Half of UK Put Off Dentists Due To Cost
Nearly half of the British public are scared of going to the dentist, but not due to any anxiety or concerns about pain. Instead, people are shying away from treatment due to the cost of NHS dentistry; with many surveyed saying they would rather live with the pain than pay the charges.
The survey by Tesco Dental Insurance follows steadily rising dental costs that increased above inflation. The average cost of a trip to the dentist has risen by 7% in the last 3 years with new ?band? prices which saw complex treatments costing nearly ?200 has meant that a million less people went to the dentist the year after charges were introduced in 2005. The situation has clearly gotten worse with 6% of people in Cardiff saying they would rather pull out their own teeth than face paying NHS fees.
Experts worry that failure from the government to find a proper solution to the problem of increased dental costs could lead to a surge in undiagnosed oral cancer. Despite all of the extra charges and decreased access to dentistry, the average pay for dentists has risen by over 11 percent since the new contract in 2006.
Jeremy Sutton, Head to Tesco Dental insurance stated: ?Given the current economic situation many people are worried about spending money,? he also warned that not attending the dentist could lead to a downturn in a person?s health: ?Receiving important dental treatment is essential to overall health as well as oral health.?
The British Dental Health Foundation recently reported that poor dental health could lead to the increase spread of swine flu.