Can someone go a long time without getting their teeth cleaned by a dentist? Can a person be genetically prone to get or not get cavities?
You can go as long as you want without getting your teeth cleaned by a dentist, but the results might vary. I spent four years between cleanings without a single cavity, but four years before that I spent four years without a cleaning and had to get three root canals. There is a genetic component (I know a guy who brushed his teeth on a weekly basis and never got a cavity- his doc said he had extra hard enamel) but diet and cleaning habits are going to be a much bigger factor in most people’s cases.
Cleaning by a hygenist is not about cavities but rather about preventing gum disease by removing the tartar deposits on the teeth that form at the gum line. I’m sure one of our dental professionals will be along to elaborate.
I know a woman who never got cavities. It was genetic, ran in the family. But the downside was that her gums would overgrow and need to be trimmed (!) from time to time.
There had been some hope that a vaccine for the bugs that cause caries but “it’s taking longer than expected.”