A quarter of adults have delayed dental treatment ‘because of the cost’

A quarter of adults have delayed dental care or treatment because of the cost, according to a large survey.

One in three also said the cost of dentistry has affected the type of care or treatment they go on to have.

The poll included 6,343 responses from 4,429 households in England and was commissioned by the Government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

Overall, 66% of of people said they had very good or good oral health, 26% said it was fair and 7% said it was bad or very bad.

Some 63% of people go to a dentist for regular check-ups, 15% go occasionally and 18% go only when they have trouble with their mouth, teeth or dentures.

Meanwhile, nearly half of all adults (47%) have been affected by their teeth in the last year, with 28% saying they had felt self-conscious, 24% finding it uncomfortable to eat any foods and 20% having painful aching in their mouth.

One in five had a severe impact that had affected their daily life in the previous 12 months, such as avoiding smiling, laughing and showing teeth, and difficulty eating (9%).

Overall, the poll found 77% of people with natural teeth (the majority of respondents) brushed their teeth at least twice a day and 59% used an electric toothbrush.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association, said: “For a decade Government has squeezed NHS dentistry till the pips squeak.

“Patients have been hit with inflation-busting hikes to cover for cuts, while practices have been starved of investment.

“The result is an exodus in motion from the workforce and an access crisis facing millions.”