Supporting better care for the nation
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 19th November 2022
The oral health of the nation has undergone a series of challenges in the last few years. Alongside obvious issues caused by the pandemic, patients have had to navigate other hurdles, including access issues and financial pressures.
But what is the state of oral health in the UK, and what can professionals learn from the latest facts and figures to make a difference?
A snapshot of the nation’s teeth
Although most of the news and data following the pandemic has formed a bleak picture of UK oral health, the fact remains that we are living in one of the best periods of oral health that the country has ever experienced. Data collected during National Smile Month has revealed that over the last decade, a number of big improvements have been made to the general health of the nation. That being said, there are still many avoidable issues persisting among the general public, so, let’s look at some of the stats:
Access, attendance and availability
One worrying statistic that was brought to light in the latest survey for National Smile Month was that 39% of the UK adult population don’t visit the dentist regularly.[i] If we take into account that there are currently almost 54 million people in the UK aged 18 and above,[ii] that means on average around 21 million individuals are not accessing dental care regularly – a pretty shocking figure.
But why is this the case? Perhaps one reason that so many people are not keeping on top of dental visits is that more than 2 million individuals in the UK would have to travel over 40 miles to access dental care.[iii] With more practices giving up their NHS contracts, these sorts of distances could soon be a reality for even more people, making regular dental visits an expensive and time-consuming task.
We also need to take into account the current cost-of-living crisis. With prices increasing so much in every day life, there are likely to be those who can’t easily afford regular dental care, even at NHS rates.
Habits and home
Did you know that 66% of adults have visible plaque? What about the fact that 25% of adults don’t even brush their teeth twice a day with a toothpaste containing fluoride?[iv]
One thing that these facts reveal is that more needs to be done to educate patients about the importance of their oral health. As you’re well aware, the likelihood of people developing tooth decay is hugely increased if they don’t regularly remove plaque, which means that these individuals are going to be more prone to developing oral health issues.
Another statistic in a similar vein is that 30% of individuals surveyed had NEVER cleaned interdentally with dental floss or any other method. This sheds some serious light on the need for better habit formation among the general public.
It is perhaps these behaviours that have led to 6 million UK individuals having suffered from long-lasting pain in the last year caused by toothache.[v]
But what can professionals do to make a difference?
Elevating your care to the next level
As well as educating patients where possible, perhaps the smartest things professionals can do is ensure that they have the technology available to provide the nation with the best care possible. With the on-going access crisis and people struggling, it makes all the difference to be able to provide individuals with gold-standard care when they visit your practice, especially as good experiences are generally more likely to encourage them to return.
It’s also inevitable that professionals should prepare for being met with high numbers of individuals who do have oral health issues, especially if they haven’t accessed dental care in some time.
One way to support your patients is to choose an imaging system that truly goes the extra mile. The CS 8200 3D Neo Edition from Carestream Dental has been specifically designed to achieve outstanding images through simple, intuitive workflows. Offering the most fields of view in its category, the system supports everyday dentistry and can also be utilised for more complex cases, so that you can offer every patient diamond-standard care.
Supporting a better future
Some of the figures in this article are shocking, but there is also hope that we are still moving towards a nation with better oral health overall. By ensuring your patients are armed with knowledge and that you have the technology you need to perform exceptional care, you can help support a better, healthier oral health future for the UK.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or
visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @carestreamdental.uk
Nimisha Nariapara
Nimisha is the Trade Marketing Manager at Carestream Dental covering the UK, Middle East, Nordics, South Africa, Russia and CIS regions. She has worked at Carestream Dental for the past 7 years, where she has developed her marketing skills and industry knowledge to bring the core values and philosophy of the company to the market.
[i] National Smile Month. Oral Health Statistics In The UK. Link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-statistics [Last accessed July 22].
[ii] World Population Review. United Kingdom Population (2022) Live. Link: https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/united-kingdom-population [Last accessed July 22].
[iii] National Smile Month. Oral Health Statistics In The UK. Link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-statistics [Last accessed July 22].
[iv] National Smile Month. Oral Health Statistics In The UK. Link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-statistics [Last accessed July 22].
[v] National Smile Month. Oral Health Statistics In The UK. Link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-statistics [Last accessed July 22].
