Irregular Dental Trips Increase Poor Teeth

Lack of Dental Visits Equals Poor Teeth

This blog highlights the link between the need for regular dental visits to prevent poor teeth and dental health.

Australians who avoid the dentist are three times more likely to have decaying teeth, a new report says.

Dental Appointments Reduce Dental Decay

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) says its report, Dental attendance patterns and oral health status, found how the management of dental decay was influenced by the regularity of visits to a dentist.

“Those with an unfavourable pattern of dental attendance had more than three times the level of untreated decayed teeth and 1.6 times more teeth missing due to dental decay,” Professor Spencer of AIHW’s dental statistics and research unit said. “Those seeking regular dental check-ups were more likely to have dental decay treated promptly, which led to less untreated decay, fewer extractions and more teeth restored.”

Regular Dental Visits Save You Money

High dental costs was a major factor for adults not visiting a dentist, the report said. Adults were three times more likely to avoid or delay dental care due to the cost. They would have trouble paying a $100 dental bill and were distressed when making a dental visit. The report also found that gum disease occurred more often among adults who visited the dentist infrequently.

Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that dental treatment is relatively expensive with minimal to no Medicare funding and health insurance that does not provide adequate coverage of fees.

This means that for many people dental care is unaffordable and hence they delay treatment or simply avoid coming for check-ups and only attend when they are in pain.

When you add cost to other considerations like being anxious about treatment it is not surprising that some people avoid coming to the dentist for years at a time.

Why Is Dentistry Not Covered By Medicare

I find it surprising that I can get my eyes tested and that Medicare will pay for that yet the same does not happen for a dental check.

The condition of a person’s teeth and gums does not only affect the mouth but has an impact on their overall health with links to things like heart disease, strokes and diabetes just to name a few.

The mouth can also show signs of underlying illness and disease and your dentist may be able to do more than tell you-you to have a cavity or gum problems.

However, it is not all bad news as since 1994 the number of people actually attending for check-ups with their dentist has increased but the trend to delay or put off treatment continues with cost being the major prohibiting factor.

Everyone knows that regular dental check-ups are important to maintain the teeth and gums and prevent future problems but in this current financial climate more needs to be done to support those who find it difficult to afford treatment.

Perhaps if Medicare and or health funds covered the cost of at least one annual check-up, clean and x-rays this might help?!