The big reason why Australians are skipping their dental check-ups
Although fear is one deterrent that keeps both young and old away from the dentist, a new survey has found the real reason why millions of Aussies are skipping out on their regular dental check-up.
Finder.com.au surveyed over 2000 Australians and found that 41 per cent of people are avoiding the dentist because it is too expensive.
The second most popular reason why Aussies are not planning a trip to the dentist is because of fear, with 20 per cent of people admitting they are afraid of needles, pain or just the dentist office itself.
Laziness was the third most popular reason people don’t make it to the dentist, with 13 per cent of people saying that they just “never get around to it”.
The study found that women are more likely to avoid a dentist, with 47 per cent of women saying it is too expensive compared to 36 per cent of men.
Unfortunately, these excuses are having a dangerous impact, with dental complications being the third highest cause of preventable hospitalisations in Australia.
According to National Oral Health Plan, more than 63,000 Australians are hospitalised for preventable dental conditions each year.
Health insurance expert at Finder.com.au, Bessie Hassan, said it is surprising that dental issues were so common in Australia.
“It’s hard to believe that oral health is a problem for a first-world country like Australia,” she said.
“Oral disease is among the most common and costly health problems experienced by Australians yet many can just not afford to see a dentist.”
In the survey, 10 per cent of respondents admitted that they needed major dental work and were putting it off.
Surprisingly, more than 25 per cent of Aussies are living with untreated tooth decay and in 2016 the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that there were 846 oral cancer deaths in the country.
“As a nation we are well practised at justifying avoiding the dentist but the consequences could be major,” Ms Hassan said.