Toll of dental pain time off
Millions missing work with teeth and gum issues
MILLIONS of people are having to take time off work because of oral health problems amid a collapse in access to NHS dentists.
The Mirror is campaigning for the right to see an NHS dentist for all and our online petition was last night approaching 200,000 signatures.
A national survey reveals one in 10 adults in England, more than four million people, had to take at least two weeks off in the last three years due to problems with teeth and gums.
Among younger workers aged 16 to 34 the problem is even worse, with one in five missing at least a fortnight due to their oral health, according to the Oral Health Index.
The revelation comes after NHS data indicated 83% of surgeries are not accepting adult NHS patients.
Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said: “The collapse of NHS dentistry isn’t just hurting millions of patients, but the wider economy.
“Every time ministers take a miserly approach to funding it hits other parts of their balance sheet. Not just the costs hitting our hospitals and GP surgeries, but the millions of lost hours in our workplaces.”
The UK spends the lowest proportion of its health budget on dentistry of any European nation. Dr Ben
Atkins, of Wrigley Oral Healthcare Programme, which commissioned the polling, said: “The findings have underscored the importance of addressing the crisis in NHS dentistry. A mix of investment in services and preventative programmes is needed.”
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “We want to make access to NHS dental care faster, simpler and fairer and we’re already seeing progress. But there is still more to do. Our Dental Recovery Plan will create 2.5 million additional appointments by offering cash incentives to dentists to take on new NHS patients.”
THE collapse of NHS dentistry services is not just leaving people in pain. It is also harming the economy.
New figures show that one in 10 adults in the UK – some four million people – have had to take time off work in the past three years because of dental problems.
These lost working hours are a consequence of the Tories’ failure to fund dentistry properly.
Since the Conservatives came to power, the money for NHS dentistry has been cut by a third in real terms. At the same time, the perverse system of contracts acts as a disincentive for dentists to take on more patients.
The latest NHS data shows that 83% of surgeries are not accepting new adult patients.
Given this dire state of affairs, it is not surprising that nearly 200,000 people have signed our petition calling on the Government to make sure everyone who wants to can access a NHS dentist. The Conservatives need to wake up to the crisis they have created.