A fifth of UK adults – 18% or the equivalent of 9.4 million people – have performed a ‘DIY’ dental procedure on themselves, a poll has concluded.
The research from health insurer Canada Life, described as “very worrying”, has come as 6.5 million people (12%) admit to not having seen a dentist for more than five years, despite NHS guidance recommending individuals visit one every two years.
However, offering access to dentistry or dental benefits through an employer can make a significant, positive difference, the poll of 2,000 UK adults has found.
Nearly half (48%) of those polled said they had been put off going to the dentist. When asked why, 13% said it was because they couldn’t afford it. A further 12% said it was because they were afraid or had a phobia of the dentist.
One in 10 (10%) said they had been unable to get registered at an NHS dentist, and 8% had simply not seen a dentist in a long time and so were worried their teeth would need a lot of work.
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For 7%, a lack of appointments at times that suited them put them off and a further 7% said their dentist had gone private and they either could not afford, or did not want to pay for, private dentistry.
Despite oral hygiene playing a key role in overall health and wellbeing, nearly a fifth (18%) admitted they were not currently registered at a dentist at all. With long NHS waiting lists, a further 12% had even been removed from their NHS list in the past year.
More positively, more than a fifth (22%) of respondents said they received dental insurance or benefits through their employer and, of those, 73% had used it.
Of those who did have access to dental benefits, more than two-fifths (42%) said it had increased their likelihood of seeing a dentist.
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Jo Turner, head of product and proposition, group protection, at Canada Life, said: “It is really concerning to see such a significant proportion of people not being able to access a dentist.
“Unfortunately, it is now well known that dentistry on the NHS is becoming less available and consequently, some people find themselves being removed from patient lists and therefore seeking more expensive private treatment. It’s very worrying that some feel there is no alternative than to perform DIY dentistry,” she added.
