Let’s face it, going to the dentist is not high on the priority list for a number of reasons. In fact, Finder.com.au recently surveyed over 2000 Australians and the results were not surprising. But they were alarming when you think of the health implications across the country.
It is approximated that the equivalent of 12.6 million Aussies have purposefully avoided the dentist. But the big question is why?
The top three reasons included:
- Money – 41 per cent of people surveyed
- Fear – 20 per cent of people of people surveyed
- Laziness – 13 per cent of people of people surveyed
With dental complications being the third biggest cause of preventable hospitalisations in the country, we have put together this blog to break down these top three reasons, or excuses, with the aim of encouraging you to avoid a visit to the hospital by making sure you visit the dentist.
Money
Unfortunately, the longer you leave a problem the more costly it becomes to fix.
Early detection of issues is key to avoiding expensive dental procedures down the track which means keeping up with regular dental visits is important for your health and wallet.
At Dental House Gladesville, we are all about prevention and education.
After all, prevention is better than cure. We are also big believers in the saying “information is power” that is why we try to provide as much of this as possible to benefit our visitors.
Some examples of how we work to keep your costs down include our mouthguard offerand opening offers. We also make sure that you’re aware of various Schemes and benefits to assist you with unexpected and expected costs, like the Government’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
Fear
We understand that the word dentist is often associated with words like needles or drill. Not exactly words that make you want to rush into booking your next appointment.
But as touched on, the longer issues are left undetected the more likely the condition will worsen.
For example, did you know that 25 per cent of Australian adults are living with untreated tooth decay? Left untreated tooth decay can lead to pain, infection and tooth loss. In addition, gum disease can exacerbate chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
According to the National Oral Health Plan, only one in three Australians said they keep up to date with their dental visits which is why more than 63,000 Australians are hospitalised each year for preventable dental conditions.
Now what’s scarier – a trip to the dentist or a trip to the hospital?
At Dental House Gladesville, we pride ourselves in making all of our patients feel at ease, even the most anxious visitors. How?
For our youngest patients, we use educational toys and tools like learning boards to engage with children in ways they can understand. We even make sure to do things like take first visitors on a ride on our dentist chair so they can begin to associate the dentist with positive experiences.
For adults, building a partnership through communication is important for us. We will explain everything to you before we enter into any procedure, answer any questions you may have and give you every opportunity to set the pace.
Laziness
Life is busy. We get it. But finding time to take care of yourself is important. No excuses. We know this. But in reality, we also know people are very good at finding excuses.
There are reports of Australians being reluctant to see the doctor. But did you know that Government figures show Australians are three times more likely to delay seeing a dentist than a GP?
This no excuses mantra should be enforced for anything related to your health because prevention is key.
At Dental House Gladesville, we are experts in preventative dental.
To us, dentistry is about more than just teeth because we know that your oral health can impact on the rest of your body and lifestyle like your airway, sleep, pain, growth and development. That is why at each appointment we are not just looking for solutions for your current smile, but strategies that will assist in your overall lifestyle which means less visits to the dentist for you – not because of any of the above reasons, but because you are as healthy as you can be.