Significant Decrease in Dental Visits in Gloucestershire

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Recent figures show a major fall in dental visits in Gloucestershire.

The latest figures show that NHS Gloucestershire failed to reach its target of getting 342,000 people to register with a dentist over the course of the last two years, with research showing that only 267,830 new patients saw a dentist in the region.

Dentists in the area are worried that people are putting off going to the dentist as a result of cost, however, saving money in the short-term by avoiding check-ups is likely to increase costs in the future, as severe dental problems are much more expensive to treat than minor issues.

Cheltenham dentist, Ahmad Nounu, said that he has seen an increase in the number of patients shying away from having treatment, even in cases where immediate treatment is strongly recommended.

Debra Elliot, director of commissioning development at NHS Gloucestershire, said that demand for dental treatment had decreased, as more and more people are viewing dental care as an unaffordable luxury.

Christina Snell, chief executive of Age UK in Gloucestershire, said that the organisation is working hard to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health.

 

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