Half of British Women Putting off Dental Care due to Cost
A survey has revealed that half of British women are putting off having dental care as a result of cost.
SimplyHealth’s Annual Dental Survey, which involved almost 12,000 adults, revealed that half of women do not visit the dentist as frequently as they should because they are worried about the cost and 1 in 5 women said that they were worried about going to the dentist because they had not been for a long time and expected a large bill.
According to NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence), patients should not leave more than 24 months between dental check-ups and ideally check-ups should be arranged every 6-12 months, especially if an individual has poor oral health.
Peter Ward, chief executive of the British Dental Association, said that it was common for people to put dental care on the back-burner during times of financial uncertainty, however, he stressed that regular dental appointments are essential for cutting the cost of care in the future, as well as preserving good oral health. Routine check-ups are much cheaper than complex courses of treatment, which are likely to be required if patients leave it a long time to arrange an examination.
The British Dental Association was also keen to point out that many people are entitled to free dental care on the NHS. Pregnant women, children and people who receive certain benefits are entitled to free dental care and information about free NHS care can be found on the NHS website and you can also ask your dentist for details.
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