Dental visits considered 'a luxury'
Simplyhealth’s Annual Dental Survey 2011 shows that Brits could be risking their dental health with over a quarter of the population viewing visits to the dentist as a ‘luxury’.
The survey of 10,000 UK adults has found that men are the worst offenders with over a third considering dentist appointments not essential. Yet almost 19% stubbornly believe they can take care of their teeth themselves. However, women are no ‘tooth fairies’ either, with 43% saying dentist visits are ‘too expensive’ compared to 35% of men.
James Glover from Simplyhealth says: “It’s surprising that so many people see visiting the dentist as a luxury. We’re not talking about a holiday, or a new car, but protecting your dental health, which is an everyday health need. Simplyhealth offers an affordable Simply Dental Plan to help spread the cost of visiting the dentist, so cost doesn’t prevent people from looking after their teeth. This covers check-ups, treatment and emergencies. We hope that having a plan like this in place will help encourage individuals to visit their dentist on a regular basis, without having to worry about the cost.”
Younger people place far less importance on their dental health, with almost a third (31%) of 18-24 year olds saying visiting the dentist is a luxury, not an everyday need. This may be why only half have seen a dentist in the last year. In contrast 23% of over 55s see the dentist as a luxury, but 71% have seen the dentist in the last year.
Practicing dentist and Simplyhealth’s dental advisor, Michael Thomas, says: “Everyone wants nice, white teeth, but this won’t happen if people aren’t prepared to put any effort into caring for them. It’s really important that individuals take the time to brush their teeth twice a day and regularly visit their dentist. This isn’t just important for the health of their teeth, but also for other health issues for example, research[1] suggests that poor oral health is associated with a greater risk of a stroke and heart disease. Dentists can provide so much information and guidance that people aren’t taking advantage of. For instance Simplyhealth’s research has found that only 34% would think to speak to their dentist about identifying oral cancer.”
There’s also a contrast in people’s attitudes to dental health. On one hand, two thirds say they wouldn’t date someone with bad teeth and more than 60% believe good teeth can influence career progression. Yet, 41% say they’d prefer to have dinner with the in laws than get their teeth checked. Almost 50% would rather take out the rubbish and 41% would prefer to clean the toilet.
Simplyhealth is currently running an exclusive ‘two months free’ offer* to all new customers who purchase a Simply Dental Plan online via simplyhealth.co.uk. Simplyhealth has been helping people access affordable healthcare for almost 140 years, through a variety of cash plans, dental plans, private medical insurance, self funded health plans and mobility and living aids. All of Simplyhealth’s call centres are based in the UK and its people will always try and go the extra mile to help its customers. For more information please log onto simplyhealth.co.uk.
*The two months free offer for new customers purchasing a Simply Dental Plan online ends 30 June 2011.