Incidentally, people undergoing cancer treatment tend to go into debt and file for bankruptcy at a significantly higher rate than the genpop http://www.newsweek.com/many-cancer-patients-must-face-bankr...

If your dental office is recommending 3-4 cleanings a year and you have dental insurance that covers two, there is a good chance that they may cover more. My Delta Dental (a popular dental plan in the US) lets you add a free* rider via the website to cover four cleanings a year. It has a menu of medical reasons for the extra coverage from which you choose one.

I'm told diabetes and maternity are the most common reasons people access the additional cleanings.

* I realize this is priced into the default premiums.

That's probably good advice. The extra $80 for a cleaning is cheaper than many of the dental procedures that many folks will need.

I find it hard to believe that a two month difference between cleanings (4 months vs. 6 months) is going to prevent any more serious dental procedure.

I have GERD but before diagnosis the acid from coughing was terrible on my teeth.

My dentist with many years experience diagnosed it. I went to the doctor who confirmed it was GERD.

I lost my job but when I was working the insurance paid for two cleaning per year. I chose to keep the insurance but it's a lesser plan that only covers one cleaning every nine months.

Twice per year was good for me since I got lazy about three or four months after visiting the dentist. I needed the twice yearly pep talk.

And I should also say that 75% of people who are diagnosed with IPF a fatal lung disease have GERD. My father has IPF and GERD I have GERD but I hope I don't develop IPF. My grandfather died of emphysema at 52 I really hope there's no connection! So yeah a dentist could point you in a direction that may help you more than you realize.

It all depends on you. If you develop plaque more quickly, you want to go more to prevent gum disease. Gum disease never goes away and always requires more intervention and more $$$.

The recommendation that you go twice a year literally originates from a toothpaste ad in the 1950s. It was an arbritary number intended to encourage you to get preventative care, aided by their toothpaste. (In those days dentists were mostly tooth pullers)

Or you could spend a fraction of that on decent floss, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. If you have decent home care, you really don't need to be getting cleanings three times a year.