A 2020 Cochrane review that assessed the two clinical trials concluded that “whether adults see their dentist for a check‐up every six months or at personalized intervals based on their dentist’s assessment of their risk of dental disease does not affect tooth decay, gum disease, or quality of life. Longer intervals (up to 24 months) between check‐ups may not negatively affect these outcomes.” The Cochrane reviewers reported that they were “confident” of little to no difference between six-month and risk-based check-ups and were “moderately confident” that going up to 24-month checkups would make little to no difference either.

Likewise, Nadanovsky and his colleagues highlight that there is no evidence supporting the benefit of common scaling and polishing treatments for adults without periodontitis. And for children, cavities in baby teeth are routinely filled, despite evidence from a randomized controlled trial that rates of pain and infections are similar—about 40 percent—whether the cavities are filled or not.

  • WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Further evidence that the privatization of healthcare is incentivized to produce worse outcomes and waste.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Exams are beneficial, they can catch issues early.

    The unnecessary cleanings are the bad part, teeth aren’t supposed to be bright white, to get them that way we’re often stripping off a protective coating.

    Like, if you’re 60+ years old who cares. But doing it for decades adds up and may end up cancelling out benefits from exams.

    What looks best just isn’t always the best for long term health.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I don’t think you understand what cleanings are…

        Likewise, Nadanovsky and his colleagues highlight that there is no evidence supporting the benefit of common scaling and polishing treatments

        Like, if you knew what scaling or polishing meant (actually know, not just heard the words) we wouldn’t be having this issue.

        Or if you asked questions instead of stating sentence fragments, people would probably take more time explaining things to you.

    • Coreidan@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      teeth aren’t supposed to be bright white

      Dental cleanings don’t make your teeth bright white. Removing tarter doesn’t make your teeth white.

      All a dental cleaning should ever be is tarter removal. If your dentist is whitening your teeth then you need to get a proper dentist.

      But doing it for decades adds up and may end up cancelling out benefits from exams.

      You don’t have the first clue as to what you’re talking about and you’re giving people terrible advice.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Sorry bud.

        I explained it once, if you’re going to act like this, I’m not putting in more effort to help you just because you spammed replies to every comment in this thread with insults.

        • stoly@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Why would you double down here? This is known to be false by everyone present. Learn a new fact and move on with your life.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Learn a new fact and move on with your life.

            I was legitimately going to ask what you thought needed a source till that second sentence…

            I gave someone else some sources though, feel free to keep lurking, just don’t expect any personal help