50 per cent of adults failing to attend the dentist

I recently read an article in the Telegraph that 50% of adults are failing to attend the dentist. Figures released from the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal that half of adults have not been to the dentist in the past two years.

Reasons for non attendance

Whilst there may be many reasons as to why people chose not to attend a dentist, the main reason currently cited is the difficulty people are experiencing trying to register with an NHS dentist and/or obtaining an appointment.

Richard Lloyd, Executive Director of the consumers’ group Which?, said:

“Our research shows just how difficult it is for patients to get an NHS dental appointment, as information about availability doesn’t reflect reality”.

However, The Royal College of Surgeons said that the nation’s poor dental record was a combination of patient complacency about caring for teeth AND access to dental appointments, both of which need to be addressed by the Government.

Importance of attending the dentist

It is important for people to take responsibility for their own dental health and everyone knows the importance of brushing their teeth for two minutes twice a day. However, it is not widely know of the other health problems that can arise from a failure to maintain good oral hygiene. Having poor oral health is a risk factor to other diseases such as heart disease and type two diabetes.

Further, if a person’s oral health is not maintained a person can experience problems such as:

– Tooth decay, which if left untreated can lead to toothache, swelling, abscesses, bad breath and can lead to the eventual loss of the tooth or teeth.

– Periodontal disease, where the gums are swollen, and may bleed on brushing and a person can end up losing several teeth as a result.

– Recurrent infections

A person suffering from poor oral health may also find that they suffer from loss of sleep due to dental pain and this can have an impact on ones work life, necessitating time off work or school. It can also affect ones social life in that a person may be restricted in their food choices and may not be able to socialise as often.

Our experience

It is important that dentists assist patients in maintaining good oral health and that dentists provide adequate treatment in the event of problems to avoid the numerous problems that can follow from suffering from poor oral health. However, people also have to take responsibility in attending the dentist to ensure that these problems do no occur.

Whilst we appreciate there may be many reasons as to why people chose not to attend the dentist, the importance of attending the dentist needs to be highlighted to ensure that people attend as frequently as is necessary.

If you have suffered from dental problems caused by your dentist, please contact the Dental Negligence Team who will be happy to assist and advise on the prospects of bringing a claim.