. Diabetes affects gum health, and gum disease can in turn make blood sugar harder to control. More frequent dental visits help manage both.

You have dry mouth. Saliva plays a protective role in oral health — it neutralizes acids and washes away bacteria. Dry mouth (often caused by certain medications) increases cavity and tartar risk, and more frequent cleanings help compensate.

You’re in orthodontic treatment. Brackets and wires create more surface area for plaque to accumulate. More frequent cleanings during treatment keep gum health on track.

You’re pregnant. Pregnancy affects gum tissue — pregnancy gingivitis is common. More frequent visits during pregnancy keep gum health monitored.

Can some people go once a year?

Occasionally, yes — but it’s not the norm, and it’s not a patient’s call to make unilaterally.

Some patients with consistently excellent gum health, low cavity risk, and slow tartar accumulation may be fine with one annual cleaning. But this is something a dentist determines after seeing your mouth, not something to assume going in.

The risk of self-diagnosing as a “low-risk” patient is that gum disease in its early stages doesn’t hurt and doesn’t have visible symptoms. By the time you notice something wrong, it’s often progressed. Regular preventive care visits are how we catch what you can’t feel.

Haven’t been in a while? Just come in.

If it’s been two years, five years, or longer since your last cleaning — come in. We see patients returning after long gaps regularly.

We don’t lecture. We don’t make you feel bad about the gap. We assess where things stand, do what’s needed to catch up, and set you up on a schedule that works going forward.

The longer you wait, the more there is to address — but there’s never a point where it’s “too late.” Starting now is always better than waiting longer.

Book a cleaning (425) 776-8353

Common questions

It’s a fair question. The twice-a-year recommendation exists because that’s roughly how long it takes for tartar to accumulate to a level that meaningfully affects gum health for most people. It’s also how frequently a dentist can catch small developing problems. It’s not invented — it’s clinical standard practice based on how the mouth works.

For some low-risk patients, once a year may be fine. For most patients, it means a year of tartar accumulation — and a longer gap between the dentist catching any developing issues. Gum disease in particular is asymptomatic in early stages, so a longer gap means more opportunity for it to progress undetected.

Your dentist will tell you. After an exam, we’ll assess your gum pocket depths, tartar buildup rate, and any risk factors — gum disease history, diabetes, dry mouth — and give you a specific recommendation. You don’t need to figure this out yourself.

Bleeding when flossing is a sign of gum inflammation — usually gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. It’s worth having it evaluated. In many cases, consistent flossing combined with a cleaning resolves it. But it’s not something to ignore.

Not sure what’s right for you? Book a cleaning — we’ll tell you at the appointment.

After we assess your gum health and tartar buildup, your dentist will give you a specific cleaning frequency recommendation. No guessing.

Book a cleaning (425) 776-8353

Monday–Thursday, 8 am–5 pm 7631 212th St SW #112-C, Edmonds, WA 98026