Dental Health takes a Hit Following the Recession
A dental survey has revealed that dental health has taken a hit as a result of the recession, with many families facing ongoing financial difficulties.
The SimplyHealth Annual Dental Survey found that cost is a major factor for many people when thinking about dental care. Many admitted to putting off dental visits as a result of the cost of dental care and more than 20 percent of the 11,785 adults said that they were too nervous to go to the dentist because they had not been for a long time and were worried about the potential cost of treatment.
Dentists advise patients to attend dental check-ups every six to twelve months and NICE (the National Institute of Clinical Excellence) recommends leaving no more than 24 months between visits. However, 1 in 5 people surveyed admitted that they had been to the dentist for more than 18 months.
The survey also revealed that people are worried about their finances in the future, with 54 percent stating that they were concerned about being unable to afford regular dental treatment in years to come.
The survey showed an improvement in access to NHS dental services and dentists were eager to point out that many people are entitled to free dental care on the NHS. In 2011 29 percent of people said they had trouble registering with an NHS dentist, compared to just 16 percent this year.
Michael Thomas, a dentist and adviser to SimplyHealth, said that it was important for patients to realise that regular check-ups are much better value for money than putting off treatment in the short-term and avoiding the dentist is likely to increase the risk of complex health problems, which are more expensive to treat.
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