It is quite common and not unheard of for patients to only really attend a dentist appointment, when something is not quite right, or they are in lots of pain. We will always endeavour in the first instance to get the patient out of any pain and identify where the root cause of the pain is.
The reason why it is important to attend regular check up and oral hygiene appointments with the dental hygienistis so we can check that everything is fine with your mouth and for the hygienist to reduce the build up of plaque and tartar (which leads to cavities).