Cost puts many off dental treatment

25^th March 2011 - Nearly a fifth of people have put off a visit to the dentist because of the cost of treatment and more than a quarter said money affected treatment decisions.

The statistics come from the Adult Dental Health Survey.

Unlike many other parts of the NHS, dental costs are only subsidised for many people, rather than "free at the point of delivery." However many groups get free dental treatment, including children and pregnant women. 

In England, NHS dental costs go up again in April. One course of basic treatment will go up by 50p to £17.  The more complex 'band 2' courses of treatment will increase by £1.40 to £47 and 'band 3' by £6 to £204.

Gum recession & the economy's recession

Although the cost of treatment was a concern for patients, the country's dental health for adults continues to improve.

There was good news too about the ability to get an NHS dental appointment for most people, though access to NHS dental services remained a problem for "a small minority".

In a separate report on the NHS in England, the Department of Health revealed that the number of patients accessing NHS dentistry grew for the tenth consecutive quarter, with around 201,000 more adults and 14,000 more children seeing an NHS dentist. Primary Care Trusts have been told to further improve access to NHS dentistry.

In the dental survey:

• 26% of adults said the type of dental treatment they chose in the past was affected by the cost of the treatment.
• 19% delayed dental treatment for cost reasons
• 50% of all adults with at least one natural tooth attended the dentist at least once every six months, 21% went at least once a year and a 6% once every two years.
• Of those adults with at least one natural tooth, 61% go for regular check-ups, 10% occasional check-ups, 27% only go when they have tooth troubles. 2% never see a dentist.
• 78% had been given advice by a dental health professional on how best to clean their teeth and gums. Three quarters of adults clean their teeth at least twice a day.

'Hidden inequalities'

In a statement,   Ian O’Sullivan, from the Office for National Statistics, says the survey results: "give a clear picture of improving oral health amongst adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland."

However, the British Dental Association is warning the statistics hide inequalities between those with the best and worst oral health.

In a statement, Susie Sanderson, Chair of the BDA’s Executive Board, says the survey: "underlines the persistent oral health inequalities that we see in this country and the correlation between poor oral health and lower socio-economic status."

With more adults keeping their teeth longer she says: "Maintaining those teeth, particularly for those aged 45 and over who bear the legacy of higher levels of dental disease in earlier life, will be a particular challenge."

And when it comes to people putting money before dental health: "These results also reinforce the findings of the BDA’s own research in highlighting the effect of the recession as a deterrent for some patients seeking dental care. While it’s understandable that patients’ financial anxieties are leading them to defer appointments and treatment, achieving short-term money savings at the expense of longer-term health problems really isn’t wise."