Scots Risking Their Health by Avoiding the Dentist
Experts believe that Scots are putting their health at risk by avoiding regular dental visits.
Dentists across Scotland have experienced an increase in the number of patients cancelling or postponing appointments, because they are unable to afford treatment and experts are worried that people are putting both their oral and general health at risk.
New figures suggest that dentists in Scotland have seen their pay decrease by 7% over the last year as a result of seeing fewer patients. The figures also suggest that patients are putting off routine visits and avoiding the dentist if they are worried that they may need expensive treatments.
Andrew Lamb, director of the British Dental Association in Scotland, said that there was a degree of speculation surrounding the fall in earnings, but it was very likely that the decrease in pay is linked to a fall in patient numbers. A survey carried out by the BDA showed that people are putting off dental visits because they do not have money to pay for treatment and Dr Lamb also added that there are more dentists working in Scotland now, which means that work is spread more thinly.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, said that it is vital that people realise the importance of regular dental visits, as poor oral health is linked to a host of serious medical conditions, including strokes, heart disease and diabetes. Dr Carter also added that missing appointments to save money in the short-term could potentially lead to much bigger bills, as routine treatments are much less expensive than complex courses of treatment.
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