What are the real hidden costs of avoiding the dentist?
Most patients are only aware of the direct financial cost of dental treatments, and because of this, many choose to go without a visit to the dentist in Birmingham altogether. Throughout our many years of practice in the dental industry, we have seen what the very real impact of neglecting dental treatment can be on patients’ lives. We believe that the true cost of poor oral health has long standing consequences that extend beyond financial constraints.
The dire consequences of skipping dental visits
A dentist in Birmingham can help patients avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort from inflammation and decaying teeth that increases avoidable emergency-room and urgent-care dental treatments. We ask patients to consider a visit to our dental clinic for a check-up appointment as an investment in their overall health: physical, mental and psychosocial. This is because poor oral health not only leads to the development of dental diseases (periodontitis, oral cancer and teeth caries) but can also affect patients’ lives in the following ways.
- Poor oral care habits result in higher dental and medical care costs
The longer dental care is delayed, the higher the costs involved in the long run. Many dental issues are progressive in nature. If timely treatment is not received to fill a small cavity in a tooth, this will only worsen until the tooth cannot be saved at all. More than this, the build-up of bacteria will begin to affect the gum line, putting at risk the entire mouth’s integrity. Bacteria can also enter the bloodstream and aggravate any underlying medical conditions.
- Dental problems affect professional lives
Toothache can be extremely painful rendering a patient unable to conduct everyday routine tasks. This can result in lost productivity at work which can have a disastrous influence on their professional as well as social lives. Damaged teeth or missing teeth have long been known to affect a patient’s self-esteem and anxiety levels. The loss in confidence due to dissatisfaction with the appearance of their teeth may mean a patient will forego promotion opportunities especially in face-to-face situations.
- Worsens chronic medical diseases
Patients with certain medical conditions, who do not have their dental health checked by a dentist in Birmingham, put themselves at great risk of developing additional complications. It is quite common for diabetic patients, for instance, to be susceptible to gum inflammation and gum disease that can eventually result in fatal infections.
- Detrimental impact on school attendance and academic performance in children
It is not only adult patients that suffer from the consequences of missing dental check-ups, children lose out too. For example, a child with cavities that are left untreated may experience symptoms such as loss of appetite and become incapable of focussing on learning activities.
For patients who skip their routine dental check-ups the unwelcome news is that they may be at risk of developing more complex dental issues in the future – issues that require more costly, long-term treatments. Take preventive action before teeth and gum problems escalate. Don’t take dental health for granted. Schedule a check-up appointment with one of our experienced dental practitioners now at Sohal Dental Practice.