Almost A Million People Postpone Dental Appointments In Ireland
A survey has revealed that almost one million people have postponed a dental appointment in Ireland because they cannot afford to pay for treatment.
Research also showed that almost 80 per cent of dentists said they had experienced an increase in the number of patients visiting them with tooth pain while 93 per cent have carried out more extractions than in previous years.
Thousands of Irish people have lost dental benefits as a result of budget cuts. Most people who were previously entitled to free or subsidised dental care are now entitled to only the bare minimum in terms of benefits and this is putting people off visiting the dentist on a regular basis.
A Behaviour and Attitudes survey confirmed that up to a third of people are visiting their dentist less frequently as a result of cutbacks in the medical card and PRSI schemes.
Dentists in Ireland are worried that the cutbacks will prove counteractive in the future, as people are missing out on routine checks and increasing the likelihood of developing oral diseases as a result.
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